WA state resident looking to rush at Ole Miss - Any Advice?

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by candiceena

Kite - also thanks for the Lilly Pullitzer suggestion. I just checked out her website and the dresses are adorable!

I have a question too for anyone who is down south right now, regarding handbags. Up here Dooney & Bourke and Coach bags are HUGE - is this the case down there as well? If not, what is popular? I have heard rumors of PNMs being judged on what designer handbag they carry - is this the case?

OK, first, I wouldn't say that Dooney & Bourke is big up here...I hardly see any young women carrying D&B. Coach is huge, yes, as is Louis V. and Kate Spade. But D&B isn't bad, either, as it is in the same class as Coach and Kate Spade. My favorites are Marc Jacobs and Tod's, though I have a handful of Coach purses, too.

Originally Posted by 33girl

I'm as un-Southern as you can get, and I turn up my nose at Dooney & Bourke, unless they're the old vintage ones.

I would think when they say "designer" they mean more along the lines of Prada or Kate Spade, or Bottega Veneta.

I'm nit-picking now, but Kate Spade isn't in the same category as Prada and Bottega Veneta. I REALLY don't see the attraction to her grossly overpriced canvas bags. It's canvas, and usually pretty plain designs/patterns at that.

As for Lily dresses, I think they're adorable, but I haven't seen any stores in Washington that sell them. You may have to buy online.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

you don't bring a purse into a recruitment event-- so this won't matter. Your recruitment counselor will watch over your stuff (cell phone, purse, makeup) when you go into a party.

This may or may not be the case at Ole Miss (PNMs bring their purses with them to recruitment parties at my school). Can a current Ole Miss sorority member or very recent alum verify that?

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

OK, first, I wouldn't say that Dooney & Bourke is big up here...I hardly see any young women carrying D&B. Coach is huge, yes, as is Louis V. and Kate Spade. But D&B isn't bad, either, as it is in the same class as Coach and Kate Spade. My favorites are Marc Jacobs and Tod's, though I have a handful of Coach purses, too.



I'm nit-picking now, but Kate Spade isn't in the same category as Prada and Bottega Veneta. I REALLY don't see the attraction to her grossly overpriced canvas bags. It's canvas, and usually pretty plain designs/patterns at that.

As for Lily dresses, I think they're adorable, but I haven't seen any stores in Washington that sell them. You may have to buy online.

I've seen some at the Bellevue Square Nordstrom's but it's been a while.

And can we say Coach outlet..........

[SoCalGirl]

I saw Lilly dresses at Marshall's. They had the tags and everything! I was surprised.

[Thetagirl218]

Has anyone's school hit the Vera Bradley craze yet? I know that most sorority girls at my school have at least one, or a Coach, Kate Spade or another designer...

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by candiceena

Thanks for the advice.

A friend of mine is against me going to college down South (mainly just because she thinks it is ridiculous to pay for out-of-state tuition) however I am having mental battles.

On one hand, I really want to go to school in the South. I have for a while now and I think that if I didn't, I would regret it. College is not something that you can just go back and do over. It's four years of your life that you will remember forever, you know what I mean? I'm sure I'd get a good education and have a good time here in WA but I think I will always regret not going to a Southern school.

On the other hand, sorority membership is something that I want very badly as well. I'm sure I could pick somewhere else and go to school there, as well as be 99% certain I could get a bid, but then how would I feel about "selling out" (for major lack of a better term) just so that I can be in a sorority?

Then, when I think about it like that, I wonder just how happy I would be at a southern school if I weren't in a sorority.

Meh. I am conflicted. But I am definitely 90% that in the end my decision will be to go down south and go through with it, if for nothing else than to know that I actually tried and put my best foot forward. I'd much rather try and fail than never try and wonder "what if" 20 years from now.

Sorry of this was already addressed, but I didn't have a chance to read the whole thread. If you are considering a different southern university in order to increase your chances at sorority membership, you may keep in mind that while Ole Miss is probably the most competitive Greek Life school, pretty much every major university in the south has similar attitudes towards Greek Life. Your chances of getting a bid wouldn't go up much by choosing a different SEC school.

[Ole Miss Phi Mu]

Originally Posted by JessSigKap

This may or may not be the case at Ole Miss (PNMs bring their purses with them to recruitment parties at my school). Can a current Ole Miss sorority member or very recent alum verify that?

At Ole Miss, PNMs don't bring purses at all to the parties. Their Gamma Chis give them a sandwich bag to put all their stuff in, except cell phones. Cell phones have to stay at home.

