Staying active beyond traditional 4 years of school

[stargirl007]

h

[mittens]

Originally Posted by stargirl007

Hi, I'm not sure where to place this question so it will just have to go here, sorry lol

I'm currently a member of Gamma Phi (yay!) at my university. It doesn't seem extremely common for women to stay beyond the traditional 4 years for their degrees. However, is it common at other places for women to stay active for an extra semester after their senior year? I am scheduled for graduation in May 2011, but I have been working to finalize my plan for graduation and I would only be around 3 classes away from a second degree (I have an advertising minor, I could change it to a second major and be this far from accomplishing it) so I am thinking about staying an extra semester and graduating in December to obtain it. My main question is wondering if I would still be allowed to be active in my sorority?

Thanks!!

Obviously I'm not a Gamma Phi, but I know in my sorority we had women stay an extra year to complete their bachelor's degree and still be active my sorority.

[KSUViolet06]

It depends on Gamma Phi's policy on 5th years. Every sorority has a different policy on this.

Tri Sigma allows 5th year students to either remain active or become alumnae.

We always had a couple of 5th years (as did other chapters who allowed 5th years to remain active).

Something else to consider would be your campus culture regarding staying active.

At some schools, even if a sorority allows 5th year students to remain active, it is pretty unheard of and most will take alumna status when their class graduates (this is usually important in schools where no one takes a 5th year and all seniors graduate together).

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by stargirl007

Hi, I'm not sure where to place this question

The Greek Life Forum

[annabella]

Personally I find it a bit odd when people "red shirt" a sorority, but a lot of that is my campus culture.

Here's the thing: if you're taking more than four years to graduate, you probably need the extra semester(s) to really focus on school, not sorority. If your degree program normally takes people more than four years, it's probably a +1 Masters-type thing, i.e., you're technically in grad school after 4 years. So you shouldn't have enough time to devote to being a sorority member anyway.

[33girl]

If you're only taking 3 classes, time management shouldn't be a problem. Check and see what your HQ says on the issue. Also be sure that if you only have those 3 classes that you're still a full time student - that can factor in too.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24

The Greek Life Forum

Or the Gamma Phi forum, since the answer depends on Gamma Phi policies.

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by annabella

Personally I find it a bit odd when people "red shirt" a sorority, but a lot of that is my campus culture.

Here's the thing: if you're taking more than four years to graduate, you probably need the extra semester(s) to really focus on school, not sorority. If your degree program normally takes people more than four years, it's probably a +1 Masters-type thing, i.e., you're technically in grad school after 4 years. So you shouldn't have enough time to devote to being a sorority member anyway.

not necessarily. she said that she will be a few credits short of a double major and may stay an extra semester to complete that additional degree-that does not imply that she couldn't secure a degree in the traditional time frame.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by annabella

Here's the thing: if you're taking more than four years to graduate, you probably need the extra semester(s) to really focus on school, not sorority. If your degree program normally takes people more than four years, it's probably a +1 Masters-type thing, i.e., you're technically in grad school after 4 years. So you shouldn't have enough time to devote to being a sorority member anyway.

Reading is fundamental:

Originally Posted by stargirl007

I am scheduled for graduation in May 2011, but I have been working to finalize my plan for graduation and I would only be around 3 classes away from a second degree (I have an advertising minor, I could change it to a second major and be this far from accomplishing it) so I am thinking about staying an extra semester and graduating in December to obtain it.

To the OP:
Many women did this on my campus, or something similar. More often than not, they were education majors doing thier student teaching that semester, so they took alumna status.

Others that had either changed majors (which set them back in credits) or had picked up a second major or a minor did remain active in the chapter, even holding offices at times. I would check with your chapter advisor or exec board to see what Gamma Phi's policies would be.

[annabella]

Clarification: we see this question a lot. I meant that to be a general response. If she's only in 3 classes, most campuses wouldn't consider her to be a full-time student anyway.

[stargirl007]

Well, I know for a fact I would have to take 12 hours to be considered as active. So, I was just planning on taking an extra elective, probably an extra upper level advertising class that interests me in order to obtain that 12 hours to be a full time student. That would actually be considered a light load since I usually am taking 5 or 6 classes every semester.

I just didn't know what the policies would be or if it really changes the way people see it considering I only joined the chapter last semester as a junior.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by stargirl007

Well, I know for a fact I would have to take 12 hours to be considered as active. So, I was just planning on taking an extra elective, probably an extra upper level advertising class that interests me in order to obtain that 12 hours to be a full time student. That would actually be considered a light load since I usually am taking 5 or 6 classes every semester.

I just didn't know what the policies would be or if it really changes the way people see it considering I only joined the chapter last semester as a junior.

If you joined as a junior I would say staying active is fine. Don't some groups go by the number of semesters you've been active to determine if you need to take alum status? I was also going to ask if you were going to pick up another class to have 12 credits (what most schools consider full time).

[agzg]

Originally Posted by 33girl

If you joined as a junior I would say staying active is fine. Don't some groups go by the number of semesters you've been active to determine if you need to take alum status? I was also going to ask if you were going to pick up another class to have 12 credits (what most schools consider full time).

Don't quote me on this, but I believe one of those that go by number of semesters is AST.

[AOIIBuckeye]

I dont know Gamma Phi's exact policy on the matter, but staying active for a 5th year was fairly common on my campus for quite a few chapters, mine included.

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by 33girl

If you're only taking 3 classes, time management shouldn't be a problem. Check and see what your HQ says on the issue. Also be sure that if you only have those 3 classes that you're still a full time student - that can factor in too.

Best answer.