Sororities are a significant component of school life for many American college students.
They offer a sense of community and home, events, and activities to young girls during their time in college.
Being part of a sorority can be one of the best parts of your higher education experience, giving career, leadership, and socializing opportunities.
Alpha Phi is the hardest sorority to get into since they permit a limited number of new members annually.
It is also common for it to take years before you can join the organization. Nevertheless, you can request legacy status or learn the current pledge class size to get around the long waiting time.
Regardless of the difficulty, putting your best foot forward during the recruitment process is essential to getting into the sorority and enjoying its advantages.
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How did the Alpha Phi sorority begin?
The popularity of male-dominated colleges led to the development of sororities.
Male college students greatly outnumbered the females, leading to the women forming a close circle via the sororities.
Alpha Phi’s history started in 1872 through bold innovation by some female Syracuse University students.
The ten women were among the first female students in the college and wished to be more active outside the classroom.
However, they could not get admission to the men’s fraternities and decided to create their “fraternity” for women.
The ten founders had a vision for an expansive sisterhood and conducted organizational and leadership practices to support and reflect this objective.
One hundred fifty years later, Alpha Phi has more than 200,000 members nationwide and continues to grow.
It maintains the same vision and works to advance women’s lives while fostering lifelong friendships with mutual respect.
What does Alpha Phi do?
Sororities are national organizations with local chapters on college campuses in different states, with many falling under the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) umbrella.
These organizations feature groups of girls sharing the same aspirations and goals.
Their bond over similar interests and commitment to friendship develops a strong connection during college life and beyond.
Alpha Phi operates similarly, with the sisters working together to advance women’s lives through philanthropy.
It is among the first women’s fraternities to establish a foundation, helping them achieve their aims.
The Alpha Phi Foundation funds leadership programs and critical heritage preservation efforts.
Aside from advancing women’s lives, Alpha Phi uses its foundation to do other social and philanthropic activities, including the following.
a) Support Education and Heart Health Research
The Alpha Phi Foundation offers assistance grants and more than 70 merit and need-based scholarships each year for undergraduate and graduate recipients.
Alpha Phi supports research programs concerning the treatment of heart disease in women.
The organization primarily raises funds for this effort via the Red Dress Gala, possibly every chapter’s most considerable fundraiser function.
b) Donate Blood
Alpha Phi adopts a spirit of service by holding “Day of Service” volunteering events involving collegians and alumnae.
The members participate in blood donation services and raise awareness concerning blood donation.
c) Hold Volunteer Initiatives
Alpha Phi conducts chapter-wide volunteer initiatives to lend a helping hand in their communities and campuses.
These initiatives enable the women to donate their time and services to surrounding communities such as hospitals, women’s shelters, and local schools.
What are the benefits of joining Alpha Phi?
The effort you put into getting into Alpha Phi is worth your while since, like other sororities, it offers various benefits for your academic, social, and professional life. Some advantages of joining the organization include:
· Participating in Philanthropy
· Establishing Solid Friendships
· Maintaining Academic Excellence
· Getting Mentors
· Developing Essential Skills
· Forming a Solid Professional Network
What are the representative colors and symbols of Alpha Phi?
Every sorority has its colors to distinguish it from others, with the sisters confidently wearing them to represent the organization everywhere.
Alpha Phi’s colors are silver and bordeaux, a hue of maroon. These two shades combine to suit various personalities and styles in the sorority, from casual t-shirts to fashionable formal wear.
The readily available colors mean you can easily find different clothing and merchandise to wear around the campus and chapter house.
Some members also paint their nails in the palettes to add a chic touch to their sorority representation.
Alpha Phi has the Phi Bear as the sorority mascot, and members incorporate it in photos to show their Phi association.
The sorority also has the Ivy Leaf as the fraternity symbol, which they also incorporate into pictures and rooms to reflect their loyalty and pride in the sisterhood.
Why do sororities have Greek names?
Latin and Ancient Greek dominated higher education in the United States in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
Students first needed to know Latin to apply for undergraduate schools at most universities to learn the prestigious Ancient Greek.
Hebrew was the only language considered more prestigious than Ancient Greek.
The first organization to use Greek letters was the elite academic Phi Beta Kappa Society founded in 1776.
Organizations used Latin for their names, but the Phi society wanted to appear scholarly and prestigious.
Hence, they picked a motto in Ancient Greek and not the common Latin, translating into “Philosophy is the Guide of Life,” with its acronym becoming the organization’s name.
