Upperclassman Quota (for PNMs and parents to read.)

[AlwaysInLA]

ohh! this is useful! this kind of seemed like a fitting place to ask this but how does it work if seniors don't count as part of the quota? Are they not counted in the pledge class or in the entire chapter?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AlwaysInLA

ohh! this is useful! this kind of seemed like a fitting place to ask this but how does it work if seniors don't count as part of the quota? Are they not counted in the pledge class or in the entire chapter?

They're not counted in the pledge class so the chapter doesn't have to choose between them and a freshman. I'm sure when chapter numbers are counted (for national purposes or whatever) they are included.

[KSUViolet06]

Yes, they count in that sense. You're treated just like any other freshman new member, you just don't count in terms of the overall number of women they are ALLOWED to take.

[AlwaysInLA]

oh! i take it that means recruitment might be a teeny tiny bit easier for a senior then?

[KSUViolet06]

^^^^Seniors are a different animal than juniors, though.

If a school is using upperclassman quota, it's probably somewhat competitive (otherwise they really wouldn't need it.)

In terms of a competitive recruitment, seniors are going to have a rough time because well, they're seniors. They are in senior level courses, interning, etc. and are assumed to be graduating within the next year. A soph or junior has in some cases 2 or 3 years (maybe a little more if they transfered from somewhere else.) They theorietically have more years to participate.

If your school is competitive enough to be using upperclassman quota, then you're going to have a hard time as a senior.

[KSUViolet06]

This needs a bump.

[Mevara]

Can we sticky it?

[PNM128]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Hey peeps, I'm noticing that quite a few PNMs this year are going through recruitment at schools that are using upperclassman/junior quotas.

Upperclassman quota is great in that it helps sophs and juniors to get placed at schools where they previously would have had zero shot at all.

However, I'm seeing posts saying stuff like "I'm nervous because I'm a junior but it's cool because my school has upperclassman quota and I should be ok."

I just wanted to point out a few things so that PNMs understand upperclassman quota correctly:

*It's not a guaranteed bid.

*Just because a school has upperclassman quota, doesn't mean that a chapter has to take advantage of it.

As always, best of luck to the sophs/juniors/etc. I hate being the Debbie Downer here, but please keep these things in mind!

I thought chapter's wanted to fill their quotas? Hence, if a chapter doesn't fill their regular quota they would use COB or something of that sort. So wouldn't they want to fill their upperclassman quota and take advantage of it?

[Always AlphaGam]

Originally Posted by PNM128

I thought chapter's wanted to fill their quotas? Hence, if a chapter doesn't fill their regular quota they would use COB or something of that sort. So wouldn't they want to fill their upperclassman quota and take advantage of it?

Quality over quantity. Just because they've got available spots doesn't mean they're obligated to hand them over to juniors they feel might not be a good fit for their chapter.

They don't need to extend bids to upperclassmen if they don't want to. That's their prerogative.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by PNM128

I thought chapter's wanted to fill their quotas? Hence, if a chapter doesn't fill their regular quota they would use COB or something of that sort. So wouldn't they want to fill their upperclassman quota and take advantage of it?

They do want to, but obviously aren't taking women at random just to fill it.

Example: If a school has upperclassman quota, and all the upperclassmen have like 2.75 GPAs, the chapter isn't going to take them just to fill quota.

Please don't think that it's something that's going to "save you" in recruitment because that's not the case.

[IndianaSigKap]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Please don't think that it's something that's going to "save you" in recruitment because that's not the case.

Exactly, it was explained to me by someone who advises on a competitive campus with upperclass quota that it was meant to catch the the 1 or 2 girls who fell through the cracks and now have several friends in the chapter or the exceptional girl who transferred in as an upperclassmen. For example, Patty PNM who spent two years at a regional or junior college campus, but transferred in with a stellar GPA, campus leadership at her former campus and good social/conversation skills. It is not an easier path for a PNM who just didn't maximize her options in previous recruitments.

[Titchou]

This is the only reference to upperclass quota I find in the current edition of the MOI in the section on Membership:

"If a campus utilizes an upperclass quota during formal recruitment, they may pledge up to quota with candidates from this classification only."

[PNM128]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

They do want to, but obviously aren't taking women at random just to fill it.

Example: If a school has upperclassman quota, and all the upperclassmen have like 2.75 GPAs, the chapter isn't going to take them just to fill quota.

Please don't think that it's something that's going to "save you" in recruitment because that's not the case.

Okay, I see. I didn't think it would be something that would save me or give me an upperhand but I figured it might kind of put me on a more level playing ground with freshman PNMs. I didn't rush as a freshman so I'm kind of just now learning about things having to do with recruitment. Thanks for your help!

[pinkchai]

Hello,
I am a CAP student at UT Tyler, so I will be transferring to Austin next fall and really want to join a sorority. My only dilemma is I don't know if I should rush here and affiliate with the same sorority in Austin so I don't miss out on friendships and a fun year or wait and rush at UT Austin as a sophomore. I heard it is really hard rushing as a sophomore, but getting the option of multiple sororities over just two at UT Tyler seems to make more sense to me. Is it a bad idea to rush at Tyler and try to transfer to the same sorority in Austin?

[33girl]

It's not a bad idea just because you have limited options, but because chapters are often VERY different from school to school. You could feel very comfortable and at home with the XYZs at Tyler, but the XYZs at Austin may not be women that you want to hang out with at all.