University of Alabama Recruitment 2007

[Helicopter1]

Great Odin's Raven.....

I've missed a fight.

[Benzgirl]

Originally Posted by Helicopter1

Great Odin's Raven.....

I've missed a fight.

You are totally lurking on the wrong thread. Get the popcorn out!

[UGAalum94]

Y'all may be missing the point of what these activities are about if, in fact, anyone is doing the things described. It's not desperate as much as it is truly recruiting girls versus waiting to take the share you'd just end up with by rushing during formal.

Especially at schools where recruitment is really early in the year, rushing folks you know already, assuming you do it within the regulations of the PC at your campus, means that you are likely to get a pledge class that includes the new members that you really wanted in the pool of total girls.

Now, when you get into the groups that take a whole pledge class this way, I think it's lame because they will miss out of the girls from out of state or who decided to rush late. But to make sure that the really great hometown girls who you already know are coming to Alabama are likely to feel at home in your group, early allowable contact seems like a great tool.

And I think assuming that if the groups didn't do this stuff, that it would level the playing field for other PNM is probably mistaken. The chapters would still know who they wanted in advance of recruitment; they just wouldn't be hosting group events. Folks just need to know this stuff goes on at to what degree at which groups, so if they haven't been highly recruited, they are more likely to be realistic about their recruitment experience.

[nittanyalum]

I honestly didn't know recruitment was that tough down south 'til I read so much about it on GC. I know it's just "the way things are", but I gotta tell ya, it just sounds brutal to me. I know what you're saying about dividing the work between 200 women, but still, sheesh! I didn't have 2 passing thoughts about being in a sorority when I was a jr. in high school! And I got accepted to Bama, seriously considered it, but went north to Penn State instead (was from DC area). I didn't know it at the time, but there is obviously NO WAY I'd have been greek if I went to Bama, I didn't have a rec, didn't know a soul, nothing. I can't imagine how different my life would have been!! See, things happen for a reason...

[Helicopter1]

I can't weigh in since I don't know what happened to Lilly, and I understand if it had to be edited for all the usual reasons....

All I know is what my kid went through--she knew when she signed up that it was a NO GUARANTEE situation. That being said, she STILL had some unrealistic expectations based on random conversations that would not be considered 'dirty rushing', per se. She was approached well before the deadline by a former schoolmate, who asked her to be sure to get her rec in to that particular group. Now of COURSE this didn't mean anything but that this particular person was interested and would pull for her....but one vote is after all, one vote.

Now that she is on the other side of this equation, she understands the UNBELIEVABLE difficulty of the entire process, and just how lucky she would have been to be chosen by any of these organizations.

That would be my wish--that all of these young ladies would hang on, accept any and every invitation, and then get involved with it from the member's perspective...

Some might disagree, but as an alum and native Alabamian, I see a real change at Bama, particularly this year. Sure, old row is going to be around. So what? It's as one of you mentioned earlier--an extra party and a t-shirt. Hell, you can go to a cocktail party any time you want in Birmingham, Atlanta, Mobile or wherever and claim you were a this or that at Bama blahddy blahddy blah...or you can sacrifice your soul because your daughter just MUST be an XYZ or she won't get the right husband, job, invitations, etc.... If it means that much to some of these folks, let'em have it.

Rant is now over.

Guess I weighed in after all!

[Army Wife'79]

As someone who has lived in 10 different states, you can certainly tell the division along the Mason/Dixon line here in this thread. :-)
The Yankees don't have a clue as to how serious "grooming your baby girl to be a XYZ" is down here in the South. I learned about it one Christmas while visiting the relatives and when the "aunts" were talking about it I actually laughed thinking they were kidding and I was greeted by icy stares. (and probably a few "Bless your hearts" for being so ignorant about the importance of where your D took ballet classes). The phrase "whose your daddy" takes on a whole new meaning down here.

[Benzgirl]

Happy to be a Yankee. I think I'll put that in my signature

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by Army Wife'79

As someone who has lived in 10 different states, you can certainly tell the division along the Mason/Dixon line here in this thread. :-)
The Yankees don't have a clue as to how serious "grooming your baby girl to be a XYZ" is down here in the South. I learned about it one Christmas while visiting the relatives and when the "aunts" were talking about it I actually laughed thinking they were kidding and I was greeted by icy stares. (and probably a few "Bless your hearts" for being so ignorant about the importance of where your D took ballet classes). The phrase "whose your daddy" takes on a whole new meaning down here.

Sorry for the intrusion, but there is a book called How to Be A Southern Belle, or Why Princess Margaret Will Never Be a Kappa Kappa Gamma. The title of the book is a funny play on words, but like you said, in the South it is true.

