University of Alabama Fall 2014 NPC Sorority Recruitment

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by Momoftwogirls

I wonder what the retention rates are. Seems like a taboo question though.

I don't know what retention rates are on other campuses with similar chapter sizes for purposes of comparison, but it seems to me that retention is quite good, especially when one considers the percentage of OOS members.

To get some idea, one can compare the stats on the chapter grade reports. One can compare the Fall 2013 report (Total Members column):

http://greekaffairs.ua.edu/documents...portSheet1.pdf

to the Spring 2014 Total Members column (subtracting spring "Total New Members" column):

http://greekaffairs.ua.edu/documents...radeReport.pdf


Bearing in mind that seniors also graduate in December, this looks positive across the board to me.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by NCSigma

Any thoughts on why so few in-state students went through recruitment?

Interesting question -- I don't know if these recruitment numbers represent a decline or just a lack of growth over time -- less populous state? Economics?

Certainly the growth that UA has experienced in general could be largely attributed to OOS students.

Here is an article showing the percentages of in-state/out-of-state enrollment since 2007 (keep in mind that as OOS numbers grow quickly, the percentages compared to in-state enrollment do not necessarily mean that in-state enrollment is declining):

http://www.al.com/news/tuscaloosa/in...alabama_s.html

[PearlGirl13]

Originally Posted by Momoftwogirls

My DD will go through recruitment next year. My fear is her being rejected before classes even start. She seems to have what the chapters say they look for, but it's still scary. Hate to see her be crushed so early in college life

I wouldn't worry too much, too early (actually, I wouldn't worry at all if you can help it!). My rec girl this year had a very successful recruitment in spite of not looking all that great on paper. Her GPA was middle of the road (3.2), she didn't really have any outstanding high school activities or awards, she is cute enough, but not a beauty queen and I'm not even very confident that she had recs for all the sororities.

What she did have though was a bubbly personality and determination to pledge a sorority! She wanted it badly and was willing to pick new favorites every time she had to. The system works for those who want it to work.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by PearlGirl13

What she did have though was a bubbly personality and determination to pledge a sorority! She wanted it badly and was willing to pick new favorites every time she had to. The system works for those who want it to work.

THIS!!! They have to get in the mindset of once a sorority has cut them, that sorority has fallen off the face of the earth. Not in a mean way, but that they just don't exist and never did. You will never be happy if you keep playing "what might have been" all through rush and through your college career. (and your life, for that matter)

[SewSheKnits]

Originally Posted by Momoftwogirls

My DD will go through recruitment next year. My fear is her being rejected before classes even start. She seems to have what the chapters say they look for, but it's still scary. Hate to see her be crushed so early in college life

No need to worry about anything other than getting prepared. Those recommendation packets can be a bear if you aren't organized. Get them done early and read through some of the excellent posts here about preparing for the recruitment experience. It was so helpful when my DD went through UA recruitment last year. Just feeling prepared settled both of our nerves...until the real thing when I felt like I was losing my mind again. Thankfully, DD just had a fun week taking it all in.

[Momoftwogirls]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

I understand. She will need to be as well prepared as she can be-attend the sorority spring preview, have recommendations to every chapter, and be as open minded and flexible as she can be in regards to the chapters she is invited to in the invitational rounds.

And you will need wine.....lots and lots of wine!

She will be prepared! Well, as prepared as she can be. I on the other hand will start a wine I.V. Drip until it's all over!

[Momoftwogirls]

Originally Posted by PearlGirl13

I wouldn't worry too much, too early (actually, I wouldn't worry at all if you can help it!). My rec girl this year had a very successful recruitment in spite of not looking all that great on paper. Her GPA was middle of the road (3.2), she didn't really have any outstanding high school activities or awards, she is cute enough, but not a beauty queen and I'm not even very confident that she had recs for all the sororities.

What she did have though was a bubbly personality and determination to pledge a sorority! She wanted it badly and was willing to pick new favorites every time she had to. The system works for those who want it to work.

My daughter is a drama major at her high school. She said the way she looks at it is like auditions. You go in prepared and be yourself. If they don't think you are a fit then that's all it is. I did tell her the only way I would let her go through this is if she went into it knowing that everything happens for a reason. If it doesn't work out its because she was meant for a different path. Having said that, she has an excellent GPA, is bubbly, personable, friendly and cute. I would be shocked if she didn't match up to a house. But, you never know.

[DubaiSis]

One of the more common gripes among us old broads is the sense of entitlement among "kids these days." If your daughter goes into this with the attitude that this is an audition and can KEEP that attitude while being surrounded by a bunch of entitled brats, she'll be just fine. Not that most of the girls there are like that but an especially obnoxious few can start to feel like ALL of them. And presumably she hasn't gotten the lead role in every play she's tried out for, so hopefully she's learned a thing or two over all the times she experienced rejection. I have high hopes for both of you.

[pinapple]

Originally Posted by Momoftwogirls

No, for her it's UA all the way.

It is okay for her to "dig in" in regard to her school. But I suggest you start talking the talk of an open mind now and don't stop until bid day next year.

[HottyToddy1]

Originally Posted by Momoftwogirls

My DD will go through recruitment next year. My fear is her being rejected before classes even start. She seems to have what the chapters say they look for, but it's still scary. Hate to see her be crushed so early in college life

Tell her to be very very very careful with her social media. It has sunk many girls this year.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by Momoftwogirls

My daughter is a drama major at her high school. She said the way she looks at it is like auditions. You go in prepared and be yourself. If they don't think you are a fit then that's all it is. I did tell her the only way I would let her go through this is if she went into it knowing that everything happens for a reason. If it doesn't work out its because she was meant for a different path. Having said that, she has an excellent GPA, is bubbly, personable, friendly and cute. I would be shocked if she didn't match up to a house. But, you never know.

You nailed it. Your daughter has had experience with not being selected ("rejected") and you have told her the truth: everything does happen for a reason, and there may well be a different path. I predict she'll have a fine recruitment, because she has an open mind and heart and a great attitude!

IMO so much heartache/heartbreak comes from unrealistic expectations. PNMS do not accept that they are not always going to get what it is that they think they want or deserve. Reality bites. Hard.

[Hartofsec]

It seems to me that having one's heart set on a particular chapter (or a few chapters) may be more of an issue with in-state PNMs than OOS PNMs. My thought is that in-state girls form impressions based on where older girls from their high school pledge.

OOS girls may not know many (and sometimes any) actives in the chapters, so they may be arriving with fewer preconceived biases.

What do you all think -- especially those of you who are OOS and writing recs for OOS PNMs?

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by HottyToddy1

Tell her to be very very very careful with her social media. It has sunk many girls this year.

Did it ever! Amen to that.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by HottyToddy1

Tell her to be very very very careful with her social media. It has sunk many girls this year.

I know of one who didn't get her top choice this year due to awful photos on the Facebook from last spring. The chapter considered her to be a risk.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by carnation

I know of one who didn't get her top choice this year due to awful photos on the Facebook from last spring. The chapter considered her to be a risk.

I was in college when FB came out at my school in 2004. I seriously cannot believe that it is almost 10 years later and we are still having to remind people about cleaning up social media. We were given the same spiel back then.

We had to learn as we went that social media could bite us in the butt in life.
You'd think it would be second nature for those kids coming in as freshmen now to have CLOROX CLEAN or PRIVATE social media accounts, because for them, there has pretty much always been FB/Twitter/etc. and they have grown up in the age of FB bullying, stuff going viral, etc.