Scared about rushing as a sophomore for competitive recruitment HELP!

ExcitedPNM · #1 07-16-2010, 05:05 PM

Hey everyone, first off I absolutely love love love GC!

Anyways, I am going to be rushing this fall at a competitive SEC school and I am super nervous, almost scared! I have been pouring over GC for months now and preparing almost obsessively for rush but I'm still worried about my chances. I am a sophomore transferring in and after reading GC, I'm worried I will get cut almost immediately

Now before you ask: I have gotten recs for all but 4 of the sororities (2 are pending), and some I even have 2 going in, my GPA is barely under a 3.0 but I've been very involved in high school and college, I've been shopping and working out like crazy to look the part, and practicing my conversation skills until I'm blue in the face. I rushed at my last school and wish I had known about GC, I COMPLETELY did everything one shouldn't do and ended up dropping out from not getting invites to the ones I wanted. Now I honestly will be happy in any and all the sororities at my new school.

Any other advice you can give me, or thoughts? Also, rush is coming up soon and I promise to post my story live for all you happy GC'ers (I know how much I love them!). Thanks

Drolefille · #2 07-16-2010, 05:24 PM

My favorite advice this year is to relax. You seem to be doing everything right, see if you can get recs for those last 2 chapters and then RELAX.

kahlaology · #3 07-16-2010, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille

My favorite advice this year is to relax. You seem to be doing everything right, see if you can get recs for those last 2 chapters and then RELAX.

That's all I've heard to do too, as well as be yourself but that's a given.

FleurGirl · #4 07-16-2010, 05:39 PM

If you've been doing your research, you'll be just fine! I'm sure you've seen threads about what to wear, what to talk about, etc.
I'd make a point to mention that you'll be there for more than four years!

ExcitedPNM · #5 07-16-2010, 05:44 PM

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the advice given! I welcome anymore :]

Besides mentioning the four years, what else can I do to prove that I can be a valuable member of their sorority? I was thinking mentioning my age, but idk. Also how should I talk my away around my gpa? I'm guessing that they will already know it from the recs going in

Barbie's_Rush · #6 07-16-2010, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExcitedPNM

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the advice given! I welcome anymore :]

Besides mentioning the four years, what else can I do to prove that I can be a valuable member of their sorority? I was thinking mentioning my age, but idk. Also how should I talk my away around my gpa? I'm guessing that they will already know it from the recs going in

There isn't any way to "talk around" your low gpa. If it doesn't meet a chapter's minimum, you'll be dropped and there isn't anything you can do about it. Don't take it personally. You'll be competing with freshmen with much higher gpas. Just concentrate on the things you can control at this point.

ree-Xi · #7 07-16-2010, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExcitedPNM

Hey everyone, first off I absolutely love love love GC!

Anyways, I am going to be rushing this fall at a competitive SEC school and I am super nervous, almost scared! I have been pouring over GC for months now and preparing almost obsessively for rush but I'm still worried about my chances. I am a sophomore transferring in and after reading GC, I'm worried I will get cut almost immediately

Now before you ask: I have gotten recs for all but 4 of the sororities (2 are pending), and some I even have 2 going in, my GPA is barely under a 3.0 but I've been very involved in high school and college, I've been shopping and working out like crazy to look the part, and practicing my conversation skills until I'm blue in the face. I rushed at my last school and wish I had known about GC, I COMPLETELY did everything one shouldn't do and ended up dropping out from not getting invites to the ones I wanted. Now I honestly will be happy in any and all the sororities at my new school.

Any other advice you can give me, or thoughts? Also, rush is coming up soon and I promise to post my story live for all you happy GC'ers (I know how much I love them!). Thanks

It's great that you seem to be aware about the importance of keeping an open mind. However, your comment about "shopping and working out like crazy to look the part" suggests that you are harboring stereotypes about women in sororities.

You are making changes that, while can be positive - looking your best and dressing appropriately, can also come across as trying too hard. If you are changing things about yourself because you think that you have to be a certain way, you are cheating yourself, as well as others from knowing the "real" you.

I do hope that the changes are a enhanced version of you, and not a facade. I wish you luck during recruitment. As for the grades, you can't do anything to change it, so try to focus on things you can control - get enough sleep, wear comfortable shoes, and keep your heart and mind open.

fantASTic · #8 07-16-2010, 11:18 PM

I agree with all the above, but I want to add....

