pref. 3 house and no bid

Actually I feel for mom. I'm a Michigan alum and I can tell you that these girls are told that if you go to all the parties you are invited to and you write down every house you went to you "will" get a bid. So I think someone should ask what happened. With that said, if these smart and put together girls would All join one of the houses that are "smaller" or "newer" (they know who these are) through cob they would be able to grow these houses into stronger and larger members of the Greek community.

For all the girls and moms who didn't get bids--there are houses that will do winter rush. It's actually a much better option for getting to know the girls in the actual house you'll be joining because you're not trying to visit every single house. The houses that regularly do winter rush are AGD, AEPhi, Phi Rho Alpha, and Phi Sigma Rho. Phi Sigma Rho is engineering only but the others are open to all. Phi Rho Alpha also has a totally different rush process and is local only so it's intentionally smaller.

She is done with Greek life and does not want to go through another round of recruitment with the possibility of rejection. I am active in a very big feeder out of state school and will warn incoming freshmen about what occurred. No young lady should have to start her college life feeling rejection or not being good enough

Sad mom, I'm sorry that your daughter did not get a bid. And I am sorry for her friends too. I know it is heartbreaking not to get one after such a long process. I hope that after the disappointment wears off, these girls will remember what a great school they are at and hopefully not transfer. Where would they transfer? Another school where they think Greek life is important? Are they going to try to rush as sophomores at another Big Ten school? I was in a sorority at Michigan, but I have plenty of friends who were not and they had as much of a wonderful experience as I did. Greek life is not the end all, be all. I hope that your daughter and her friends will realize the many other wonderful opportunities they have available to them. I would be very hesitant to say that the system didn't work, however, because only the girls know if they put down all 3 houses. It is very easy to "save face" and say you put down all three when in reality you only put down one or two. It happens all the time.

we've got mom's on greek rank now? Shut it down. Just shut greek life down

I applaud 'sad mom' for the classy restraint and response to 'get out', who showed such disrespect on an open forum, regardless of opposing opinions. Having served on National Panhellenic boards in he past, there indeed is something terribly wrong when 10 girls (and probably more) attending three preference parties, and by all accounts maximizing their chances; none received bids to any house? The Panhel board at Michigan needs to step up and explain themselves for allowing this to happen. If there is this kind of excitement to be part of the Greek system, why have they not added more chapter houses? Made pledge classes larger? Require two years in the dorms instead of one? There are many more creative ways to make the system inclusive instead of crash and burn for so many. Incidents like this make all Greeks--past and present-- look bad, and my heart aches for those who went so far down the path to sisterhood and fellowship, only to have the door slammed in their faces. I would love to hear more positive ideas on how to find a way for everyone who wants to participate in the Greek system, to find a home.

To all those moms out there, please remind your daughters that there are two new sororities coming back. One of which is recruiting next year. If all your daughter wanted to go Greek and didn't get a bid then she can easily attempt to rush this process or COB. However, if your daughter is just upset that she couldn't get into a top tier sorority than maybe Greek life isn't for her. I am in what's considered a bottom tier sorority, I am an engineer, & my freshmen year I didn't get a bid. Was I embarrassed? No. Because Michigan is not only Greek Life. My year as a GDI was fantastic because I got to meet extraordinary people I wouldn't have meet if that first year I was in a sorority. I grew to find out who I was as a person instead of the person I felt like I needed to be so the older girls would like me. As a mom, I would be ecstatic to know my daughter was developing into a young women you knows how to turn bad experiences into good ones. So instead of bashing the system just be supportive of your daughter with whatever she chooses to do.

I am so sorry this did not work out for you. You can still have a great time and meet many great people here.

There is always next year?

Had me salty