University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) 2012 Recruitment

[IndianaSigKap]

Originally Posted by Hartofsec

I’ve heard of this happening before – but I’ve always thought it was more folklore than something that commonly occurs.

It seems logistically unlikely – in the time frame of two weeks or less – that one could apply to another school, submit all paperwork necessary for admission (official transcripts, etc), receive acceptance, make housing arrangements (dorm assignments, roommates, etc), attend advising and register for classes, register for recruitment, have alums submit recs necessary for recruitment to the chapters at the new school, move out of current location, and move into new location.

As I said earlier, it was a logistical effort. That's for sure. First, I agree situations like this are the exceptions, not the rule. She was accepted to both schools. She made housing arrangements at the first choice school and signed up for recruitment. IF she had not been happy with her recruitment results, she would have broken the housing contract at the first school, enrolled at the second school, found a sublease for an apartment at second school and signed up for recruitment at the second school which does not get underway until after the first week of classes. I should, also, include that money is no object in regard to what the children in this family want. I am not sure how it would have worked out, but luckily she did not have to find out.

[Titchou]

Keep in mind that none of us are condoning this - but rather just stating the facts. No one is saying it's right or wrong - it just is what it is....

[htoddymom]

Had to chime in for just a minute because I almost thought I had happened upon Greekrank instead of Greek Chat when I read about only 2-3 chapters being desirable. All a PNM needs to do is take a journey on facebook or the internet and see that on bid day last year there were over 130 girls smiling ear to ear "throwing what ya know" in all 9 chapters not just 2-3! As a matter of fact just a little research on here will show that everyone got quota and several chapters got quota additions and upperclassmen that put them above these legacy ladden "desirable "few. I didn't see a crying girl in the bunch. I truly understand that girls naturally want to be a part of the sorority that an older girl from their hometown is in if they really like that girl. It can be so exciting for both girls and lead to situations like TNvol was talking about. But a girl who only wants to be in a sorority because she has heard they are the most desirable from tent talk is the one I feel sorry for. It seems those girls usually are disillusioned when they get in the house because they only care about the letters not the girls who will be their sisters. Or actually, maybe that is where they will fit the best if they are that narrow-minded going in. I would love to hear what "desirability" is based on. Pretty girls? Nope just one glance on Facebook shows that is in all 9. Swaps with the top fraternities? Nope that is more than just 2-3. Pretty house? Nope they are all gorgeous at Ole Miss. Campus involvement? Nope check the Panhellenic website these "desirable " elite haven't won the Chancellor Cup in years. Philan.? Nope they all have excellent charity choices. Better Sisterhood? Nope I venture to say ask any member of any of the 9 chapters and they love their sisters and are PROUD of their chapter. Being the chapter your Mom was in somewhere 25 years ago? I guess that must be it! A wise PNM would go through rush and realize that they will determine what they make of wherever they end up but that is hard to tell 18 years olds. Having been on both sides of Rush with girls at both Ole Miss and Arkansas the past 3 years it is really interesting how it plays out each year.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by IndianaSigKap

As I said earlier, it was a logistical effort. That's for sure. First, I agree situations like this are the exceptions, not the rule. She was accepted to both schools. She made housing arrangements at the first choice school and signed up for recruitment. IF she had not been happy with her recruitment results, she would have broken the housing contract at the first school, enrolled at the second school, found a sublease for an apartment at second school and signed up for recruitment at the second school which does not get underway until after the first week of classes. I should, also, include that money is no object in regard to what the children in this family want. I am not sure how it would have worked out, but luckily she did not have to find out.

That is quite a stunt (my apologies -- I did see later where you explained this girl's plan)!

I gotta say though -- asking alums for double recs based on that plan is pretty bold!

[amIblue?]

If one is attending a significantly less competitive school, recs may not be a concern at campus 2.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by MaryPoppins

It was remarked upon with irritation when I was assisting with recruitment at Ole Miss from 1992 through 1996. Now it's only mentioned as the reason recruitment was moved.

