Would you support raising the minimum GPA for freshman PNMs?

[navane]

Originally Posted by DoeofDenmark

For a sophomore to be given a bid when she has legacy, a roster of activities, a pretty face, popular with the sisters, was a debutante, and her family gives money to the school and to the sorority. It is not unheard of at all, but if you would like to call doubt onto me, feel free.

It's that sorority's right to choose their own new members. If they felt that family prestige, looks and whatever else were going to add just as much, if not more, value to the chapter than a higher GPA, then so be it. It's their chapter GPA they're going to tank by bidding the 1.9 GPA girl. If they have 200 members, the one bad GPA might have little to no overall poor effect anyway.

And it may be a one-off situation. Maybe the chapter doesn't routinely do this and we're blowing the one-time exception out of proportion. We can play what-if all day. "What if" a PNM is a highly qualified and a genuinely sweet and outstanding girl, but sustained a terrible family tragedy her first semester which negatively affected her GPA? Does she not possibly deserve to receive an exception? Even if a chapter wants to bid random, low-achievers all day long, they can. So, no, I don't support raising the GPA minimums as it's something of an artificial fix if a chapter is still allowed to override the policy. All we can do is continue to impress upon our members the importance of maintaining the highest of ideals when approaching our membership selection.

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by 33girl

If anything, I think that the state of affairs re that blog post would increase things like OP girl’s situation happening.

Care to elaborate? I'm not being snarky, honestly curious. I'm sitting watching girls with 3.7+ (unweighted) coming out of high school that can't get in to save their lives, but getting into more "prestigious" private schools...it's really bizarre particularly this year.

Originally Posted by APhi2KD

Really? In the land of PKT, glitter and dance parties, your summer camp determining your placement, etc?
Stranger things, I’m sure.

I'm just surprised that Panhellenic let her go through with a GPA less than their minimum?

Originally Posted by navane

It's that sorority's right to choose their own new members. If they felt that family prestige, looks and whatever else were going to add just as much, if not more, value to the chapter than a higher GPA, then so be it. It's their chapter GPA they're going to tank by bidding the 1.9 GPA girl. If they have 200 members, the one bad GPA might have little to no overall poor effect anyway.

And it may be a one-off situation. Maybe the chapter doesn't routinely do this and we're blowing the one-time exception out of proportion. We can play what-if all day. "What if" a PNM is a highly qualified and a genuinely sweet and outstanding girl, but sustained a terrible family tragedy her first semester which negatively affected her GPA? Does she not possibly deserve to receive an exception? Even if a chapter wants to bid random, low-achievers all day long, they can. So, no, I don't support raising the GPA minimums as it's something of an artificial fix if a chapter is still allowed to override the policy. All we can do is continue to impress upon our members the importance of maintaining the highest of ideals when approaching our membership selection.

I'm not questioning the chapter...it's their business for sure (and as you said, likely a one-off) but it's the UT panhellenic I'm more surprised about?

[thetalady]

Originally Posted by shirley1929

I'm just surprised that Panhellenic let her go through with a GPA less than their minimum?

Whoa!! College Panhellenic may NOT establish a minimum GPA for PNMs to participate in rush, per the MOI.

" College Panhellenics that wish to highlight the importance of academics by communicating GPA standards for women participating in recruitment shall do so through educating potential new members, not through setting a minimum GPA. "

[33girl]

Not only that, she may not have gone through formal rush at all. There’s nothing that says a sorority can only choose their pledges from women participating in formal rush.

Originally Posted by shirley1929

Care to elaborate? I'm not being snarky, honestly curious. I'm sitting watching girls with 3.7+ (unweighted) coming out of high school that can't get in to save their lives, but getting into more "prestigious" private schools...it's really bizarre particularly this year.

This is pure speculation, and is going to be really politically incorrect.

“We may have had to endure the indignity of Li’l Poundcake not getting admitted directly onto main campus while OTHERS did, but boy howdy, we can make it certain that she gets into XYZ.”

Again, all speculation on my part.

[LXA SE285]

Originally Posted by 33girl

“We may have had to endure the indignity of Li’l Poundcake not getting admitted directly onto main campus while OTHERS did, but boy howdy, we can make it certain that she gets into XYZ.”

I love a good RuPaul's Drag Race reference.