active sister ama

Yes. A lot of cuts during the first round are because of gpa, and I think every chapter automatically drops girls who don't meet their gpa requirement. Which sucks because we can't make exceptions for girls who are pre-med or in engineering. Besides that, it depends a lot on the individual sorority. Some place more weight on knowing sisters before recruitment whether that's from high school or from extracurriculars or meeting at frats. In general though, talking about things that have the potential to be controversial (politics, religion, boys, alcohol) will probably be a red flag and get you cut.

Honestly I still don't know what my sorority's minimum is... I think the highest one is like 3.2 but I may be wrong

Some have them on their website. But overall sororities are not upfront about their GPA requirements. I have no clue what my chapter's GPA requirements are for PNMs because that is not handled by the average sister in my house.

I'm in the house with the highest GPA requirement and it's a 2.8. two sororities have a 2.8 and the rest are 2.5

I know for sure at least 3 houses (pretty sure about 1-2 more) that cut at a 3.0 during first round, we all keep it to ourselves and you don't really find out any chapter's GPA cutoff until you're greek.

I'm a sister in one of the top houses gpa wise, and we don't cut strictly based off of GPA. If your GPA is relatively low, but you made a good impression, then you won't be cut. we're also vanderbilt students and we understand that you might have taken hard classes freshman year. we've all been there, so if we like your personality, you won't be cut based off of gpa.

The rounds do matter. Sororities make preliminary lists of PNMs that sisters know and like, but that doesn't mean they'll get everybody on their list. So if girl A is at the top of theta and kappa's lists and ranks kappa first during pref, she'll get a bid to kappa and theta will bump somebody from lower on their list up. Basically it's a dynamic process based on "mutual selection" (hated that term when I went through rush) and your behavior during the rounds can change sororities' perceptions of you, so lists aren't definitive.
However, prior connections are very important, and obviously close friendships are more important than single conversations. But if you make a positive and lasting impression during a single conversation with an active member they may submit your name as a "rush crush."
As far as roommates and friends go, it really just depends on the situation and the girl. Sorry that's vague but there's not really any specific policy for this or anything.

In my house, we do have a very loose list of girls we want to see here. I think every house does this to be honest, just the strictness of the list increases as you go up the tiers. We definitely use it as a starting point as things can change from rounds. However if I talk to Sally and have a very blah conversation with her, but she is on the list, I am supposed to take that into consideration and would score her higher. Based on how a house does voting depends on how helpful friendships can be. I can talk Sister Suzie up all I want about this PNM who I love from my class, but if she doesn't like her, she doesn't like her. If the whole house does not vote, then my voice and experience with that PNM will not be heard properly. However, if the whole house votes then I can advocate for that PNM. Some houses on campus do whole house votes every round, some vary based on round, etc. It's hard to game the system if you are a PNM.
I know sisters in my house who already have a rush crush on a PNM and have meet some of her friends. If the sister likes her friends, she will encourage them to sign up for rush and remember they are friends with that one PNM.

Rounds matter but connections matter more in competitive sororities. In those sororities, you need as many girls as possible pulling for you. It's just easier to rank and vote for girls you know. However, the connections work in conjunction with the rounds. Even if connected, you need to bring your A game to the rounds. Groups can get swept but each individual is vulnerable to slipping through the cracks during the rounds. Rush for next year has basically started. Many incoming freshmen are already on the radar of newly pledged freshmen to rush in the fall. Whether they are from the same schools, neighborhoods, social circles, etc. Bring your A game to fall as well and don't just rely on incoming connections. Get involved, be very outgoing and socially active, and get to know as many girls as possible. The five most competitive sororities based on very high return rates are Kappa, KD, Theta, Tridelt and Pi Phi, so do not make the mistake of thinking there are less or you might face some harsh cuts after second round because your focus was way too narrow. Note all the drops threads and comments. Also look for your best fit and don't make decisions based on perceived rank. Look at your potential pledge classes during sisterhood and pref. It matters! So many girls say they didn't realize ABC was a good option for them until it was too late.

Yes, you could. Unfortunately the system just doesn't always work out how you want it to, and sometimes girls who we rank highly still end up getting cut. It's something weird with the computer formula that happens on pref night especially, where if you go back to theta and aopi and only write down theta, you get docked a bunch of points because you didn't "maximize your options."
BUT you will most likely be fine, especially if you're friends with girls from a particular house and feel comfortable there, because your conversations probably won't be awkward if you really do belong there.
And even if you do get cut from kappa/theta/tri delt, the other seven houses here are still full of girls who are pretty/smart/chill/nice and you'll be able to find your place within almost any of them (that's super cheesy but mostly true)

This is NOT true:

"It's something weird with the computer formula that happens on pref night especially, where if you go back to theta and aopi and only write down theta, you get docked a bunch of points because you didn't "maximize your options."

There are not points. If you only put one sorority down on your pref card and you went to two pref parties the only thing that happens is you will not be eligible to be a quota addition at the house you did put down if you are not high enough on their Bid List. If you do not get the house you put down, you are still eligible for COB at any house that is below campus total at the end of recruitment.

Each house will have their own policies depending on what nationals say, but overall at Vandy, req letters do not get you far. My house does not really care about them.

My sorority requires them - they don't mean much but we have to have one to pledge you. Panhel will tell you differently, but I got dropped from every house that I didn't get a reference.

By all means get them, they do not hurt and you never know when they will help!

Politely let any women you are related to, or acquainted with, know you will be entering Vandy recruitment. If they are in a sorority, so much the better. They may have a chapter here or know of someone who has one. These women may become your key to garnering a rec or three. If that fails inquire of the men in your life, they may know sorority women.

so what house are you in? it would be good to know as to not get mine/ anyone else set on that house since apparently we don't have a chance.

