And thus the "everybody gets a trophy" concept conquers new ground ... ;)

Not really. If a woman is invited to pref, that means a chapter is willing to pledge her. They could have released her long before that if they didn't want her. There are only a very very very few schools where everyone is guaranteed a bid.

I know that ... but the joke just spilled off of my fingertips. :rolleyes:

In order for EVERY chapter to be over quota, when quota is (women at pref)/(# of chapters), then women are being bid who weren't at pref. That's just math.

There is quota range, and then there is quota. QR is calculated first, and Q is calculated somewhat after the fact. It isn't as cut and dried as the number at pref divided by the number of chapters.

That's what I thought you were asking -- I was also wondering why the quota was set at that number. Thanks to irishpipes for explaining.

As far as why the PNMs over quota are not distributed more evenly, this explanation involves RFM, how many pref parties a PNM attends, and quota additions. Bama had over 218 quota additions last year (64 the previous year) -- someone asked about this huge increase in quota additions earlier in the thread.

I wouldn't attempt the explanation about QAs in a huge recruitment like this -- or even a guess about the increase in quota additions last year -- better left to one of the RFM experts here.

Basically, lowering quota to a number less than (women at pref)/(chapters) can actually place more women. I wrote a lengthy example on some other thread a few days ago, but I don't feel like hunting it down.

And those that were quota additions weren't evenly distributed among the groups. Due to RFM strong recruiting chapters will have far less PNMs at Pref than weak recruiting chapters.

Totally making up numbers here, but let's say Sorority A is a SRC. At Bama they may only need 250 at Pref to reach a quota of 130. Sorority B is middle of road recruiting chapter. They may need 325 to ensure they reach a quota of 130. Sorority C is a WRC. They may need 400 at Pref to ensure they reach 130.

Once the first 130 are matched to each group, there is a higher probability that sorority C will have the most girls who went unmatched simply because there were more girls in their pool to start with. Some of these girls may have only had one pref party, and if they were ranked on the sorority's list way at the bottom, the still get a bid due to maximizing options. So they become Sorority C's QA.

Back to Sorority A. If the PNM was at a SRC for at least one pref then chances are they are a strong enough PNM that they matched to one of their 3 Pref parties. It may not have been Sorority A, but they would have been a match somewhere. Therefore Sorority A isn't pulling in as many unmatched girls.

Sorority A would get QAs if one of their PNMs was perhaps visiting all SRCs for Pref and just fell too low on all 3 list. Then she is a QA for a SRC.

Of note, QAs have nothing to do with Chapter Total, having to COB, or taking extra because they are small. Most of us on GC know this, but the collegians on the other site are getting the reason for QAs all wrong. QAs are also not optional or something the chapter decides. They are placed by Panhellenic and all chapters take them. Again, huge misconceptions elsewhere online about this.

DBB accurately answered your question about setting quota lower than an even PNMs at Pref/chapters. This often helps place more girls, albeit with more (sometimes ridiculously more) QAs. It can also help all chapters meet quota. Perhaps there was one chapter than was about 5 away from quota. If lowering it that number actually places more PNMs then it is a win-win on both sides.

So in the case of the SRC's would they be more likely not to make quota if it was a higher number? I know that doesn't seem to make sense, but they are inviting the fewest PNM's to pref, so it seems as if their bid lists would have the least wiggle room to lose girls to other chapters.

Thanks Comrades True --

So perhaps the answer to KSUViolet's question earlier in the thread, regarding the reason for the significant increase in QAs over a year (from 2013 to 2014), is probably an adjustment (lowering) of quota relative to the number of PNMs who went through last year compared to the year before?

I think DeltaBetaBaby's example that she mentioned is the last post on this thread:

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...=153163&page=3

Whew! I need to reread all this before it sinks in a little!

No problem with QA; I understand that, surprisingly well for someone whose greek system essentially didn't know what quota meant. I come from a pre-RFM system where a woman could get as many bids as there were chapters.

I'm not sure I understand how "quota range" can be so far off, but ...

I guess I'll just keep learning, and eventually it will fit.

Yes, Mndl.......you have given a good explanation. The SRC has less wriggle room, so a lower quota benefits them, in helping them make quota. Then, girls who only preffed them, or only preffed other SRC, end up as the few quota additions.

Also if any of the chapters were under total, couldn't some of them just be plain old open bids once the formal rush "window" is closed? Obviously they are not going to differentiate that or publicize that in their tally of how many women received bids.

Wouldn't those be snap bids? Do snap bids even still happen?

Snaps still happen, and yes - they would be snaps not open bids.