UT Knoxville Recruitment 2010

[formerlurker]

Congrats to all of your girls! I am still waiting to hear where my rec girls went.

As to UT's numbers being down-and don't flame me for saying this, but it is true and is being widely discussed among UT alumni. Admission standards have gone up quite significantly at UT since we got the Hope scholarship- UT is now attracting a different kind of student. (The same thing happened at Georgia about 12 years ago.) Although their are TONS of girls in glo's who have a 4.0 and are very, very strong students,etc., the IDEA that you can't be greek and still be serious about your studies has crept into the culture of a lot of prospective UT students and parents, and a lot of people feel that this is what has hurt the numbers, both male and female, for the past few years. WE all know this is NOT really true, but it is a perception that I have heard from quite a few people so it must be pretty widespread among a lot of freshmen and their parents, and the recruitment numbers seem to back it up. And, not to slam anybody, guess where a LOT of TN and GA kids go if they want a big SEC school with greek life, but do not get into UT or UGA- they go to Alabama or Ole Miss. Thus, Alabama in particular has had a huge jump in out of staters from TN and GA over the past few years, and a corresponding jump in greek numbers. Whoever said it above is right-a lot of the girls who would have been sorority members at UT a few years ago are now at Bama or Ole Miss.
UT Panhellenic and IFC have got to find a way to reverse this perception but I don't know how they can get it done.

Regardless, Congrats again to all of the new members who made the very wise decision to go through recruitment at UTK!

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by formerlurker

As to UT's numbers being down-and don't flame me for saying this, but it is true and is being widely discussed among UT alumni. Admission standards have gone up quite significantly at UT since we got the Hope scholarship- UT is now attracting a different kind of student. (The same thing happened at Georgia about 12 years ago.) Although their are TONS of girls in glo's who have a 4.0 and are very, very strong students,etc., the IDEA that you can't be greek and still be serious about your studies has crept into the culture of a lot of prospective UT students and parents, and a lot of people feel that this is what has hurt the numbers, both male and female, for the past few years...a perception that I have heard from quite a few people so it must be pretty widespread among a lot of freshmen and their parents, and the recruitment numbers seem to back it up...guess where a LOT of TN and GA kids go if they want a big SEC school with greek life, but do not get into UT or UGA- they go to Alabama or Ole Miss. Thus, Alabama in particular has had a huge jump in out of staters from TN and GA over the past few years, and a corresponding jump in greek numbers. Whoever said it above is right-a lot of the girls who would have been sorority members at UT a few years ago are now at Bama or Ole Miss. UT Panhellenic and IFC have got to find a way to reverse this perception but I don't know how they can get it done.

UT Panhellenic and IFC can change that perception, but it will take a concerted and organized effort at publicizing and promoting its academic achievements and advantages.

As for TN and UGA kids going to Bama or Ole Miss....gotta disagree with that a little. Certainly a lot of Georgia kids come to Alabama because of the higher standards that Hope Scholarships have created in Georgia schools. But also Alabama has been strongly and heavily recruiting out of state kids for the past 4 or 5 years...lots of scholarships are going to these kids to make it cheaper - or at least as cheap - to come to Alabama as staying in-state. There are huge numbers of Texans and Californians in the mix...even some states you wouldn't expect, like New Jersey and Connecticut.

Believe it or not, a national football championship creates some of that demand, too.

Is there any news about sorority housing at UTK?

[AoPiMommy]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

Is there any news about sorority housing at UTK?

I have heard, but not confirmed, that they will be ready by fall 2012. At least some of them. And I hope that the rent will be somewhat equitable to the dorms.

[UTKALUM]

We (as in my chapter) were hoping to be open next fall but there continue to be delays with the initial grade work being done by the university and I don't think any chapter has had their plans approved by the state fire marshall. 2012 is probably a pretty good prediction for some houses.