Grad Students Rush?

[AXOrushadvisor]

Originally Posted by Tess_DreamBig

Hey all, I'm a senior at Arizona State University and never rushed for a sorority. I was born and raised in Arizona, so I had a lot of friends going to ASU with me and decided against rushing. Now I'm looking into going out of state for grad school next year, either University of Central Arkansas or University of Alabama, and was wondering, especially since these are Southern schools, if I have any shot at all getting a bid for a sorority as a grad student. I will be 22 at the time of fall rush, which is still young, yet considerably older than most of 18 and 19 year olds who will be rushing at that time. I know there are many sororities at both of those schools who claim to accept grad students, but I am sure it's not often.
This brings me to my next question, would it be better to go through informal recruitment at ASU and try to get a bid in a sorority that has a chapter at the school I end up going to so I can attempt to simply transfer over to that chapter when I move?

Thanks for any help or advice you can give!

Most chapters at ASU probably wont look at you since you will graduate in May. Sigma Kappa might have been a possibility but they just completed their colony. I do know that Gamma Phi Beta will be doing COBing (saw it on a tweet) other then that I don't know any Chapters that would take a second semester senior. As fair as getting initiated at ASU and then transferring there is no guarantee that you will be able to affiliate with the Chapter once you get there. It is done by vote. I can not speak to the recruiting as a grad student at a competitive school. Good luck to you.

[Tess_DreamBig]

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

Most chapters at ASU probably wont look at you since you will graduate in May. Sigma Kappa might have been a possibility but they just completed their colony. I do know that Gamma Phi Beta will be doing COBing (saw it on a tweet) other then that I don't know any Chapters that would take a second semester senior. As fair as getting initiated at ASU and then transferring there is no guarantee that you will be able to affiliate with the Chapter once you get there. It is done by vote. I can not speak to the recruiting as a grad student at a competitive school. Good luck to you.

I am probably going to sound hopeless right now lol but what is COBing?

[Always AlphaGam]

Originally Posted by Tess_DreamBig

I am probably going to sound hopeless right now lol but what is COBing?

Continuous Open Bidding = informal recruitment.

[Greek_or_Geek?]

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

I do know that Gamma Phi Beta will be doing COBing (saw it on a tweet) other then that I don't know any Chapters that would take a second semester senior.

How dare you even suggest this of any sorority except you own? You think the struggling chapter will be so desperate that they'll take a second semester senior who's student teaching who wants to join simply because she wants to join as a grad student elsewhere? From everything I can see, Gamma Phi Beta does not even accept graduate students (as if 99.99% of organizations who technically can would.)

[Tess_DreamBig]

Originally Posted by Greek_or_Geek?

How dare you even suggest this of any sorority except you own? You think the struggling chapter will be so desperate that they'll take a second semester senior who's student teaching who wants to join simply because she wants to join as a grad student elsewhere? From everything I can see, Gamma Phi Beta does not even accept graduate students (as if 99.99% of organizations who technically can would.)

There's no need to get upset, now. They were just trying to help me out. I knew it'd be a long shot, but saw recruitment stories from other grad students and figured I'd take my chances asking for advice before I went off and actually tried to do anything. Thanks for your help, though

[psusue]

Originally Posted by Greek_or_Geek?

It's the "I don't know any other chapters that would take a second semester senior" part that's the issue since it takes five seconds to figure out others are COBing there.

Ah, didn't read that part clearly, sorry.

Originally Posted by Tess_DreamBig

There's no need to get upset, now. They were just trying to help me out. I knew it'd be a long shot, but saw recruitment stories from other grad students and figured I'd take my chances asking for advice before I went off and actually tried to do anything. Thanks for your help, though

I mean if I were you I'd go for it. Yes it isn't the most likely scenario that you'll get a bid but if you try and it doesn't work out at least you know you'll have gone for it. Besides, the worst thing that can happen is that you'll end up not being Greek, but you're already not Greek, so what do you have to lose? You know your odds but you can still try. Best of luck to you!