Please be aware that your chances at a school like that are very slim, especially with an abysmal GPA. Make sure you've prepared yourself for getting cut from all houses. It's never good to get one's hopes up too high.

KSUViolet06 · #9 07-16-2010, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExcitedPNM

Hey everyone, first off I absolutely love love love GC!

Anyways, I am going to be rushing this fall at a competitive SEC school and I am super nervous, almost scared! I have been pouring over GC for months now and preparing almost obsessively for rush but I'm still worried about my chances. I am a sophomore transferring in and after reading GC, I'm worried I will get cut almost immediately

Now before you ask: I have gotten recs for all but 4 of the sororities (2 are pending), and some I even have 2 going in, my GPA is barely under a 3.0 but I've been very involved in high school and college, I've been shopping and working out like crazy to look the part, and practicing my conversation skills until I'm blue in the face. I rushed at my last school and wish I had known about GC, I COMPLETELY did everything one shouldn't do and ended up dropping out from not getting invites to the ones I wanted. Now I honestly will be happy in any and all the sororities at my new school.

Any other advice you can give me, or thoughts? Also, rush is coming up soon and I promise to post my story live for all you happy GC'ers (I know how much I love them!). Thanks

We don't know for sure whether you'll get a bid or not. I'll tell you that the first thing I noticed in your post was your GPA. If you're at a competitive school, that 2.9 or whatever is not going to look super impressive next to freshmen with grades that are much higher. Not much you can do about it now though.

My best advice would be to relax. Your nervousness will affect your confidence and it will show in your conversation/body language/etc.

You only have so much time to make an impression, you don't want that first impression to be "she was so super nervous that I didn't get to know much about her." When you're dealing with the high numbers of PNMs that they get at SEC schools, many times, you don't get another round if you are too nervous to really say much during the first.

33girl · #10 07-17-2010, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

We don't know for sure whether you'll get a bid or not. I'll tell you that the first thing I noticed in your post was your GPA. If you're at a competitive school, that 2.9 or whatever is not going to look super impressive next to freshmen with grades that are much higher.

But those are high school grades. I'm guessing/hoping that a GPA actually from college is looked at differently. I mean, 2.9 at Harvard is a lot more impressive than Mary's 3.97 from a HS reputed to be notoriously easy. Not only that, Mary might come to college and without her helimom breathing down her neck, promptly pull a Blutarsky-esque 0.0.

KSUViolet06 · #11 07-17-2010, 01:31 AM

Ok. I see your point. But if you're at a competitive school, I still think that the 4.0 Freshman (with recs, maybe hometown connections from HS, etc) probably has the advantage over a 2.9something soph transfer (who may not know anyone).

33girl · #12 07-17-2010, 01:35 AM

But she has recs and just because she's a transfer doesn't mean she's gone far far away. She might actually know more people at her new school. (ExcitedPNM, do NOT clarify this, I don't want you to out yourself

)

I'm not blowing sunshine but I think to say that the reason sophomores get cut is primarily GPA is a little silly. They get cut because that's one less year of dues the sorority will get (theoretically).

Barbie's_Rush · #13 07-17-2010, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Ok. I see your point. But if you're at a competitive school, I still think that the 4.0 Freshman (with recs, maybe hometown connections from HS, etc) probably has the advantage over a 2.9something soph transfer (who may not know anyone).

Not to mention this is an SEC school where it normally takes superlative everything for a non-freshman to get a bid.

AnchorAlumna · #14 07-17-2010, 01:46 AM

With some - if not the majority - of houses requiring a minimum 3.0 GPA, chances are good that the cuts will be early and large. That does NOT mean you will not get a bid from a house. It only takes 1. But it's probably not going to be an in-demand house. Keep your mind open, as they say, and remember the "house reputations" that everybody gossips about are just gossip. At most competitive SEC schools, all the houses are good. And sisterhood is found at small as well as large houses.

Good luck to you!!

ExcitedPNM · #15 07-17-2010, 01:54 AM

Ok thank you everyone, I again very much appreciate it. In response to the previous post, I must have been to vague (my apologies), I'm working out like crazy for my own personal benefit to be the healthiest I can be before going off to school and I shop frequently anyway haha :]
From reading GC, I decided early on not to read about any reputations on gossip blogs or ask around and to make it my goal to find a place full of wonderful girls that fit me (and I fit them). Thanks to all who have posted enough that I could confidently come to that decision, and it's true...all I need it one!