Getting Ready for Sorority Recruitment

She’s excited.  She’s nervous.  She might deny it, but you know her well.  Sorority recruitment will be filled with fun and charged with emotions for your student.  How will she handle it?

Every student responds differently to sorority recruitment because each  experience is distinctive.  Some women are not invited back by their favorite chapters and are devastated.  Others handle it all nonchalantly.  You know your student best.  So be prepared for a call with an elated student or a saddened one.

How can you help your student?

The best way to help your student is to offer your support prior to and during the recruitment process.   Here are nine tips to get you headed in the right direction. 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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During Recruitment, there is always a lot of talk regarding legacies. What is a legacy, exactly, and what does this mean to a Potential New Member like you? This article answers common questions from prospective sorority members participating in sorority recruitment.

Q. How do I know if I’m a legacy?

♥  A “legacy” is a woman who is closely related to a member of a given sorority. If your grandmother, mother or sister is a Beta Beta Beta, either in college or out of college, you are a Beta Beta Beta legacy. However, each sorority has its own definition of “legacy.”

As the concept of “family” has changed, many sororities have refined their concept of “legacy” to include aunts, cousins and step-relations, while others have not made this change. If you think you’re a legacy to a sorority, but you’re not sure, talk to your sorority relative or campus Panhellenic contact. Be aware that sororities DO check with their headquarters to confirm, so don’t “fudge your facts.”

Q. Does my sorority relative have to write me a recommendation? 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 »

During formal recruitment a phrase you may hear often is “maximize your options.”   This means you should accept all party invitations extended to you, and attend all events to which you are invited. Here are four reasons you should heed this “maximizing” advice.

♥   Chapter members are skilled in determining who will be a good “fit” in their chapter; more so than you.  Even if you’re unsure about a chapter that has invited you back, give them the benefit of the doubt. Attend the event and meet more people from the chapter.  You might be pleasantly surprised.

♥   All sorority women have friends in other sororities.  While you may only join ONE chapter, sorority recruitment is a wonderful opportunity to make friends throughout the sorority community. 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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If you are a first generation college student or if your parents were not in a sorority or fraternity, they may be wondering how the sorority recruitment process works. Even if a parent was in a sorority or fraternity, he or she may be wondering how “rush” has changed – besides just the name.

These tips will help you talk with your parents about the idea of recruitment and sorority life.

BEFORE:

✽  Research your options with your parents. Tell them why you want to be involved. Let them know about the events you will be attending and any women you have already met. Read the rest of this entry »

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