Other organizations then imitated the shift, with many only revealing the whole meaning of the acronyms to initiates.
Subsequent college fraternities and sororities continued using Greek letters in their names.
It is essential to note that most present-day college organizations use random combinations of the Greek alphabet that do not stand for anything.
What are the steps to joining Alpha Phi?
Alpha Phi shares a similar recruitment process with other sororities, making it easier to prepare regardless of your location or culture.
The steps you can expect before joining a sorority include:
1. Research
You want to look into the various sororities with chapters at your campus to understand your options.
Different sororities have different goals and lifestyles, and thus you want to research your selections to find the best sisterhood for your personality and preferences.
For example, you can reach out to current Alpha Phi members to inquire about their experiences to better understand the sorority.
Good research is critical since it can help you avoid sororities with bad reputations.
2. Sign Up for Recruitment
Once you have your list of preferred sororities, sign up for recruitment. The process typically varies from college to college, and you can easily miss the deadline as you try keeping up with classes.
It is best to sign up early as soon as you know the registration dates to avoid mistakes.
Additionally, registration requires a small fee that you have to give upfront, so plan your budget wisely.
Most campuses tell you the registration group you will belong to after submission.
3. Offer as Much Information as You Can
The more information you offer when applying for recruitment, the better. You want to give as many details about yourself as possible, including your high school activities, academic achievements, and leadership roles.
Background information can make you more attractive to the sorority and increase your chances of getting into the organization.
Besides, unlike the silly sorority stereotype formed by movies and television, these organizations hold academic achievement in high regard.
Some sororities like Alpha Phi have a minimum grade point average requirement to make you eligible for selection.
4. Attend Recruitment Events
The recruitment process, called rush, features the sororities holding various events for potential new members to attend.
These activities help current members and applicants to examine each other. They provide an excellent opportunity to have a first-hand experience of the sisterhood and learn more about them to help with your decision-making.
Typically, the events occur in rounds, with several sororities holding activities during each one.
Some organizations, such as Alpha Phi, customize their rush experience by changing the themes with each round.
For instance, the first event begins with casual wear and gradually progresses to formal attire and cocktail gown events.
5. Leave a Good Impression
You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Keep this in mind and approach the recruitment process like a job interview.
Sororities are not open to everyone, giving it an exclusivity that can make getting into one challenging.
You want to begin by dressing well and matching the themes provided, such as growing more formal when attending the Alpha Phi events.
Self-confidence in your appearance and speech is a significant clue to sisters when searching for recruits.
It is also advisable to engage with as many sorority members as possible, asking about their experiences in the organization.
You want to be friendly and show your interest without being overbearing.
6. Accept a Bid
It is essential to create a list of your favorite sororities after the recruitment events.
Writing them according to your preference is best to make the final pick easier upon receiving an invitation.
Sororities also begin putting out bids to different girls they met and liked at the events.
If you receive several offers to join an organization, compare them to your prepared list.
Pick a sorority that feels right for you rather than going by your friends or family’s preferences.
Once you choose and accept a bid, you receive an offer for an official pledge position into the chapter to mark your start in Greek life.
Are there exclusive sororities for people of color?
Sororities based on their cultural interests began coming up in the early 20th century, including organizations exclusive to Asian-American, Latina, and African American women.
For instance, the Lambda Latina Theta Alpha is the first and largest sorority for Latina women nationwide.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is the largest for African American Women, with more than 350,000 college-educated females globally.
Sororities increased in popularity and size over the years, making them common in multiple universities and colleges in Canada and the United States.
The difference in cultural and social needs and ideas resulted in the formation of these sororities exclusive to specific demographics to help better address community issues.
This growth of sororities enhances accessibility, allowing more women from different backgrounds to join and enjoy the advantages of being in the organization.
The overall cultural shift means college girls can join non-exclusive sororities without discrimination and prejudices shutting the doors.
Can you drop out of Alpha Phi or other sororities?
You can drop out of Alpha Phi or other sororities after joining. Even though the process may differ from chapter to chapter, the general departure process begins by writing a formal letter to the Chapter President or Membership Vice President.
You state your reasons for wanting to leave the sorority, after which you may have a one-on-one meeting with your Chapter Advisor or President for further discussion.
The president can ask you to stay or negotiate something to make you remain. She will also ask for your input concerning what the sisterhood could improve.
After the meeting, you may have to sign paperwork to terminate your membership officially.
After paying all sorority fines and dues, the termination process concludes when you turn in your sorority house key, membership pin or badge, and membership certificate or card.
