Schools that (should) open for expansion

[Low D Flat]

Originally Posted by carnation

Sometimes when posters say "chapter ABC is doing well". they don't know the whole story.

Intriguing. We'd love to learn more of the story. The public info does make clear that the newer chapters at Ole Miss have much lower GPAs, though the chapter sizes are pretty strong. The GPA contrast is not so dramatic at Alabama or Arkansas.

[*winter*]

I think I’ve posted on here about this book on here before…Jana Mathews’ book The Benefit of Friends has a whole chapter on the University of Arkansas and how, in general, large southern schools have really increased in both the amount of students and the quality of the applicant pool, over the past two decades. A big part of the appeal is in the “fun & Greek Life” experience.

There are a few other books that discuss this, but they’re not worth mentioning since most do so with a really biased, almost nasty undertone. It is ironic that the authors are on such a high horse, considering the lack of quality writing in their own books.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by Low D Flat

Intriguing. We'd love to learn more of the story. The public info does make clear that the newer chapters at Ole Miss have much lower GPAs, though the chapter sizes are pretty strong. The GPA contrast is not so dramatic at Alabama or Arkansas.

Sometimes we see posts that say, "Woo! ABC, the newest chapter, is doing so well at Whatever U!" People who know the campus know that ABC may have pledged 75 and then lost 20 in the first 2 weeks and 25 more before initiation--and that member retention overall is horrendous. They may also know that the chapter's grades are far below others or that few members show up at functions.

I have never heard if a school that publishes retention rates but low ones a real thing.

[Cheerio]

Originally Posted by carnation

Sometimes we see posts that say, "Woo! ABC, the newest chapter, is doing so well at Whatever U!" People who know the campus know that ABC may have pledged 75 and then lost 20 in the first 2 weeks and 25 more before initiation--and that member retention overall is horrendous. They may also know that the chapter's grades are far below others or that few members show up at functions.

I have never heard if a school that publishes retention rates but low ones a real thing.

If a new chapter is going to be automatically shunned by PNMs, what possesses a greek council and/or University that knows this to open their campus in the first place?

When a new chapter's grades are poor and members unmotivated, is that strictly a result of poor choice of new members by the colonizing NPC? Or does some blame go to a greek life/university that opened to a new group knowing the PNM pool was likely not up to snuff?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Cheerio

If a new chapter is going to be automatically shunned by PNMs, what possesses a greek council and/or University that knows this to open their campus in the first place?

When a new chapter's grades are poor and members unmotivated, is that strictly a result of poor choice of new members by the colonizing NPC? Or does some blame go to a greek life/university that opened to a new group knowing the PNM pool was likely not up to snuff?

What possesses them? Some people deal in fantasy instead of reality and believe all the kum ba ya we're all Greek and equal line. Either that or the school is being pressured by parents whose daughters were cut (of course the daughters never tell the parents that they refused to consider anything but "top" chapters and behaved accordingly) and basically forces the Panhel to open.

Personally I believe that groups that start as locals on their own steam are more motivated and probably don't have the grade/motivation issues, but then the nationals come in and want to cherry pick members. You can't have it both ways.

I think about that great Carnegie Mellon expansion story on here and how the one group (that if you read between the lines was the most nationally prestigious) basically didn't vibe with the local or its members at all, but wanted to take them on just to have a chapter there - and would most likely have made things so uncomfortable for the women that they would have quit.

[carnation]

I remember hearing a story about how my group and another group let's call AB were 2 of the 3 finalists to start a new colony at a prestigious school. This story, told to me by one of our extension specialists, involved all 3 groups getting to campus and 2 of them realizing that no way did they want these really strange birds wearing their pins. (I don't remember details now but these college women were bizarre. Think of the Weird Rush Stories thread.)

Anyway, the groups put their heads together and AB decided to act all ditzy and blonde at the presentations. I forget how my group acted but it was designed to be off-putting. The third group didn't care if they were weird as long as they could get a chapter there so they acted normal, and they were selected.

I have no idea if that chapter still exists.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by 33girl

What possesses them? Some people deal in fantasy instead of reality and believe all the kum ba ya we're all Greek and equal line. Either that or the school is being pressured by parents whose daughters were cut (of course the daughters never tell the parents that they refused to consider anything but "top" chapters and behaved accordingly) and basically forces the Panhel to open.

Personally I believe that groups that start as locals on their own steam are more motivated and probably don't have the grade/motivation issues, but then the nationals come in and want to cherry pick members. You can't have it both ways.

I think about that great Carnegie Mellon expansion story on here and how the one group (that if you read between the lines was the most nationally prestigious) basically didn't vibe with the local or its members at all, but wanted to take them on just to have a chapter there - and would most likely have made things so uncomfortable for the women that they would have quit.

Can you please point the Carnegie Mellon expansion story out for me please?

[DGTess]

Originally Posted by naraht

Can you please point the Carnegie Mellon expansion story out for me please?

Me too, please? Is there a link? I remember reading it, and I've searched several times since then but I've been unable to find it.

I was at Carnegie Mellon 73-77, after APhiE left but before ChiO left, and of course before AChiO and later Phi Mu colonized.

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by naraht

Can you please point the Carnegie Mellon expansion story out for me please?

Originally Posted by DGTess

Me too, please? Is there a link? I remember reading it, and I've searched several times since then but I've been unable to find it.

I was at Carnegie Mellon 73-77, after APhiE left but before ChiO left, and of course before AChiO and later Phi Mu colonized.

https://greekchat.com/gcforums/showt...arnegie+mellon

Here you go.

The thread got derailed with several (pages of) posts about fashion lol.

The final announcement of who got picked is on page 10 of the posts.