Contacting friends’ relatives/alum association for recs& question about social resume

[OrangeBlueGirl]

Titchou and Dubaisis, thank you for the advice on how to contact alumnae for recs. I probably am over-thinking it haha.
Wcsweet<3 thank you for the suggestion on how I should approach asking an alumnae organization for potential contacts.
DeltaBetaBaby, thank you for the heads up on Chicago Alumnae Panhellenic! None of my friends went into rush with recs at UIUC but I'm just afraid being a sophomore will hurt my chances, especially since all but one sorority (Phi Sigma Sigma, which is just coming back to campus this upcoming fall) are well established at UIUC so they don't need older girls right away for leadership.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlueGirl

Titchou and Dubaisis, thank you for the advice on how to contact alumnae for recs. I probably am over-thinking it haha.
Wcsweet<3 thank you for the suggestion on how I should approach asking an alumnae organization for potential contacts.
DeltaBetaBaby, thank you for the heads up on Chicago Alumnae Panhellenic! None of my friends went into rush with recs at UIUC but I'm just afraid being a sophomore will hurt my chances, especially since all but one sorority (Phi Sigma Sigma, which is just coming back to campus this upcoming fall) are well established at UIUC so they don't need older girls right away for leadership.

If you wanna PM me with your exact location, I might be able to be a little more help. As a sophomore, do you know a lot of women in sororities? Many sophomores at UIUC have very successful recruitments, though usually the ones who pledge the most sought-after chapters know women in those chapters already. That said, if you KEEP YOUR OPTIONS OPEN, there is a very slim chance you wouldn't find a home at all.

One thing that has been a problem at UIUC for ages is retention. So many women who pledge as freshmen burn out or leave by their senior year, that often a sophomore who pledges and gives three good years is seen as just as large of an asset as a freshman. There are, IMO, two main reasons for this: 1) There is a ton of great and cheap housing on campus, and 2) most women don't see the life-long commitment aspect that women from the South see as they are growing up. So, you have a large, housed system, where women are expected to put in a ton of time and money, and by senior year, many make the decision that they are giving more than they are getting, without the pull of "just stick it out one more year and then you get to be an alumna for life."

Which is to say, if I were rushing as a sophomore, I would emphasize my excitement about living in the house. Some chapters have 2-year live-in requirements, so you'd be expected to live there as a senior, and that means you will be 21-years old and not allowed to have alcohol, not allowed to have men over, and possibly sharing a room. I think the trade-off is worth it, but showing that you've thought that over is a good thing.