Texas 2015

[Griffins&Quills]

So, lower quota than last year

[Nanners52674]

Originally Posted by Griffins&Quills

So, lower quota than last year

Wow! That's interesting, given the massive boom comprable schools with Greek life have been seeing.

[g41965]

I'm beginning to think the tougher admissions standards and changing demographics are lowering the amount of interest in Greek life. UT is more like UCLA now than Albama or LSU.

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by g41965

I'm beginning to think the tougher admissions standards and changing demographics are lowering the amount of interest in Greek life. UT is more like UCLA now than Albama or LSU.

The size of the system and the size of quota reminds me of University of Illinois. Illinois has 19 sororities and, IIRC, quota roughly aroudn 50-60.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by KDCat

The size of the system and the size of quota reminds me of University of Illinois. Illinois has 19 sororities and, IIRC, quota roughly aroudn 50-60.

I guess I disagree completely with this. Illinois has 19 NPCs, Texas has only 14, which is small for the size school. Texas needs more sororities, but the system is elitist and unfriendly to change. The system at Illinois is the total opposite - very Midwestern in feel and not terribly competitive.

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

I guess I disagree completely with this. Illinois has 19 NPCs, Texas has only 14, which is small for the size school. Texas needs more sororities, but the system is elitist and unfriendly to change. The system at Illinois is the total opposite - very Midwestern in feel and not terribly competitive.

I thought they had 18?

If it's only 14, then you are right. Those are terrible numbers for a school that size.

[Benzgirl]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

I guess I disagree completely with this. Illinois has 19 NPCs, Texas has only 14, which is small for the size school. Texas needs more sororities, but the system is elitist and unfriendly to change. The system at Illinois is the total opposite - very Midwestern in feel and not terribly competitive.

Isn't this somewhat similar to Ole Miss and Arkansas where it is VERY difficult for a new chapter to colonize? While I don't think these schools are necessarily unfriendly to change, some families would never hear of their DD pledging a new sorority at their alma mater.

[DGTess]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Mom

This sums up my perception exactly. The greek system at UT is not big compared to the size of the school but it attracts the cream of the crop. A friend whose daughter rushed at Alabama said that at Bama, there is a house for any girl who want to go greek....not so at Texas. Texas greek life is absolutely elitist, especially at the 'top' and 'mid' tiers and even to some degree at the 'low' tier. I imagine a new chapter would have a very rough time of it at Texas.

I think it depends how you define "cream of the crop".

It attracts those who define themselves as such.

Every bit more I read about UT makes me more pleased my daughter chose not to rush.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Mom

the rankings I used were my own. I'm an '85 UT grad and have a solid sense of rankings as I saw things back then and see things now...not much has changed. There is one chapter that was the high end of the low tier that has moved up a few spots. There was a mid tier that has dropped to the low tier.

The first time I read about the Big 6 article in Texas Monthly was when my daughter decided to go through rush in March 2015. I knew when I was at Texas in the early 80's that the Big 6 were the Big 6. It's almost a caste system at Texas. The frats have a little more movement but the sororities are pretty static.

Originally Posted by Longhorn Mom

The UT sorority houses are stunning, actually. The 'stately mansions' of the SEC, like the Aggie houses, are newish, big, brick blocks with columns stuck on. The sorority houses at Texas are unique, historic and often built with native rock. They are on expensive real estate. They are special, which is why Texas sororities in particular will not go out and "build a new house" like other chapters might.

Originally Posted by Longhorn Mom

This sums up my perception exactly. The greek system at UT is not big compared to the size of the school but it attracts the cream of the crop. A friend whose daughter rushed at Alabama said that at Bama, there is a house for any girl who want to go greek....not so at Texas. Texas greek life is absolutely elitist, especially at the 'top' and 'mid' tiers and even to some degree at the 'low' tier. I imagine a new chapter would have a very rough time of it at Texas.

Originally Posted by Longhorn Mom

The thing is this: pledging XYZ sorority at U of H is not the same at all as pledging XYZ at UT. The sororities vary so much based on the school that it's at.

Texas is on it's high horse, for sure....having 100 year old chapters creates that...nothing new on this. Not saying its right, but that's what it is.

She's baaaack. And editing like crazy, as usual. So QFP fast, folks. Missed catching the post where she shared that Special Snowflake accepted a COB at a chapter that was "beneath her" during formal. Oh boy.

ETA: moms like this one are a huge part of perpetuating the tier talk and the nastiness. She's carrying stuff from 30 years ago around. You'd think she'd get tired of carrying all the baggage, but apparently not.