[Tess_DreamBig]

Originally Posted by Greek_or_Geek?

It's the "I don't know any other chapters that would take a second semester senior" part that's the issue since it takes five seconds to figure out others are COBing there.

I see your point now, I'm sorry if you were offended by anthing said on this thread.

Originally Posted by psusue

I mean if I were you I'd go for it. Yes it isn't the most likely scenario that you'll get a bid but if you try and it doesn't work out at least you know you'll have gone for it. Besides, the worst thing that can happen is that you'll end up not being Greek, but you're already not Greek, so what do you have to lose? You know your odds but you can still try. Best of luck to you!

You definitely make a great point! I haven nothing to lose by going for it. On top of that, hearing all of the odds that are stacked against me makes me want to achieve this goal that much more lol. Maybe I'm setting myself up to fail, or maybe I'll have the best time of my life. We will see! Thanks again

[naraht]

I know that the Service Sororities and Service Fraternities tend to be more open to grad students (or even second semester Seniors).

Maybe either Omega Phi Alpha Service Sorority or Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity (which accepts both men and women)

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by naraht

I know that the Service Sororities and Service Fraternities tend to be more open to grad students (or even second semester Seniors).

Maybe either Omega Phi Alpha Service Sorority or Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity (which accepts both men and women)

To be clear, though, these groups may not necessarily provide the experience that the OP is looking for.

[AXOrushadvisor]

Originally Posted by Greek_or_Geek?

How dare you even suggest this of any sorority except you own? You think the struggling chapter will be so desperate that they'll take a second semester senior who's student teaching who wants to join simply because she wants to join as a grad student elsewhere? From everything I can see, Gamma Phi Beta does not even accept graduate students (as if 99.99% of organizations who technically can would.)

Since most of the Chapters at ASU COB'd prior to SK coming on they are the only Chapter that I know of that is COBing. That doesn't mean they are desperate or struggling it is a fact. You don't know who I am or what I'm thinking. Please don't try to read between the lines and imply something that is not there.

[Old_Row]

Sorry, but the idea of any chapter at Bama pledging or affiliating a grad student makes me giggle.

OP if you couldn't find the time or be interested or motivated enough to pledge as an undergrad, your sorority ship has sailed far into the sunset.

I also don't think a chapter advisor should use a public online forum to refer anyone to other specific chapters at the schools they advise. A PNM needs to take the initiative to do the research herself and it would also avoid any possibility of a specific chapter being singled out online and forever as being struggling.

Also didn't that Sigma Kappa colony just have their bid day? Would they even be installed this semester in time for a second semester senior to be initiated?

[ElieM]

Originally Posted by Old_Row

OP if you couldn't find the time or be interested or motivated enough to pledge as an undergrad, your NPC sorority ship has sailed far into the sunset.

As noted above, service GLOs and non-collegiate GLOs may be happy to pledge you, but they may not offer the undergrad sorority experience you are looking for

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by Old_Row

Sorry, but the idea of any chapter at Bama pledging or affiliating a grad student makes me giggle.

I know, right?

To the OP - you mentioned that the reason why you didn't pursue sorority membership earlier in your undergraduate career is that you had lots of friends at your university. It seems to me that perhaps you're considering pursuing sorority membership because you'll be moving to a place where you don't know anyone, which is fine and the reason why many people seek membership, but I don't know if that's the best reason to do so at this point in your academic career. You're going to meet people in your graduate program who will have common interests (field of study) and a clear understanding of the responsibilities of a graduate student. If you do receive a bid, you're most likely going to be in a pledge class that is majority freshmen students, who are really at a different place in life than you will be.

Someone upthread mentioned the service organizations. Another group that you may want to consider would be Beta Sigma Phi. There seem to be many happy members who have posted here on GC.

Whatever you decide, best of luck to you.