Getting Ready for Sorority Recruitment

Sorority life can be fun, no doubt about it.  But before you jump at the sorority recruitment opportunity, take a few minutes to make sure you are prepared for the decisions that lay in front of you.

Remember, sorority recruitment is a mutual selection process. You are also choosing what chapter you feel will be the best fit for you. Be sure to know what is expected of you and how each sorority will enhance your college experience.

Here are two lists of questions you must ask yourself to help you get ready for making the big decision. Read the rest of this entry »

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Have you registered for formal Panhellenic sorority recruitment on your campus? As you embark on a fantastic journey into the world of Greek life, you are probably using a lot of question marks while preparing to become a sorority member.  Luckily, there is a group of women known as recruitment counselors (or a variation of Greek letters) available to help you navigate this process.

A recruitment counselor is a sorority woman representing the Greek community who is Read the rest of this entry »

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When registering for recruitment, students on many campuses are required to attach a picture of themselves. Whoa, what? It’s true. So why does it matter?  With dozens or hundreds of students going through the recruitment process at your school, sorority women need help connecting your face – and your conversation – to your name.

Imagine a sorority recruitment event has just ended. If your submitted picture looks like the person a sorority woman just met, even if she cannot remember your name, she can convey to her chapter and to the Panhellenic Council that she likes you. How can she issue you an invitation to return if she isn’t sure who you really are? You might as well have been absent from recruitment that day.

If you plan to be present and clearly remembered, make sure your picture meets these six criteria to avoid choosing the wrong picture for your sorority recruitment registration. Read the rest of this entry »

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Have you already had an amazing recruitment experience this year? Did you find your new Panhellenic home? Congratulations! You are probably enjoying tons of fun activities with your new sisters.

This is great time to reflect on the other women you met during the recruitment experience. Don’t make the mistake of losing contact with them.  Bolster your collegiate experience by including these three key women in your life right now: Read the rest of this entry »

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A 2010 study by Pew Research has revealed teens are increasingly using cell phones and texting. The results are not especially surprising.  However the implications for Panhellenic formal recruitment may be concerning.

To summarize key points from the study:

✔  Cell-phone texting has become the preferred channel of basic communication between teens and their friends, and cell calling is a close second.
✔  Some 75% of 12-17 year-olds now own cell phones, up from 45% in 2004.
✔  Fully 72% of all teens – or 88% of teen cell phone users – are text–messagers. Read the rest of this entry »

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Choose waterproof mascara.

That’s the simplest, most universal, and safest advice anyone can give you about your last sorority recruitment experience: Preference.  In this article, you will learn what to expect at Preference events, how they are different from the rest of recruitment, and how to deal with the emotions you and the other women might express. Read the rest of this entry »

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In the dark ages, people in tribes would make choices by voting with fundamental communications like grunts and rock tossing.  As communities became larger, systems became the method of choice for pleasing the villagers, citizens, employees, or stakeholders.

Today, many organizations use Preferential Bidding Systems (PBSs) to satisfy the preferences of their constituents.  You may be familiar with some of them.

★ Airline employees use their company’s PBS to bid on their preferred schedules each month.
★ Professional sports leagues use their PBS to determine which rookies will be invited to join which professional teams.
★ College administrators use a PBS to determine which students will be allowed into popular classes.

Similarly, students wishing to join collegiate sororities participate in a mutual selection process, which is a PBS just like those mentioned above.  The PBS ensures a prospective member is matched with the sorority chapters that are most interested in her, and vice versa.

Here is a simple explanation of how a matching mechanism like this works using three student examples during sorority recruitment.  Read the rest of this entry »

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It’s done.  You’ve registered with your Panhellenic Council and tried not to over think it.  But as the date of that first sorority recruitment event draws closer, you’re realizing you’ll need to make both good impressions and educated decisions.

Here are eight great tips to prepare you for the big events.

♥  KNOW what you are looking for in your experience. This way, you can be sure to ask thoughtful questions of the women you meet. Ask yourself, why do you want to join a sorority? Are you looking for women who share your passion for community service? Are you looking to become involved in athletic programs like intramurals?

♥  LEARN. Be sure you are learning all you can about each organization. Most chapters maintain a website about their organization. You can also find more information through your campus Panhellenic, Greek Life or Student Activities Office.

♥  PREPARE.  Discover your strengths by writing down your skills, talents and experiences. Think back to your activities, jobs and the interests you are passionate about. What lead you to being in important positions or earning awards? You will want to share what is special about you and these will be great conversation pieces. Read the rest of this entry »

Still unsure about this whole sorority thing?

Don’t worry, you aren’t alone! With formal recruitment starting soon on campuses nationwide, it is time to make the decision. It is common to still have reservations at this point, but what do you have to lose by giving it a try?

Here are four benefits to participating in sorority recruitment this year.

1. It is a great way to meet people.

You will spend multiple days getting to know possibly hundreds of women across campus, both upperclassmen and other first year students like yourself. This will make those first few weeks of not knowing anybody a whole lot easier. Read the rest of this entry »

Sorority members seek many qualities in new sisters, but being able to win a staring contest isn’t one of them.  Knowing how to ask good questions is.

The sorority women you meet during sorority recruitment are as nervous as you when it’s time for that first recruitment event.  They have spent weeks, even months learning communication etiquette and reviewing relevant facts about their organizations – with the goal of getting you to join.

Because you haven’t had all that training, we give you these simple tips on making those introductory conversations shine. Read the rest of this entry »

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