It seems as though the increasing numbers will cause the current recruitment week (after classes begin) to become less and less practical since the chapters have to add parties. I don't know how the actives survive it (or how their GPAs survive it anyway).

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by amIblue?

If one is attending a significantly less competitive school, recs may not be a concern at campus 2.

Possibly so -- the girl IndianaSigKap spoke of apparently had 2 sets of recs submitted in advance.

[IndianaSigKap]

Originally Posted by Hartofsec

Possibly so -- the girl IndianaSigKap spoke of apparently had 2 sets of recs submitted in advance.

Yes, some of the alumnae wrote two sets of recs, I did not. However, the second school is much less competitive and they only get a handful of letters each year. Letters probably are not needed at the second school, a girl from my community is a chapter president at the school and she indicated to me that they get 5-10 a year.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

It's not unheard of for women to be obtaining recs before they have to make a final decision on a university, especially if they are waitlisted. If a PNM said to me "Oh, I was waitlisted at U of XXX, but I am in at U of ZZZ, can you write a rec to both?", I probably would not think much of it.

[MaryPoppins]

Gonna have to ask someone if Ole Miss has a wait list. Never heard of us having one before.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Titchou

That's not uncommon. But at Ole Miss they were withdrawing after recruitment and registering elsewhere in time for the second recruitment as freshmen in the fall. Entirely different thing. So they were rushing at Ole Miss one week and somewhere else two weeks later.

This kinda sounds like back in the day before college athlete letters of intent. Goat Brothers talks about how one of the guys had been offered scholarships to play at UCBerkley and UCLA, still wasn't sure which one to go to on the day he left for college, was driving and hit the UCB exit first, and said "oh, what the hell."

With the rising increase in waitlists I can easily see what DBB mentioned becoming common (i.e. something you don't think twice about).

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by MaryPoppins

Gonna have to ask someone if Ole Miss has a wait list. Never heard of us having one before.

Outside of law school, and perhaps some other competitive graduate programs, neither have I.

If a prospective student has not yet gained acceptance on the eve of her attendance (speaking for my own SEC school as well), then it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect her academic credentials to be a significant obstacle during recruitment.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Hartofsec

Outside of law school, and perhaps some other competitive graduate programs, neither have I.

If a prospective student has not yet gained acceptance on the eve of her attendance (speaking for my own SEC school as well), then it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect her academic credentials to be a significant obstacle during recruitment.

Okay, well, maybe she is waitlisted at the other school. Or even she just hasn't decided yet. We're not talking about the "eve of her attendance", aren't most decisions due on May 1? Plenty of women are getting recs before that, no?

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Okay, well, maybe she is waitlisted at the other school. Or even she just hasn't decided yet. We're not talking about the "eve of her attendance", aren't most decisions due on May 1? Plenty of women are getting recs before that, no?

I guess any plan imaginable is possible, though policies are not usually shaped by a few unusual exceptions. I just don’t know of any evidence to suggest that it is common for girls released from recruitment at one school to participate in recruitment elsewhere two weeks later, or even that this would have any reasonable chance of success.

If that was the case, one might expect to see a lot of girls released from other recruitments enroll last-minute at Ole Miss, in order to take advantage of their recruitment timing. Most alums I know (including those in chapters other than my own) follow the girls for whom they write recs, so if double recs and two recruitments within two weeks were common, I’m sure we would hear about it now and then.

Some girls probably do withdraw from school following a disappointing recruitment –over the years I have known of a few from other competitive SEC schools. As withdrawals are concerned, a delayed recruitment is financially advantageous to the university – at Ole Miss:

Full refunds of tuition and fees (minus a processing fee) are given for withdrawals during the first 10 days of classes of a regular semester; no refunds are given after the 10th day of classes.
http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/registrar/withdrawalpolicy.html

This is an incentive to complete the semester, anyway, which may lead to retaining some of these freshman beyond their first semester.

[DDDMomma]

I am not that familiar with Ole Miss, so would someone please explain how they only have 9 sororities? Don't most southern universities of their size have 17 or so?