sorority comments

My daughter is applying to LSU for next year and wants to rush. I know a couple of girls who went through rush this year and did not get matched to any of the sororities that they really wanted so they dropped out. These girls are cute, thin, outgoing, very active at their high schools, etc. Is this unusual or do many girls not get matched? One of the girls was really affected by this and is finally starting to seem happy. I am worried that if this happens to my daughter, she won't have a good start to college. After reading this board, it does appear there is a lot of pettiness.

With more and more girls rushing each year, I think that it is hard for everyone to get into the exact house they want. Having a high gpa really helps and a good resume because they somewhat know who they are picking before rush, also knowing people in the sororities on good terms, as well as being confident and comfortable in conversation throughout rush is obviously needed as well. All of the sororities are great at LSU even though this website doesn't help advocate that, and if people could get past stereotypes that are usually untrue of each sororuty, I'm sure more people could find a wonderful new home. If things don't work out in the fall, which I'm sure they will, she can always rush in the spring or the next year!

the traditional top houses are harder to get matched with. if a girl goes in with an open mind she has a better chance at getting matched. it just seems that many girls go through only wanting 4 or 5 of the 10 houses and then calling it quits when those cut her. it really helps to have a good reputation and to be on good terms with atleast one girl in the house that can make you stick out when over 1,000 girls are competing for the same spot. recs are very important. so is grades! if you abide by all of those then you will most likely get a house. but like i said, many girls go into rush ONLY wanting certain houses without realizing those houses can't take everyone and it isn't their best fit.

for your responses. Makes sense to keep an open-mind about all of the sororities. Both girls that got cut knew girls in the sororities they wanted and one had a 3.5 and the other a 3.0. Is there a cutoff for GPA? One of the girls got cut from 2 of the sororities that she had close friends and a relative in. That is probably why she wanted those sororities. The friends and relative were very surprised when she got dropped. They had no idea because they had done her interviews and she had gotten high marks The other girl had something derogatory said about her to the rush committee and they took the girl's statement as the truth. She even had aunts and cousins in the sorority and they had written rec letters. It was surprising to a lot of people. Seems like they should have checked to see if the rumor was true. I don't know the procedures so maybe they followed the correct protocol. If you don't rush in the fall, can you rush in spring?

in spring, but only in a couple of the houses. Girls really need to keep an open mind. With the number of girls that are rushing lately, there are more than enough "top" girls to fill the houses that have been considered "top" in the past. Stands to reason that that benefits everyone and in my opinion most of the houses got their share of the "top" girls this past year. They should also know that you can't always go by the "reputation" a certain house has, the reality doesn't always live up to the reputation - and that can be good OR bad.

I think some like a 3.5 gpa or higher and others take even girls with a 2.8, depending on the sorority. I think one wrong statement can ruin a girls chance since there are so many girls rushing, its just easier to cut them. I agree they should check to make sure, but theres a lot of things that are wrong with the greek system that probably won't change, unfortunately. This site for instance being one of them.

Thanks for all of your insightful answers. I know the sororities can offer great experiences and many of the girls that we know who are pledges are thriving. Seeing the other girls go through a bad experience will help my daughter be prepared for any outcome. I will also stress that she should go in with an open mind and find where she is most comfortable and try not to have pre-conceived notions. I do know 2 girls who were legacies (moms) from the same sorority and both got cut. They did both end up pledging to other sororities but again, their moms were totally shocked. I think if you met these girls you would be surprised too. Thanks again for the information.

I went through rush and was a legacy to Chi Omega and Delta Delta Delta and was cut by both. I am thin, super active in high school,etc. I joined a middle tier sorority and then dropped my pledge. The one piece of advice I can share that might make a difference is find an advocate inside the membership who will go to the mat for your daughter. Some sorority also utilize "Christian friends" as a way to get in BUT WAIT after a semester all attendance at the house Bible study drops off. Just remember it is very different today then it was years ago. Tell your daughter this is not Make it or Break it decision. And please reassure her she needs to be happy.

believe it or not but no matter how pretty or thin you are, i have never heard the top tier base their reasoning for why they want a girl on those superficial reasonings. only zeta and dz and maybe phi mu would care about that. friendship and sisterhood doesn't come from a group of only pretty and thin girls. actually it seems like drama and cat fights does. maybe that's why you didn't get in.

The top tier is no longer the top! If the "toptier" pledges a large girl they ignore her at bars. If they have a shy girl she is left out of things. And yes I think the poster before you is on to something. I was told Bible Study was important to the chapter and my sorority no longer has one. Let's get real and admit we could use some improvement on the entire row. If we are even a little honest look no one's 4 year retention rate is "that good".