To be honest you probably don't have a chance. Sorry but true.

Not completely true. Some "exclusive" and "list done" sororities are rushing the same PNMs. Those PNMs also have a choice and that particular sorority might not be their top choice. This year was a good example. Theta did not get all the PNMs on the top of their list and fell slightly short of quota again. Be wary of sororities that want you to know how exclusive they are. Not because they aren't competitive, but because they are in more ways than one. That doesn't really make for a great experience and sisterhood. Also, the more competitive sororities did take a few transfers/upperclassman last year. Transfers and very connected sophomores will have it easier. The key for PNMs is to get to know as many people as possible and be very open-minded to as many sororities as possible.

I agree about the Deana troll thing. As I originally my house has a loose list of girls we would really like to see on bid day. There are always amazing girls who managed to fly under our radar for all of first semester, so are open to adding any girls we find interesting and to be good fits. Rounds 1 and 2 will be more talking about hobbies and involvement, as a commenter previously stated. This allows the PNM to talk about something she likes and enjoys, while sisters get to know a lot about her. I go to is always music or "so you're a blah blah blah major, why?". If the conversation moves to food or Netflix RED FLAGS!! Those are go to easy questions. If a sister asks you about either of those, perk up and begin contributing more to the conversation. I feel very awkward when I ask a PNM a question and she gives a 2 sentence response, then stares back at me waiting for the next one. Rounds are not supposed to be an interrogative, but a conversation. Act natural. It is okay if you ask questions to the sister, but do not ask so many questions that you are the one controlling the conversation. That can also be uncomfortable. Also, above all, do not be rude at any house! Not every PNM is going to want to be at every house, which is completely understandable. But if you are rude and a house reports it to Greek Life, you can be released from rush. So be polite at a minimum.
I agree about the outfit for Round 1. Most houses just want to see that you tried. Be careful with makeup!

But the legacy thing differs from house to house. Most chapters have to call the mother (if mom is the legacy) if the PNM is not invited back before pref or at all to encourage them to keep as many legacies as possible. If there is an in-house legacy, legacy from the same chapter, that is a huge deal and given even more weight. But that is very rare and mainly occurs with sisters. I know legacies who got cut after philanthropy and formerly known as entertainment and they were all really bitter about it. But a think a spot is a spot and if a legacy does not fit a house's personality then she will still have a hard time getting a spot in most houses.

Before the RFM recruitment process began in 2003 quota was set before rush parties began and PNMs were more heavily released in LATE recruitment party rounds. This usually meant popular houses had as their guests many more women than they could pledge for a lot more party rounds.

Upset PNMs still existed when released from a popular house, but only LATER in the rush party loop than they are disappointed today. This lead to many houses NOT making quota due to upset PNMs dropping so close to Bid Day. It also led to very uneven quota numbers achieved by houses on a campus. For example, a popular house would still make quota with 30 women accepting bids (remember, quota was set before any parties began) but unpopular houses on the same campus would end up with 3, 5, 7, and 11 PNMs accepting bids. This happened nationwide and led to many good chapters folding only due to low numbers over the course of 30 years (1970-2000).

RFM changed that system to set quota after the pref (final) formal party. RFM requires popular houses (popularity varies by campus) to instead cut more PNMs after the FIRST open party. Under the RFM early release method, a majority of PNMs must look at more houses than just popular ones right away. And since quota is set right after pref parties, it means most if not all houses will make quota and even above quota because more PNMs are open to more chances to belong and will have opened their eyes to those options earlier in the process.

(continuing from above...) NPC's RFM policy has brought about dramatically improved membership numbers for all 26 of its (inter)national sororities. There has been a simultaneous growth in the number of established and re-established sorority chapters.

Women must stand strong together, and NPC sororities have trained and assisted many strong women since the first ten sororities met in unified conference in 1902.

Maybe if PNMs were more aware of themselves and what they can bring to and do for a sorority as opposed to what a sorority will do for them, they would not be so apt to drop-out when a 'popular' house drops them from their party list.

PNM Suzie who says "I raised a thousand dollars in one day selling keychains from my front lawn" may be more needed at the unpopular sorority, needing a great fundraiser working for them, than at the popular sorority which does not hold fundraising events and instead simply writes a check to their philanthropy because they are all rich girls. So I would hope PNM Suzie looks further into the unpopular house should she be cut from the popular one.

Yes, it probably will be enough. I don't want to promise anything because there are a ton of different factors that will affect your rush experience. Sometimes girls who fit everything on your list "fall through the cracks" and end up in lower tier sororities than they probably belong in, BUT because of this even the lower tier sororities have some really cool girls and you should be able to find a group regardless of what house you end up in.

For any house, knowing sisters is important. It's not a coincidence that houses will have disproportional representation in social groups and clubs. It is an easy way to network and recruit. I advice for you would be to not take anything to be a sure thing and be on your A game throughout rush. You do not want to get blindsided because you thought your friends could pull you through.

It probably depends on the house. The more rigid the list and the more top tier the house, the less it probably mattered because they already have a good idea of their list. For my house, it did not give us a ton more additions, but a lot more definite no's. It was clear that a lot of girls this year were just not taking PPD seriously. All houses will write down information about you based on what you say on PPD and a good number score you afterwards. It was a practice run for sisters and PNMs alike and it is very off-putting when a girl acted very flippantly the whole time.

i agree with secret sister- my house takes notes on every girl during PPD but it doesn't really hurt you, it can only help you.