How to keep the freshman interested???

[ASTalumna06]

The start of the school year is a week away, and my chapter will be starting recruitment. With COB all year long, it allows the girls to basically do whatever they want for recruitment.

But they can't bid first semester freshman.

It's difficult to have freshman come to recruitment events their first semester in school, but then tell them (without dirty rushing!) that they aren't eligible to be a new member until the following semester. And it might not be so difficult if we weren't also bidding sophomore, junior, and senior new members at the same time we're telling the freshman that they have to wait. When they see or hear that other girls are able to become members, but they have to wait a whole semester, they tend to stop coming to events and find other extra-curriculars.

Or... they don't come to events at all, knowing that it's not going to pay off that first semester anyway.

What suggestions does anyone have for gaining interest from freshman, and keeping it?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

When they see or hear that other girls are able to become members, but they have to wait a whole semester, they tend to stop coming to events and find other extra-curriculars.

Then they're retarded.

Seriously, if they don't understand that it's a SCHOOL rule, and they don't have enough interest to rush when they are eligible, are they really going to be even halfway decent members? It's not dirty rushing to tell them what the school rules are, while getting to know them.

Plus, if they feel they have to choose between a sorority and an extracurricular, that doesn't bode well either. Sorority members should be well rounded women who do something other than school and their sorority.

[ASTalumna06]

But girls don't come to campus all ready for recruitment. I didn't even think of joining a sorority until halfway through my sophomore year (after I was practically dragged to a recruitment event), and that goes for pretty much everyone else in my chapter (and all the chapters on campus). Like I've said in other posts, we don't have people "rushing" to join. And people don't understand what the school rules are concerning recruitment. They don't get packets before they arrive at school, and they don't read up on every detail concerning recruitment.

And when I said "without dirty rushing", I meant we don't say to them, "you'll get a bid if you stay through next semester"

[33girl]

I guess I just don't see what the problem is here. If you ask a freshman to an event, just say "freshmen can't join until second semester, but you can still come to events now and see if it's something you're interested in." That's not bid promising in the least.

And seriously - this is what we were talking about in the other thread with a structured Panhellenic recruitment being of help. If the rush process is the same all year round, I can understand why some girls would be confused. Usually when 1st semester freshmen aren't allowed to join, they get a more structured "introduction" in the form of formal rush once they are allowed.

You need lots more PR on a Panhellenic level, rather than each chapter doing their own.

[ASTalumna06]

I didn't say that we bid promise. That's not the issue here.

I agree with more Panhellenic PR being needed. That's never been a huge success in the 5 years that I've been involved with the chapter.

And how do you have a structured, formal recruitment process when there's little to no interest in joining sororities (and Greek life in general) on campus?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

I didn't say that we bid promise. That's not the issue here.

I agree with more Panhellenic PR being needed. That's never been a huge success in the 5 years that I've been involved with the chapter.

And how do you have a structured, formal recruitment process when there's little to no interest in joining sororities (and Greek life in general) on campus?

I didn't say that you did - it seemed from your post that you were scared to even say "freshmen can't accept bids" for fear of it being seen as bid promising.

As for your last question...it's a classic chicken or egg. Perhaps there is no interest in joining because there is no structured process and it all seems kind of disorganized.

[ASTalumna06]

But how is it seen as disorganized when there's little to no interest to begin with? I didn't know the first thing about formal recruitment until I started reading about it a few months ago. And I learned a lot about it from this site. If I had never looked into it, I probably wouldn't have known it even existed.

I mean, we're not a large southern chapter. People don't generally come to campus thinking "I want to be in a sorority!". Again, 95% of the girls who are greek will tell you that they never even thought about joining a sorority before they got to school.

And even if we were to start a formal recruitment process, it's not as if it would happen overnight. So in the meantime, how do you keep girls interested and what kind of events should be continued year round?

[Kansas City]

You obviously have some interest from the Freshmen on your campus (as evident from their attendance at your events) so I think that you need to sharpen your COB skills and make it a point of keeping in contact with your potential new members. There is nothing wrong with inviting them back to events often, getting to know them, and then offering a bid when your campus allows. I'm not sure where you got the idea that inviting them to attend events is dirty rushing.

Also, don't get stuck with the poor us (we aren't large, southern, or have girls wanting to be Greek) attitude. This will not help in your recruitment efforts. I think that you need to continue with informal recruitment, as is normal on your campus, and make the best of it. Have a quick introduction at the beginning of each event to review the school rules (no 1st semester Freshmen, etc.) and then have fun getting to know people. Your potential recruits wouldn't be at these events if they were not interested in joining.

[ASTalumna06]

(Ok, to clear things up: I never said that inviting girls to events is dirty rushing. I simply said that in a "non-dirty rushing" way, we inform the PNMs that they can't receive a bid until the following semester. Forget I even mentioned it.)

And as for the "poor us" attitude... that's not what I'm saying at all. I'm simply saying that implementing formal recruitment probably isn't the next logical step in creating more interest in Greek life on this campus.

