Indiana University Recruitment 2019

[MichiganM]

I don’t understand this tier system. Maybe someone could educate me. Is it simply who the sorority pairs with? So sorority A is top tier an IU, but bottom tier at say....Ohio State?

Forgive my ignorance, just seeking to understand.

[Rod D]

Originally Posted by MichiganM

I don’t understand this tier system. Maybe someone could educate me. Is it simply who the sorority pairs with? So sorority A is top tier an IU, but bottom tier at say....Ohio State?

Forgive my ignorance, just seeking to understand.

See post 276. I think it is primarily based on party culture. Those who throw the biggest parties every weekend are "top" tier. Grades, philanthropy, etc. aren't really considered.

[PhilTau]

Originally Posted by MichiganM

I don’t understand this tier system. Maybe someone could educate me. Is it simply who the sorority pairs with? So sorority A is top tier an IU, but bottom tier at say....Ohio State?

Forgive my ignorance, just seeking to understand.

A few years back, somebody figured out a way to make money ranking fraternities and sororities at various universities. They created the notorious website called Greek Rank. (I will not provide the link, but you can google it yourself.) Many believe that this single website is responsible for most of the strife regarding "tier" rankings.

Here's what some students at Columbia University say: "Greekrank is a website where people can rank fraternities, sororities, and gossip about Greek life. * * * Most of the comments are by trolls who are using the site as a means of procrastination and/or a cure for boredom. It is seen as a spiritual successor to CollegeACB and its short-lived successor CollegiateACB * * * You can pay $5 to have mean things about your organization removed."

[80sHoosier]

One thing I find interesting, in this artificial ranking of sororities, is that at some other big Greek systems . . . University of Alabama for one . . . the "top tier" sororities seem to have a more well-rounded image. The top sororities there are often also top in GPA and seem to have girls who are described as nice and involved. Of course, they are also attractive, like to party, and being from a wealthy or well-known family does not hurt.

That's not to say there aren't smart, nice girls in the top sororities at IU, but there seems to have become a dichotomy in the rankings with about midway through the list you have some of the higher GPA and more involved sororities.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by 80sHoosier

One thing I find interesting, in this artificial ranking of sororities, is that at some other big Greek systems . . . University of Alabama for one . . . the "top tier" sororities seem to have a more well-rounded image. The top sororities there are often also top in GPA and seem to have girls who are described as nice and involved. Of course, they are also attractive, like to party, and being from a wealthy or well-known family does not hurt.

That's not to say there aren't smart, nice girls in the top sororities at IU, but there seems to have become a dichotomy in the rankings with about midway through the list you have some of the higher GPA and more involved sororities.

That’s what I was going to say. It was either Alabama or Mizzou’s Reek Grank where the main reason for impugning certain chapters was their low GPA and involvement. That was certainly a new one on me.

[shadokat]

I really AM going to step on some toes here, so sorry already.

We talk about that women aren't mature enough to make the decision to join the sorority without letting the tent talk and ranks affect them. Part of that onus has to sit on the parents. As an advisor, I have so many women that don't like a rule or something else that run to their parent and have their parent call me about it. These women are adults, so let them face the consequences of their choices. Sure, you can be there for them for comfort, but it's not your job to make things "right" in their eyes. I get that every parent wants their kid to get all they wish for in life, but in reality, that's not going to happen.

I'm sure there are plenty of open spots in IU sororities, but they just may not be at the house you were dead set to join. The top houses are not doing informal, and that's just more reality. Lots of moms say that their kid has a 4.0, is solving world peace and a supermodel to boot, but trust me, so are most of the women going through recruitment. Whatever the reasoning, these women got what they got, and if they want to be Greek, they can stay in the process and see how it works out, or they can drop and cry in their rooms that they aren't in top tier ABC.

Sorry, that last line was probably mean. I just had a rant

[ForrestGrump]

Originally Posted by 33girl

That’s what I was going to say. It was either Alabama or Mizzou’s Reek Grank where the main reason for impugning certain chapters was their low GPA and involvement. That was certainly a new one on me.

I do admit to occasionally looking at Mizzou's Reek Grank site (hey, I have family and lots of friends who were in GLO's there). Although there is the usual tiresome chatter about which houses have the hottest women, there is a lot of talk about which houses also have the best sisterhoods, good grades and are the most involved on campus. There is also a fair amount of criticism regularly leveled at a couple of the chapters who seem to be focused more on recruiting pretty party girls to the detriment of grades, sisterhood, philanthropy and/or involvement. Mizzou's Panhellenic also seems to be very focused on stamping out hazing and major alcohol problems, issues which used to get a lot of houses at Mizzou in major trouble.* The one thing I do see on Mizzou's Reek Grank page that I find surprising is the competitiveness over who has the prettiest house(s). A few chapters have torn down their old mansions and rebuilt even spiffier versions, while several more have done major renovations in recent years. Apparently real estate envy begins early!

*Edited to add that fraternities at Mizzou are, unfortunately, still getting into trouble over alcohol and hazing issues, with several chapters having charters pulled in recent years, including the charter of one of the largest and most popular fraternities early in the fall semester.

[KSUViolet06]

Sorority members also talk to each other. Even women who aren't in same chapter.

If someone is super rude at (example) Kappa, don't think Kappa girls will not tell their Zeta, ADPi, etc. friends.

See also: The Rho Gammas. Do not think for a second that they do not get the tea on who is rude and pass it on to other Rho Gammas, their friends in other chapters, their connections in their own chapter, etc. As they should.

