What is the rationale for recruiting a "type"?

[DeltaBetaBaby]

I think, if anything, chapters are more likely to consciously recruit for what they DON'T have enough of in their chapter, e.g. "We sucked at intramurals this year, let's try for some more athletes" or "it would be great if we had more artsy types for making bid day banners".

[FSUZeta]

PNMs coming thru may have older friends from HS in sororities on campus. They may be drawn to that chapter because they have(or had) a strong friendship with the older girl and at the same time the older girl might really be pulling for her PNM friends because they were friends back home. In the same vein, they may not like a chapter because of a hometown girl they knew back in HS.

[justgo_withit]

I think this all goes back to the "typical greek person" concept. My campus just had a new group come on last semester and they learned very quickly that saying things like "we're not a typical GLO that drinks all the time and disregards academics and those who aren't in our group" backfired very quickly- people grouped them into it anyway and it just made the rest of the Greek community angry. Because none of us fit that stereotype, not a single one, regardless of what people who don't know anything about us think. Are there groups that take looks into consideration? I think yes. But I have no idea if that's true since the girls are awesome anyway.

tldr, every time someone says "I'm not a typical sorority girl" your universal power of choice kills a puppy.

[Mevara]

Why I believe 33girl said it was offensive is this line from the OP

Originally Posted by TriDeltaSallie

So I guess I'm curious what motivates certain chapters to go for a certain look or type.

She is assuming that some chapters ONLY recruit based on appearance.

[ForeverRoses]

Is it type or is it fit?

Women will like women that they get along with, that fit in with them. So over time, athletes recruit and favor other athletes, girly-girls favor girly-girls, ect.

[Kay416]

This is what I am scared about.... I am a newly enrolled freshmen and would love to rush. ALL my college friends who are in sororities tell me I would love it. I am just scared I will not fit in. I listen to rock, I am not bleach blonde and do not have loads of money. I have always been outgoing. Volunteering and caring for others is my passion. I am 5'10 and a curvy size 8 psychology major. I fill like I would be the fish out of water...

[gebbie]

Originally Posted by Kay416

This is what I am scared about.... I am a newly enrolled freshmen and would love to rush. ALL my college friends who are in sororities tell me I would love it. I am just scared I will not fit in. I listen to rock, I am not bleach blonde and do not have loads of money. I have always been outgoing. Volunteering and caring for others is my passion. I am 5'10 and a curvy size 8 psychology major. I fill like I would be the fish out of water...

I can assure you that not all sorority girls are bleach blondes with tons of cash. Honestly the majority of sorority women I know do NOT fit the stereotypical archetype... If you go through recruitment you will soon see that there isn't ONE type of girl who goes through rush, or ONE type of girl who makes up a chapter. This thread probably doesn't ease your concerns at all-- maybe try looking through Recruitment Stories. There are loads of posts from girls who "weren't the sorority type," or "never in a million years thought they would fit in." Also, glance through the chapter websites at your school-- in addition to pictures, there are usually involvement lists. It might help you get a sense for how different each member is.
Good Luck! Go Greek!

[justgo_withit]

Originally Posted by Kay416

This is what I am scared about.... I am a newly enrolled freshmen and would love to rush. ALL my college friends who are in sororities tell me I would love it. I am just scared I will not fit in. I listen to rock, I am not bleach blonde and do not have loads of money. I have always been outgoing. Volunteering and caring for others is my passion. I am 5'10 and a curvy size 8 psychology major. I fill like I would be the fish out of water...

Meet the women before you start freaking out, and if you hear gossip about who's supposedly what type then make a real effort to keep an open mind. Often, a handful of members from wealthy families turns into "the snobby rich girls" or a couple girls who enjoy sports becomes "the athletes," which obviously doesn't apply to the chapter as a whole at all. If you make an honest effort to get to know the actives, they'll surprise you

(and the obligatory "I'm an example of someone who doesn't fit the stereotype" comment, I'm sitting here in an Air Force jacket and a Doctor Who t-shirt )

[Greek_or_Geek?]

Originally Posted by Kay416

This is what I am scared about.... I am a newly enrolled freshmen and would love to rush. ALL my college friends who are in sororities tell me I would love it. I am just scared I will not fit in. I listen to rock, I am not bleach blonde and do not have loads of money. I have always been outgoing. Volunteering and caring for others is my passion. I am 5'10 and a curvy size 8 psychology major. I fill like I would be the fish out of water...

So is this what all your college friends who are in sororities are like? Where would you get such an antiquated stereotype?

[Mevara]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

That's not how I read her post. If I say that the University of Alabama Admissions Office "goes for" National Merit Semifinalists, that doesn't mean they recruit ONLY based on NMS status. It just means that within the pool of highly qualified candidates, that group gets a leg up.

If you read one of her next post is spells it out completely how I wrote it. She is assuming that some chapters ONLY recruit based on appearance.

Originally Posted by TriDeltaSallie

I think when you look at some pictures on chapter websites, you can tell that there are groups that definitely recruit a type. We had a couple where I went to school as well. It was well-known and obvious.

I guess it is hard for me to fathom that the highest goal of a group of college women is that they are the "hot blondes" on campus. I know it is probably the case, but still...

[TriDeltaSallie]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

That's not how I read her post. If I say that the University of Alabama Admissions Office "goes for" National Merit Semifinalists, that doesn't mean they recruit ONLY based on NMS status. It just means that within the pool of highly qualified candidates, that group gets a leg up.

Thank you.

The only reason I mentioned the hot blondes was because someone followed up with that example and I responded to it in the conversation. I specifically said "look or type", not just "look" in my original post.

It's curious to me that in the present day when diversity is such an important value for younger generations that they would want to make choices that appear to fly in the face of that value. The lack of diversity (income, race, etc.) is one of the stereotypes that Greeks have fought for a long time.

It still seems odd to me that a chapter would want to be known as the hot blondes (to follow with that example). I guess when I see how empowered women are today in terms of education and opportunities I don't know why they would want that to define their chapter. It's great if they also distinguish themselves by having a high chapter GPA, but it still puzzles me based on the core values of this generation.