When is a good time to pledge??? (Undergrad)

I receive a lot of questions of when is a good time to pledge, so I decided to dedicate a blog to it.   Some feel they should pledge their freshmen year to experience four years of being Greek.  Others think you should wait until your senior year right before you graduate from college. (This is especially the case if you are on the five-year plan because if you are, then you will still have one full year left)

If you want my opinion, I think to join during our Sophomore and Junior year are the BEST years to enter any Greek Letter Organization, and I let me tell you why.

Freshmen Year- You just left the nest. Your parents are not your wakeup call anymore to get ready for school, pick up after you, remind you about your homework, etc. You are on your own. That means, YOU cook your dinners (or order the pizza), YOU do your laundry, YOU are responsible for...yeah, you guessed it, YOU!

GPA is also VITAL in your freshman year! I don't know how many times I can say this. Look at this way, when you first start school, you have a ZERO GPA. A clean slate, so since you are starting from scratch, it is imperative, that you strive to get at least a 3.0 GPA. That means As and Bs!  I am not saying that you can't have fun, but let's face it you are in school to get a degree. Starting strong in college is so important. You may not realize that now, but TRUST you will! There are so many prospects who email me and ask what can they do to bring their GPAs up. They didn't take school seriously their freshman/sophomore year. So if you are a senior in high school, OR a freshman going into your sophomore year, FOCUS on your grades.

Now just because I feel you shouldn't pledge your freshmen year DOES NOT MEAN you can't support the organization of your choice. (Side note: Some Greek organizations and colleges and universities will not allow you to pledge your freshmen year).

Freshmen year is also a GREAT TIME for you to check out ALL Greek Letter Organizations. Trust me there are tons of events (parties, community service opportunities, balls, forums, etc.) that you can support and attend in the meantime. This is a perfect opportunity for you to get to know them, and more importantly for them to get to know you as well. This is also a great way to see THEY are a perfect fit for you.

Sophomore Year- You finally was able to "figure out" the whole college thing. You realized that it is indeed a "Different World!"                                                                            

You were able to figure out your study schedule, work schedule (if you are working during school), some "me time," etc. You are probably still in the "prereq" stage, and by that, I mean taking English 102, Math 101, Science, Speech 101, you know the basic courses you MUST complete before starting your major. This is why I feel Sophomore year is a WONDERFUL time to consider pledging. Your classes are not that hard,  and for MOST majors you don't start until second semester sophomore year or your senior year. (Not mine, however, since I was a music major I started taking music classes my freshmen yr)

 The classes may not be as hard, and you can fit the MIP (Membership Intake Process)  into your schedule.  You scoped out all of the fraternities/sororities your freshmen year, and you know which one you want to join. Last year, you attended the events, supported them in every way that you could, and allowed them to get to know you.

This is why I feel Sophomore year is the PERFECT year to pledge. You will have TWO (or three if you are once again on the five-year plan) to be active in the organization as an undergraduate member. Your school work will not suffer because you don't have to worry about your Senior Thesis, harder classes, or essential classes that are in your major.  Pledging sophomore year, you get the best of ALL WORLDS!

Junior Year - So if you were not able to pledge Sophomore year because either:
A: You tried and were not picked
B: They did not have intake your Sophomore year
C: You just woke up and realized you want to be a member of XYZ
D: They were kicked off the yard, and they JUST came back

Then junior year is also not a bad year for you to try to join either. Look I get it, there are certain things in life we cannot control, particularity A, B, C, and D! But don't allow that to stop you from fulfilling your dreams.

By this year, you should have this whole "college thing" all figured out. You should know how much time you need to set aside for studying, socializing, your work schedule, etc. It is vital that you have wonderful time management skills because going through MIP for any organization is no joke, and VERY time-consuming. You should have a little "change" saved up. (shoot who am I kidding, pledging any Greek letter organization is EXPENSIVE AS HECK)

You still have a year left to enjoy being Greek "On the yard," and you can learn a lot of the business side of things as far as being GREEK after you join.

Senior Year- So if A, B, C, or D applies to you THIS time, then I STILL SAY GO FOR IT, but proceed with caution. Just remember that there is always an alumnae/alumni chapter.  WHY am I partially (not entirely) against this?  Ummmm well for ONE it's your last year! Not only should you be focused on graduating, but there are a lot of things you need to get into order before marching across that stage
I just strongly feel you should be focused on graduating, finding a job, oops I mean CAREER, OR studying to apply for any exams you may need to take to get into a graduate program if that is the route you choose to go. (LSAT, MCAT, GRE, etc.). At this stage in your life pledging should be the LAST thing on your mind.

 There are a few sorors, sistergreeks, and fraternity members that I know that have indeed pledged their senior year. They all had their reasons for waiting to pledge, but MOST of them still say the same thing...They wish they could have joined sooner.

I hope this helps, and good luck to you! No matter WHEN you decide to join I hope you keep your eyes on the prize and GRADUATE!

Ciao for now!