And here's another question... I know that a lot of people don't have experience with the recruitment situation of this campus, but... do you think it would be a good idea to do away with recruitment events altogether? (And I'm talking recruitment parties with themes and all that)

Now hear me out... 99.9% of the girls that we get are either a.) brought to a recruitment event by a sister who she's already friends with, b.) is a new roommate of a sister, or c.) has a friend who knows someone in the sorority who convinces her to join.

If this is the case, and if convincing complete strangers to come to recruitment events is difficult, why have them? Why not just invite these girls we don't know to do normal things like get lunch, go to a basketball game, or study?

I keep reading everywhere that "Non-Greeks are afraid of sorority/fraternity rush events", which I can understand. And in a formal recruitment setting, they have to go through these events if they want to join. But on this campus, they don't. Would it be wise to avoid these kind of events altogether?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Now hear me out... 99.9% of the girls that we get are either a.) brought to a recruitment event by a sister who she's already friends with, b.) is a new roommate of a sister, or c.) has a friend who knows someone in the sorority who convinces her to join.

If this is the case, and if convincing complete strangers to come to recruitment events is difficult, why have them? Why not just invite these girls we don't know to do normal things like get lunch, go to a basketball game, or study?

I keep reading everywhere that "Non-Greeks are afraid of sorority/fraternity rush events", which I can understand. And in a formal recruitment setting, they have to go through these events if they want to join. But on this campus, they don't. Would it be wise to avoid these kind of events altogether?

Well, if the only way you're recruiting is to ask friends, eventually you're going to run out of friends of friends.

Yes, ask girls you don't know to get lunch etc...I thought you were already doing that. But you, and your sisters, have to become friends with her before you think about rushing her. And realize not everyone you befriend is going to be a good fit - it's trial and error. If your only motivation to get to know new women on campus is to eventually get them to pledge, then people are going to run the other way when they see one of you coming. It'll be like you're selling Amway or Arbonne or something.

And I don't think that non Greeks are "afraid" of rush events - uninterested maybe, indifferent maybe, but afraid? Do you really want someone as a sister who's afraid to go to a rush event?

[AlphaXi_Husky]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

do you think it would be a good idea to do away with recruitment events altogether? (And I'm talking recruitment parties with themes and all that)

...

If this is the case, and if convincing complete strangers to come to recruitment events is difficult, why have them? Why not just invite these girls we don't know to do normal things like get lunch, go to a basketball game, or study?

I keep reading everywhere that "Non-Greeks are afraid of sorority/fraternity rush events", which I can understand. And in a formal recruitment setting, they have to go through these events if they want to join. But on this campus, they don't. Would it be wise to avoid these kind of events altogether?

In one word - yes. It's much easier to invite people along to do things the chapters would do normally (study, eat, watch a sporting event, etc.) then to try and plan out an additional event with decorations, special cookies - whatever.

I know I've said it before and I'll say it again - read I <3 Recruitment. A lot of what they discuss plays directly into the issues it sounds like you're having. (I would tell you about some of their ideas here, but I feel that would probably verge on copyright issues).

ETA: and ditto what 33girl said - if you're trying to meet people just to get them to join your sorority and not to become their friend, it will scare them away.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AlphaXi_Husky

I know I've said it before and I'll say it again - read I <3 Recruitment. A lot of what they discuss plays directly into the issues it sounds like you're having. (I would tell you about some of their ideas here, but I feel that would probably verge on copyright issues).

I guess this is what's making me a tad befuddled....the OP brought up the phiredup website and shared ideas from it before. Isn't that the same people??

[ASTalumna06]

yea, cuz I visit PhiredUp.com (from the writers of "Good Guys" and "I <3 Recruitment.. who are ASTs, btw ) just about everyday, and that's what they say all the time. Being a recruitment advisor, I try to suggest this idea to the girls, but I think they're afraid to move away from "tradition" and the "status quo". Recruitment parties are what everyone else on campus does, and so we do it too, to little or no avail.

[AlphaXi_Husky]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I guess this is what's making me a tad befuddled....the OP brought up the phiredup website and shared ideas from it before. Isn't that the same people??

Hmmm - I hadn't realized that.

AST - have you (and the chapter you advise) read that book? And if so, have you guys tried some of their tactics? I realize some of them may be a bit intimidating (introducing yourself to people you don't know, for one), but it sounds like on your campus that is what's needed.

Also, have you spoken with regional or national officers about ways to improve your recruiting efforts?

[BabyPiNK_FL]

Someone said it before. Have panhellenic get involved.

They should be presenting at orientation, keeping a list of interested women and their contact info (and emailing/phoning them!), hosting events for the sororities all first semester that women can attend without things seeming shady (ice cream, informationals, GPA events, etc.)

These things aren't expensive, but it will give women things to go to, should provide a way to keep women interested and also bring their friends (or if they are shy, get them out there)!

Another thing would be to begin a relaxed formal recruitment during the spring semester. Each chapter has an adviser who can provide them info and an opinion on this and the Panhellenic has an area adviser who can help make it happen.