Tiers in The SEC

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by Lucky SC

very true.

i think throughout this whole conversation we have forgotten that it isn't necessarily going to result in quality or quantity. It almost seems to me that this whole conversation in a way has made the point that the more intelligent people are the less likely they are "cool" are a "fraternity man".

i dunno bout the rest of yall but i would like to be considered intelligent lol. i think we forget the difference between a nerd and a intelligent, worldly man.

Well, yeah the GPAs of most Greeks on campuses everywhere is higher than the general student body, so we are smart! It sucks that the "Animal House" stereotypes of Greek Life turn off some smart, talented men and women who would make excellent members of our organizations.

[baci]

I would love if someone can chime in and answer some questions for me. I have been out of the actual Greek Life loop for some time when it comes to recruitment. I am also not afraid to admit I know very little when it comes to recruitment regarding fraternities vs. sororities. After reading this thread, I would love to ask some questions, since I am in the SEC area and I have two sons that may very well be a part of Greek Life.

How much value is put on the city in which you reside for recruitment to a fraternity?
It seems to be spoken about quite alot in conjunction with monetary status. Is family income very important as well?
Does an upstanding young man coming into the system from a decent area with a fair amount of community service and such, solid grades, and recs stand a chance to pledge a solid fraternity? What is some advice you can give to a young man to make him more appealing compared to the next candidate? Is there anything that would make him stand out?

I really appreciate some advice/ideas/thoughts on this. Thank you for your time and input.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by baci

How much value is put on the city in which you reside for recruitment to a fraternity?
It seems to be spoken about quite alot in conjunction with monetary status. Is family income very important as well?
Does an upstanding young man coming into the system from a decent area with a fair amount of community service and such, solid grades, and recs stand a chance to pledge a solid fraternity? What is some advice you can give to a young man to make him more appealing compared to the next candidate? Is there anything that would make him stand out?

It's good to ask these questions...here's my opinion (and people will contradict me, I'm sure..I'd like everyone to answer this.)

First, I go to the University of Arkansas so these answers apply to the SEC, but more specifically the general idea of the tiers (lower 2nd, in my opinion). Places like Miss St., Florida, FSU, etc.

1. Value of the City: I think the value of the city is sort of differently spoken about on the board then what it's worth. Yes, there are great cities who breed Fraternity men, but it's all about the connections your son has before hand. He could live in the middle of nowhere, where no ones heard his name before, but if he has a friend or two from the fraternity he may be better off than when people do know his name. Often the town is important because people from the same town want other people from that town. If it's a particularly wealthy town, he may be better off. My own town, nearly 1/5th of my graduating (Public school) class went Greek. Talk about connections, the grade under us could go to any University and be in any fraternity/sorority they wanted.
2.Family Income: Not nearly as important. It's a nice extra thing to have, but someone from a middle class background with the right friends/connections could have no problem getting into a very good fraternity.
3. Recs/Grades/Etc - I hate to say this, but at least in my fraternity we don't look to hard at Grades or Community Service. I do remember specifically pledging a guy because he was an Eagle Scout, but other than that, pretty sparse. We get Recs every year, but Recs aren't very important. In my school and others like it, few Recs are turned in (to my knowledge at least)
4. I guess if I would have to give advice it'd be:
Make as many friends/connections as you can before Rush. Don't act like a fool when school starts (but don't before hand either...we had a rushee get drunk and break a bottle at another house...we heard about it, he was cut everywhere to my knowledge). Go to as many Rush parties throughout the summer as you get invited to. Don't get too drunk at them. Make sure you're making the right friends at the Rush parties instead of bugging girls or being too drunk. Bring a girl along if it's appropriate. Be genuine. Don't curse if you can help it. Don't brag or be boastful. Honestly just general ettiquette that every person should know. That alone will put him far ahead of alot of people.

[baci]

Thank you for the quick response. It is appreciated SECdomination.^^

As of right now, I guess they have one mark against them. We are in South Florida- yikes! (not in Miami, but a bit further north)

I feel our family will relocate before they enter the university system, so I probably don't need to worry about that. I have lived here my entire life and I am finding it is time for us to move for various reasons. My husband has an early retirement shortly and I feel that is when we will make the move.

