Academics are an incredibly important part of the sorority experience because each woman is in college to obtain her degree.
Many National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) member organizations include scholarship or academic success within their values. Because academics are a major part of sorority life, they are also an important part of sorority recruitment. Here are some things you need to know about your high school GPA (or first-semester GPA for campuses with deferred recruitment) and how it will affect your recruitment experience.
Every sorority chapter has different GPA requirements for new members.
You are allowed to register for the recruitment process regardless of your GPA because the College Panhellenics coordinating recruitment do not set a minimum GPA for potential new members per the NPC Unanimous Agreements. However, there may be a GPA requirement per the institution’s student handbook for participation. It is possible after the first round of recruitment that you may not get invited back to a chapter where you had a great conversation if your GPA does not meet the chapter’s standards. You may also be released from the recruitment process if your GPA does not meet any chapter’s grade requirements. Check with your campus to learn about the GPA requirements each organization has.
Every chapter has opportunities to help you achieve your academic goals.
If all this sounds intimidating, don’t worry! Every chapter has at least one person – and usually many more – dedicated to furthering academic success for members. That person may be an advisor, council member or collegiate member. She will help you set up a plan to get your GPA on track and reach your personal academic goals. It is a good idea to ask chapters about their scholarship plans when you go through recruitment so you know what their expectations are and how they make an effort to help their members.
You should understand the scholastic requirements and set realistic expectations of your recruitment experience.
If you get released from recruitment related to your grades, recognize it is a standard of membership for all chapters. Focus on improving your college GPA, and if you remain interested in sorority membership (which we want you to do!), you can participate later during the continuous open bidding (COB) period or in primary recruitment as an upperclassman.
Academics and sorority membership go hand in hand.
Be sure to ask about GPA requirements prior to recruitment. And, during recruitment, ask about how sororities can support you academically once you become a member.
If you are a transfer student, each sorority may have different GPA requirements for transfer students participating in recruitment, and it is best to check with the fraternity and sorority life office on your campus for that information.