Alabama Recruitment

[Loyally Kappa]

Since I'm living in Oxford now and am teaching at Ole Miss, I am learning a little bit about what goes on here. I will say that the sorority and fraternity houses on on the Ole Miss campus are the most stunningly beautiful and highest quality that I have ever seen anywhere.

Sorority recruitment will occur September 20-27 this year. Classes begin this coming Monday, August 24. What I understand from other faculty members who have been around for awhile is that there used to be an exodus of young ladies transfering away from Ole Miss after rush who did not get the sorority they wanted. Not sure when this went into effect, but the dates are now set so that it will be too late for anyone to withdraw and transfer AND get their tuition money back. They are "stuck" for at least one semester and perhaps they will adjust to the situation.

'Course, now, this is my first semester here, so it will be interesting to see if recruitment disrupts classes. At first I couldn't fathom how they could get all of the parties in, but there are only 8 Panhellenic sororities here. According the schedule posted at http://www.dosolemiss.com/page.php?p...page_id=107788, they don't do a round of open parties.

Round 1 (Philanthropy Round): Sept. 23-24th
Round 2 (Skit Round): Sept. 25th
Round 3 (Preference Round): Sept. 26th
BID DAY: Sept. 27th

I count a total of 34 Rho Chis, so if I estimate 25 PNMs assigned to each, there ought to be around 850 girls going through recruitment here. One of them is a close friend of my daughter who just pledged Tri Delta at Alabama ... but there is nothing to stop me from sending an additional rec to the Kappa house now that I'm here, is there?

Originally Posted by OleMissGlitter

There have been a handful of PNMs who didn't get their first choice at Alabama or Auburn and guess what? They transferred to Ole Miss. Since Auburn and Alabama have recruitment before their semesters starts and Ole Miss usually doesn't begin until the last week in August, it gives a student time to leave one school and head to another. I know of a PNM about 4 years ago who didn't get her first choice at Alabama and she did get that first choice here at Ole Miss. They just pay the fees for both schools and if they get their first choice they cancel their applications with the other school. If they don't get their first choice they come here and "withdraw" from the other University. I have seen it about a handful of times. But it does happen.
I also remember when I went through recruitment way back in 1996 (before they moved recruitment) there were two girls in my dorm who packed up and left and went to Mississippi State. They didn't get their first choice here so they figured they would get it at MSU. I personally don't agree with it at all. I can't believe some parents would even suggest or encourage it.

[OleMissGlitter]

Originally Posted by Loyally Kappa

Not sure when this went into effect, but the dates are now set so that it will be too late for anyone to withdraw and transfer AND get their tuition money back. They are "stuck" for at least one semester and perhaps they will adjust to the situation.

The year I went through in 1996 was the last year it was before school started. Then in Fall of 1997 they started "deferred." Some years it is 6 weeks into classes, other years it has been longer and even shorter. But the retention rates have improved a bit but not that much. (I have those stats at work and I believe the Office of Institutional Research has those online as well.)

Glad you are liking Oxford Loyally Kappa! After I graduated I never left!

[RobD]

Thank you for all the information here! I am an OOS Mom whose D will probably be at UA next fall. There are absolutely no Greek connections on either side of the family, as we are originally from the Northeast. I've just read through this entire thread with my D next to me and we've learned so much.

I have a question that may be answered somewhere else on this site so my apologies if that is the case: in a few of the posts, there was mention about the "reputation" of particular sororities; some seem to have more wealthy, socially connected members, etc. Is there anyway to find out those types of reputations before arriving on campus? And does that reputation follow that sorority from campus to campus?
Thanks in advance for any insight!
RobD

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by RobD

I have a question that may be answered somewhere else on this site so my apologies if that is the case: in a few of the posts, there was mention about the "reputation" of particular sororities; some seem to have more wealthy, socially connected members, etc. Is there anyway to find out those types of reputations before arriving on campus? And does that reputation follow that sorority from campus to campus?
Thanks in advance for any insight!
RobD

Every chapter on every campus in the country has a different reputation.

We're not big on talking about reputation here, and if you really want to find out, I'm sure any collegian at Bama could tell you.

Honestly, the best thing to do (particularly at a school like Bama) is to be open minded about all chapters.

[Gung-Ho-Chi-O]

I am out of the loop now as far as knowing if girls hop around & transfer, but I know back in the late 80's it did occur from time to time! In my high school in Alabama, if a large number of girls were say going to Alabama & competing for the "top tier" sororities, one or two might head to Auburn & pledge that same sorority & then transfer down the next year.

I always found it sort of amusing. This did not occur often. What many girls from the region of Alabama I am familiar with consider the "top 2" sororities at Alabama are not both considered(by these girls or their mama's) the "top 2" at Auburn (only 1 of them is) so this was done the few times I've seen it only with the one sorority where they deemed it worth transferring.

I know my username gives my affiliation away, but I must share another amusing point. There was a girl in my sorority & by her sophmore year she told everyone she was transferring to another large SEC school in Mississippi. Her reason: A blunt retort that there were just not enough available men at Alabama to pick from a potential hubby pool! The problem:the one chapter in my sorority in the nation that did not accept tranfers was this particular school in Miss. She had the rules bent completely for her & was accepted as a transfer only because an alum she befriended's mother happened to be our national president 23 years ago :-) By the way, she did marry & I believe she met him once she transferred. I guess persistence pays off!!!