Thank you for your honest answer.

[nate2512]

Originally Posted by baci

Thank you for the quick response. It is appreciated SECdomination.^^

As of right now, I guess they have one mark against them. We are in South Florida- yikes! (not in Miami, but a bit further north)

I feel our family will relocate before they enter the university system, so I probably don't need to worry about that. I have lived here my entire life and I am finding it is time for us to move for various reasons. My husband has an early retirement shortly and I feel that is when we will make the move.

Thank you for your honest answer.

It is not so much that if you are from south florida that you are going to get slammed. But that if they personify that southern florida stereotype of looking and acting like a complete outsider. And even if you move to Mississippi that isn't going to change much other than where they put their hometown on rush paperwork, theyll be able to tell your sons have lived a significant amount of time in south florida by the way they talk and dress.

[baci]

Elephant Walk, I am filing away everything you took the time to post in response to my questions. You answers are quite valuable to me and they give me a small amount of insight that I did not have prior. I appreciate your time very much!

[Lucky SC]

BTW never posted this, but this is how it works at USC pretty much...

TIER 1
KA
SAE
Sig Nu

TIER 2
Kappa Sig
Sig Chi
ATO
Sig Ep

TIER 3
Pike
Pi Kap
DTD
Chi Psi
Phi Sigma Kappa

I will note that Pike just got chartered here and are growing incredibly quick, but they have a very northern stereotype. Which basically at South Carolina is looked upon as a negative thing by the greek community

KA and SAE do all of their stuff together, tailgates and most parties but then do their own stuff sometimes or with different fraternities. Sigma Nu is the other big dawg on campus, but it seems a lot of other fraternities have problems with them or tensions.

NOTE: this is all stereotypes mostly by the sororities and could be argued.

[Tom Earp]

The SEC is an old line GLO conference and is very close on who they recruit from.

Cities, that is a new one on me as GLOs like to try and recruit from Areas and members they know. But at smaller State Universitys it is important because of the size of the H S and where the students or going to atten.

Arkansas if they were smart would have joined the Big 8 as it would have been a perfect fit. Excellent school though for sure!

[UTLonghorn2012]

I meant no offense, I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have said anything at all.

[PhiGam]

Originally Posted by UTLonghorn2012

I meant no offense, I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have said anything at all.

You'll make a good pledge

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by PhiGam

You'll make a good pledge

Haha, that's what I was thinking.

[Lucky SC]

Originally Posted by PhiGam

You'll make a good pledge

lmao

[oldu]

I have been following this thread with interest, particularly as it wandered off to the subject of "old" money. Question: Why wouldn't these supposedly "old" money people be going to the likes of SMU, Tulane, Vandy, Emory, Duke, W & L, the Ivies or elite eastern schools rather public institutions? Probably not more than 10% of the graduates of my daughters' prep schools went to state schools.

[bowsandtoes]

That's at least somewhat true, from my prep school about an equal number (5 or so out of 90) went to SMU and UT. Some schools like Vandy and Duke have been attracting more and more Northern students as well as uping the notch academically. Like with the Ivies they've become much more selective schools. Even with 'old money' a lot of the time it wouldn't be sufficient to overcome a weak applicant.

Also, many just want to be close to home or go to their parents' college.

[macallan25]

I'm going to guess that you aren't from the South. Typically, I think old money Southern kids are going to want to go where their parents went (or schools that are in the family) or to schools that are in good college towns and have great Greek systems.

Out of all of those schools you listed, Vandy, Washington and Lee, and SMU are probably going to be the most heavily populated with your typical, wealthy, Southern old money type guy. I don't know many guys down here from well established families that would find going to school in the Northeast very desirable. I don't at all.

Realize that there are state schools in existence that are extremely good schools.......better or on par with some that you mentioned even. Take for instance Texas, where I go. Top 10-15 in Business, Law, Medicine, and Engineering. There are not a whole lot of schools out there that can claim that. I pretty much chose between SMU and Texas and when it came down to it......I didn't find a reason why I should have my parents pay 20,000$ + more a year for me to go to a school that probably isn't as academically strong as UT.