[lsu_rosewhite]

I pm'ed you wear-a-kite. Check your messages please.

[AnchorAlum]

This thread is hilarious. Remember to buy this, wear that, affect this attitude and act like you're from Mississippi. Bless your heart. You will be the proverbial fish out of water. No offense to Mississippi ladies - my GLO has Ole Miss roots, after all.

PLEASE do yourself a favor and go to school somewhere else. Texas schools for one offer a better opportunity for membership in a GLO, as do either of the big two Florida schools.

Tallahassee is still as deep South as you can get. Gainesville is, too. All of the above are more down to earth, more welcoming of outsiders, and offer terrific college experiences.

[GatorDG]

If it helps, the Greek coordinator for Ole Miss stated in her presentation at Orientation that 96% of the girls that rush are pledged. There are nine houses but about 900 girls go through rush. The pledge classes are HUGE (85-90). I have a daughter that is a freshman there and planning to rush. I can honestly say I am quite panicked by all the postings regarding rush at Ole Miss. I have been on the web sites for all the houses and they all look pretty strong. I guess we all just have to pray during rush. It is a totally different culture down south - just be prepared. They are very nice but it is VERY different from anything you might have experienced on the west coast as far as college life and/or the greek world. You cannot compare the schools or houses in Washington to what you will experience in Mississippi. Where else would young women dress up in dresses and heels to sit in sweltering heat (next to a date that is wearing a tie) to watch a football game? Great experience, just be prepared for the difference.

[adpiucf]

Ole Miss is known for harsh cuts, even amongst freshmen with 4.0's/Homecoming Queen titles/Triple Legacy status and multiple recs. It seems logical that this 96% figure probably comes from the women who make it to the last round of recruitment (preferentials). Otherwise, this implies that 96% of the women who come out on Day 1 will get a bid... and we know this is not true. A lot of women drop out, others are cut and don't like their remaining invites, etc.

I think you were given an accurate number at orientation... but it may be misleading as to "when" that "96% are offered bids" came into play.

[CrazyUMGirl]

This thread is hilarious. Ole Miss is not like people think it is at all, i just went through rush in 2006 and ended up at a great house. I am from the north and it was difficult for me going through rush because I thought that no one would want me because i wasnt from mississippi. which ended up being true for 3 or 4 of them. Last year only 4 girls out of all 960 something girls that went through rush got cut from every house. every other girl got a bid. Unless you are really mean, have a horrible GPA, or screw a lot of peoples boyfriends you will get into a house. no worries. dont let all these people who dont go there and only hear rumors psyche you out, rush is fun if you let it be.

Originally Posted by CrazyUMGirl

every other girl got a bid. Unless you are really mean, have a horrible GPA, or screw a lot of peoples boyfriends you will get into a house. no worries. dont let all these people who dont go there and only hear rumors psyche you out, rush is fun if you let it be.

While I don't doubt that you know how Ole Miss recruitment is like as a PNM, have you participated in a formal recruitment as a member on the other side?

The advice being given here by the non-Ole Miss students aren't meant to psyche her out. They're just giving her realistic information that might be helpful to her. Some are Ole Miss alumnae and advisors -- I think they're qualified to give advice and let the OP know what her chances are really like. As far as the others go, well...a lot of them come from similar competitive schools and they have years of recruitments under their belt. I'd say they're in good position to dish out advice as well.

In my opinion, telling the OP to go through recruitment but warning her what might be ahead is better than telling her "no worries" and have her endure disappointment later on.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by CrazyUMGirl

I am from the north and it was difficult for me going through rush because I thought that no one would want me because i wasnt from mississippi. which ended up being true for 3 or 4 of them.

Since there are only 9 chapters, 3 or 4 is a lot.

Originally Posted by CrazyUMGirl

Last year only 4 girls out of all 960 something girls that went through rush got cut from every house. every other girl got a bid.

I don't think this takes into account the girls who dropped when they didn't like who they had left on their invitation list. I believe that 830 bids were accepted during FR last year. (Quota was 91 but many chapters took QAs.)

It is refreshing, though, for someone to post something encouraging about Ole Miss. I'm glad you had/are having a good experience there!

[FSUZeta]

crazyumgirl, you could be a tremendous help to the op(and to all of us on GC):

of all the girls who received bids last year at ole miss, how many of them were junior transfer students? of those, how many were in state(meaning they knew sorority members) and how many, like the op, know no one? a guesstimate will do. thanks!