Women who start out at community college

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AGDee

The reality is, the highest quality collegiate sorority experience is dependent on more than one year, and probably more than two years of time in a collegiate chapter. Yes, there is the advantage for the chapter to have longer retention, but it is also better for the member. From a financial perspective, the first term is really expensive for the new member. From new member fees to dues to an Initiation fee, it's a hard hit. Costs go down considerably after that first term so if you simply look at the Return on Investment for the new member, financially, if that first term's costs get you 8 semesters of collegiate experience versus 2 semesters, you're getting a better deal.

During the new member period, it's a big learning curve. You're getting to know the women in the chapter, learning the history, etc. You aren't eligible to run for an office yet. Ideally, leadership begins at a committee level and grows into a coordinator or chairman position and then into an Executive Board/Council role. Being in a chapter for only a year or two robs you of those leadership opportunities. Of course there are anecdotal experiences that will contradict that statement, but the reality is, leadership is generally developed, not an inherent gift. When you're in the chapter only a year or two, it could be difficult to get the chance to live-in when there is a house. When you're only in the chapter for a year or two, it could be difficult to be a big sister/sister-mother. Your own experience as a Junior/Senior new member is lessened by simply not being around for as long. You won't master recruitment skills or get the same feeling of tradition and you'll be gone in the blink of an eye. You won't get the same number or level of personal development programs either.

There are a lot of disadvantages for the chapter itself too, but I decided, this time, to focus on the disadvantages for the new member. You simply cannot get the full collegiate experience in that short of a time period. When I see the "rushing as a senior" threads, my first thought is always "Why?"

I disagree with this entire post.

Juniors who join may have gotten a bid BECAUSE of their leadership roles in other campus activities. There's no reason those skills can't transfer to sorority roles as well. Not to mention the women (of all class levels) that they've met through those activities who may also become sisters.

As far as learning history...chapters still do that?? (Snarky and sarcastic...but not really. Look at NM programs nowadays.)

The "older" pledges I've known often graduate with nothing but love in their hearts for the sorority and nothing but good to say about the experience. To contrast, the girls who've been involved since freshman year are the ones usually saying "I can't wait to get the eff out of here." Varies between both these groups, of course. It also depends a lot on chapter size. If you're in a chapter under 80 or so, you probably will have enough roles in 2 years that you'll feel sated. By contrast, a woman in a chapter of 200 can stay active for 4 years and never do anything other than nominally serve on A committee. I don't see where that experience is more "fulfilling."

[als463]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I disagree with this entire post.

Juniors who join may have gotten a bid BECAUSE of their leadership roles in other campus activities. There's no reason those skills can't transfer to sorority roles as well. Not to mention the women (of all class levels) that they've met through those activities who may also become sisters.

As far as learning history...chapters still do that?? (Snarky and sarcastic...but not really. Look at NM programs nowadays.)

The "older" pledges I've known often graduate with nothing but love in their hearts for the sorority and nothing but good to say about the experience. To contrast, the girls who've been involved since freshman year are the ones usually saying "I can't wait to get the eff out of here." Varies between both these groups, of course. It also depends a lot on chapter size. If you're in a chapter under 80 or so, you probably will have enough roles in 2 years that you'll feel sated. By contrast, a woman in a chapter of 200 can stay active for 4 years and never do anything other than nominally serve on A committee. I don't see where that experience is more "fulfilling."

I couldn't have said it better myself. I joined when I was "junior" standing due to doubling up on courses and graduating with my A.A. from Penn State before finishing on with my B.A. In fact, I was in school for my B.A. but, just happened to "pick up" my A.A. because of all the classes I chose. I was an older student who was busy with my military commitment before even joining a sorority.

Guess what: I served as Membership Director and as Risk Management Chair (at a school where Greek Life can be pretty important). I graduated and, every year since I've graduated, I've held various Alumnae Chapter positions to include Secretary, Vice President, and Treasurer. I've been to two conventions as a voting delegate and I'm preparing for my 3rd one, next summer. By then, I just may be President of my Alumnae Chapter.

I am very involved. In fact, this coming week, I will be heading South to attend an officer training for my sorority. I'm very excited about that! I have also written recommendations for interested PNMs. I recently received a foundation scholarship from my sorority, as well. All-and-all, I am very happy with my experience. I bleed pink and white and couldn't imagine NOT being a member of a sorority.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I disagree with this entire post.


As far as learning history...chapters still do that?? (Snarky and sarcastic...but not really. Look at NM programs nowadays.)

I see your points. My frame of reference for my own collegiate chapter was a very small chapter, less than 45 women. As to the part I quoted, our new programming spreads out the learning over the entire collegiate experience with separate programming for new members, middle members and seniors. So you'd definitely miss out on some things if you weren't in at least 3 years.

Re: als' post, (didn't quote, sorry): I'm referring to only the collegiate experience, not the alumnae experience. The collegiate experience is very short in comparison so losing time from that experience is more significant, in my view. I'm one of the more "pro AI" people on here so I see a lot of value in the alumnae years of membership but the collegiate years are so very different than the alumnae years.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Re: als' post, (didn't quote, sorry): I'm referring to only the collegiate experience, not the alumnae experience. The collegiate experience is very short in comparison so losing time from that experience is more significant, in my view. I'm one of the more "pro AI" people on here so I see a lot of value in the alumnae years of membership but the collegiate years are so very different than the alumnae years.

I guess this is the crux of it. We can say a billion times that "membership is for life", but the emphasis will always be on those four(ish) years as an undergraduate.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I guess this is the crux of it. We can say a billion times that "membership is for life", but the emphasis will always be on those four(ish) years as an undergraduate.

Because ultimately for NPC groups the college experience is not comparable to the alumnae experience. They're incredibly different even at the most active alumnae chapters.

[carnation]

It's not very different at all for many alums, other than there's no formal rush to speak of. I've known of several tightly-knit alum groups that meet regularly and get involved in tons of activities, both social and service. I've even heard alums of various sororities say that their alum group is closer and more active than their chapter of initiation was.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by carnation

It's not very different at all for many alums, other than there's no formal rush to speak of. I've known of several tightly-knit alum groups that meet regularly and get involved in tons of activities, both social and service. I've even heard alums of various sororities say that their alum group is closer and more active than their chapter of initiation was.

Mixers?

Initiation and other activities with the pledge class?

Greek week?

If you don't show up you get fined?

We're not talking about closeness of relationships, we're talking about activities.

[carnation]

My chapter in Arkansas had mixers with other alum clubs plus events with husbands. We had a huge part in the active chapter's initiation ceremonies plus we were very involved in helping during rush.

Nobody got fined because we had such great attendance!

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AGDee

As to the part I quoted, our new programming spreads out the learning over the entire collegiate experience with separate programming for new members, middle members and seniors. So you'd definitely miss out on some things if you weren't in at least 3 years.

Ours does the same. That's part of the reason I'm not too jazzed about it - especially since we have chapters at MANY schools where late-in-life (lol) pledges are commonplace. It doesn't make sense to me - it's like whoever wrote the program was being aspirational rather than realistic. I know I've also stated on here that the whole "making it easier for seniors to stay involved and so slightly lessening their responsibilities" and "programming that makes the seniors feel like they should just GTFO" is a very, very fine line to walk.