[Titchou]

Amen, Sallie! I was at Alabama in the 60s and Old Row and the Machine existed then as they do now. The division wasn't quite as strict as IU then nor is it now. But the culture definitely exists.

[clayton117]

This thread went off in another direction! hahaha

In between the conversations about tiers and how to move on from them, I think we learned some girls found homes and some didn't. I hope the girls who did accept bids grow to love their chapters and sisterhoods, and those who did not give COB a chance or another avenue to make this large school smaller for them.

My D is enjoying getting to know her new sisters and learning about her chapter...and of course ordering lots of apparel! She says the official number in her pledge class is 62. They are the largest pledge class yet for this chapter, and they don't have one of the huge houses there on campus. She also said everyone seemed happy to be there, which is a great feeling.

She hasn't said much about tiers or the "tier system", but did say that during rush, most of the girls she knew were desiring what would be considered mid-level chapters. The so called "top chapters" fight amongst themselves as to who is top, and the so called "bottom chapters" argue who is bottom and why, endlessly. People always tearing down the top and bottom, and the middle chapters seem to enjoy themselves and sail along relatively free of that. I would hope this ranking and tier talk will eventually fade out at IU, but it sounds like people have been carrying on about it for years, and social media has only made it worse.

Anyways, thank you for all the good advice and information and insight along this journey.

[KSUViolet06]

Observation from working with chapters at a variety of schools:

The worst of the tier talk/trash talk of lower tier chapters generally does not come from the perceived top tier groups.

Oddly enough it comes from the middle and lower tier groups. They are probably the worst when it comes to talking about other chapters not really realizing that they are more alike than different.

[clayton117]

"Oddly enough it comes from the middle and lower tier groups. They are probably the worst when it comes to talking about other chapters not really realizing that they are more alike than different"

Thanks for clarifying. My D hasn't reported anything on that. She seems to be staying in her own lane and enjoying where she is. The girls in her chapter seem to be happy to be where they are, which makes things comfy.
She has friends in other chapters ( that could be classified as higher or lower I guess??) from the first semester, and I hope those friendships will continue, as well as forging new ones with her sisterhood. She came out of a competitive sport and has seen it all with rivalries and trash talk, but also in supporting and encouraging others. I hope for the sake of Greek Life at IU participants move away from the trash talking and more into developing their chapters and celebrating the good parts: community, philanthropy and academic achievement and support.

[Abm91]

Originally Posted by clayton117

"Oddly enough it comes from the middle and lower tier groups. They are probably the worst when it comes to talking about other chapters not really realizing that they are more alike than different"

Thanks for clarifying. My D hasn't reported anything on that. She seems to be staying in her own lane and enjoying where she is. The girls in her chapter seem to be happy to be where they are, which makes things comfy.
She has friends in other chapters ( that could be classified as higher or lower I guess??) from the first semester, and I hope those friendships will continue, as well as forging new ones with her sisterhood. She came out of a competitive sport and has seen it all with rivalries and trash talk, but also in supporting and encouraging others. I hope for the sake of Greek Life at IU participants move away from the trash talking and more into developing their chapters and celebrating the good parts: community, philanthropy and academic achievement and support.

I agree!!!! our daughter joined a so called lower or mid-lower tiered house and has visited that terrible website, and I worry that even though she knows it’s all trash talk, deep down she worries that some part of it may be true. It does tarnish a little bit of that joy felt in the initial pledge period that should be a lot of fun! How do we tell these kids to stay off the social media? Seems to be all they do anyway. I truly hope the trash talking summers down and they can rise above the immature behavior of what is most likely a handful of 😡 students.
I am guessing most Greeks ignore that trash talk anyway.

[robinseggblue]

I watched Paige Mills' experience, and thought she seemed mature in the way she presented things in the recruitment video. It was nice that she tried to keep things vague and positive overall. It did seem that she ended up at a house that was one of her top choices throughout recruitment, so it may have turned out differently if that did not happen.

As far as staying at the Biddle Hotel--from watching a couple of her other videos, recruitment week isn't the only time she has stayed at the hotel. There was another video in which commenters were commenting about it and asking why she would stay in a hotel when she has a single on campus. But it's kind of not anyone's business how she or her family spends their money. If that's what they want to do, it's up to them.

Originally Posted by Abm91

...I worry that even though she knows it’s all trash talk, deep down she worries that some part of it may be true.

Her experience is what is true. If she is meeting nice, kind girls who she wants to hang out with, she needs to hold on to that. Anyone can say anything about anyone else, but that doesn't mean that it's true.

I get that a lot of girls initially join sororities for the social scene, and there are certainly issues with the Greek Life social scene at IU, namely everything that has been said about pairs/quads already. However, the other truth is that if you're in Greek Life for the social scene, you are much more likely to disaffiliate once you turn 21 and can go out to bars.

What keeps people strong in their sisterhood are the bonds that they have made with other members. As long as your daughter is doing that, she will be fine. If she is not feeling like she is doing that, encourage her to go to more events, reach out to sisters, invite them to go out and do social things, etc. Friendships are made through experiencing things together, and just because it doesn't come instantly doesn't mean that it's not going to come. I myself felt pretty awkward on my Bid Day.

[*winter*]

Paige seems level headed for her age and I doubt she will go on some sorority YT rampage.

Maybe she stayed at the hotel to kee herself neutral and away from other people influencing her decision?

This is an interesting topic because there are so many IG/YT "famous" girls going through recruitment. Seems like every school has one or more nowadays, even smaller schools. Plus, plenty of "non famous" random girls blog their recruitment and other experiences on the internet these days. I'm sure her sorority will be tuning in to make sure everything is okay.