[SECMom]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

Sorry for the intrusion, but there is a book called How to Be A Southern Belle, or Why Princess Margaret Will Never Be a Kappa Kappa Gamma. The title of the book is a funny play on words, but like you said, in the South it is true.

Actually, the title is: A SOUTHERN BELLE PRIMER, OR WHY PRINCESS MARGARET WILL NEVER BE A KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA. It is absolutely hilarious, but to me, as a lifelong southerner, what is so funny is that it is so true. Ridiculous, absolutely! But when you grow up in it you just think that is the way it is.

I think the "rushing" of juniors and seniors in high school has become much more pronounced over the past few years. My kids are 5 years apart, and when Daughter #1 was a senior she did get quite a few hand written notes from different girls in different sororities....the name of the GLO was never mentioned, but there was always the stationery or a sticker on the envelope that gave it away. When daughter #2 was a senior (2005-2006) I was amazed at the gorgeous invitations to teas that she got from sororities in Tuscaloosa and to alum's houses in Birmingham as well. Funny thing is that this kid had no intention of going to Alabama and was headed to Ole Miss from the getgo. Even so, she STILL got invited to rush parties way late into the spring--I guess her name wound up on a list somewhere.

[Helicopter1]

Well at least they know how to write a proper bread and butter. Sniff.

[triplefigs]

Originally Posted by SECMom

Actually, the title is: A SOUTHERN BELLE PRIMER, OR WHY PRINCESS MARGARET WILL NEVER BE A KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA. It is absolutely hilarious, but to me, as a lifelong southerner, what is so funny is that it is so true. Ridiculous, absolutely! But when you grow up in it you just think that is the way it is.

I think the "rushing" of juniors and seniors in high school has become much more pronounced over the past few years. My kids are 5 years apart, and when Daughter #1 was a senior she did get quite a few hand written notes from different girls in different sororities....the name of the GLO was never mentioned, but there was always the stationery or a sticker on the envelope that gave it away. When daughter #2 was a senior (2005-2006) I was amazed at the gorgeous invitations to teas that she got from sororities in Tuscaloosa and to alum's houses in Birmingham as well. Funny thing is that this kid had no intention of going to Alabama and was headed to Ole Miss from the getgo. Even so, she STILL got invited to rush parties way late into the spring--I guess her name wound up on a list somewhere.

Did they do the early rushing parties in the late 80's? I don't remember ANY of us from my HS going to parties, letters, etc. My HS friends who went to Bama with me pledged all Old Row sororities, one went on to be President, one was on the HC Court. They were definitely the "in" crowd at Bama and were all legacies. We were all good friends, cheered together, and I don't think I would have missed hearing about this stuff. Just wondering if our HS was out of the loop (it was a small town in North Alabama)? I went to "Serious Night" (dating myself) to 3 Old Row houses, but dropped out when I didn't match to my 1st choice. I also had heard GPhiB was coming to Bama, and my mom was a GPhi. I decided to go that route. Did I regret not choosing another house when I didn't get my match? At times, of course. But I also am very proud to be a charter member of GPhiB at Bama.

[SECMom]

[quote=triplefigs;1529363]Did they do the early rushing parties in the late 80's? I don't remember ANY of us from my HS going to parties, letters, etc.

I don't think so, I was writing recs and talking to mamas in the 80s and I don't remember anything like this until my oldest daughter was a senior in 2001. And even then, she had been to a state-wide program that enabled her to meet a ton of girls her age and a year or so older and a lot of the notes came from some of them, so I initially associated it with the program, but as more and more came I realized that this was a "rush" technique.

By the time 2006 rolled around I had survived putting on (and paying for) a wedding and all I could think about was how much those beautiful invitations to all those teas must have cost

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by SECMom

Actually, the title is: A SOUTHERN BELLE PRIMER, OR WHY PRINCESS MARGARET WILL NEVER BE A KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA. It is absolutely hilarious, but to me, as a lifelong southerner, what is so funny is that it is so true. Ridiculous, absolutely! But when you grow up in it you just think that is the way it is.

I knew it was something like that. Thanks!!!

A really good friend of mine from college told me how NPC sorority women came to her HS in Klein ISD, which is North / NW of Houston in the late 80's and gave a seminar / presentation on NPC greek life. Being that she was AfAm in a predominantly White HS, she said she was at the whole thing. Once she made it to Texas A&M it all made sense.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by Army Wife'79

As someone who has lived in 10 different states, you can certainly tell the division along the Mason/Dixon line here in this thread. :-)

I think the Rappahannock river is a better divider than the Mason-Dixon line (for cultural purposes).

[AnchorAlumna]

Who's your daddy