It happened this year at one of the schools I advise. One chapter had quota, but after bid matching it said they didn't. The chapter realized it after seeing the list of pnm's that didn't match. Another chapter also matched one less than quota, but the computer said that they matched two less than quota, and no one could figure out why. I don't know what system/software the school was using, but mistakes can happen. All programs have bugs. I'm not saying it happened in this case though, but it is possible.

I do agree that not all computer programs, or any technology for that matter, are errorproof, but in my experience the computer does not make the mistake. The information is input by humans, esp recruitment chairs, VPs, or advisors who are very tired. The computer is right regarding the information it is given. That is why double checking the disks with printouts is very important. Everything the computer gets is from a person. Just food for thought!! Everyone have a great day!!! :)

ValpoKD

I guess my point is just that mistakes do happen. I'm probably stressing the bug thing too much because my hubby is a software developer so I hear about bugs all day. But however they occur, they do happen. It's very rare, but unfortunately they sometimes can. Of course, it may just happen at schools that don't care about Greek Life and making sure mistakes don't happen, like the one I advise! :)

If we say that chapters shouldn't string girls along by not cutting them until the last minute (which I'd agree with), isn't it fair that girls shouldn't string chapters along if they know THEY don't want them? Sometimes, yes, another chance will show you XYZ is great - but not always. Sometimes you really do know. We all know girls who took a chance and found out they loved XYZ - and we know girls who took a chance and ended up depledging.

Pinklady, I'm sorry rush didn't turn out the way you wanted. I hope you find a right place for yourself, in Greek life or out of it.

I believe that (at least in my day) that if you were cut from 1st and 2nd sets, you could not be invited back for snap bids. Only if you did not recieve a bid or were cut in 3rd Sets. And I believe it was a Panhel rule.

Designergal might be able to help out a little more! She's a more current alumna ;)

And Pinklady I do hope as I said before that you find your way into UM's greek system. It really is a wonderful opportunity. In all honesty every kind of system that they use to match the girls and houses has its bugs. My freshman year about 25% or more girls did not recieve bids. The Rush class started with about 990 girls and ended with like 400 getting Bids or something like it.
I would just like to say that there are really no "good" and "bad" houses at UM, but I do get the point that you were trying to make. As Designergal said every house has its issues and as pointed out you have the a few "popular" houses that always do well, but these houses also have pretty high de-acto rates. Just like you have "non-popular" houses that continue to struggle. However, all chapters have or will eventually go through low and high points of membership. That's just life, but you make the best of what you have. I totally understand that AGD was not for you and take no offense to it. Its not for everyone and as you said you stated your feelings. I do hope that you do find the house for you.

[size=4.9]GO BLUE!!![/size]

Pinklady, best wishes to you!

FuzzieAlum, about PNMs not stringing chapters along "if they know THEY don't want them" -- sometimes the rush rules make that difficult. Fairly often PNMs are required to attend up to the maximum number of parties they're invited to for each invitational round.
Let's say as an example there are 2 invitational rounds before pref. After the open round and the first invites, the PNM is certain that Chapter X is not where she'd be comfortable. But when invitations come for the second invitational round, she has been cut from enough chapters that she must go to Chapter X's party, along with parties at some other chapters that invited her back. SHE is not deliberately stringing Chapter X along -- she is following the rules so she can remain in recruitment.

Ok, I am sorry but that is so completely rude. This girl is sharing her story and her own personal opinion...who are we to jump on her for that?? There are houses on my campus that I would NEVER join because I would not have fit. It is not that I am too good for them, but I just would not be happy.
We are all entitled to our own opinions of houses and to think that someone could be happy in every single house house is too idealistic in my opinion. Rush is all about finding a fit for both the sorority and the rushee...not joining any house that you can for the sake of being greek.

Sweetie I hope that things work out for you, hopefully some COB events :) ya never know!!! Im wishing you the best of luck be sure and let us know if youre going to participate in COB :)

Nichole

I just want to thank you all for being so supportive. I am going to call the OGL and find out about cob at 10am, it can't hurt to find out asap right?

My housemates had a little thursday evening get together and girls from 3 sororities came after their bidnight was over, and they all said they felt really bad about my situation and that sometimes things just don't work out, and lots of houses had to cut girls they liked so dont take it personally.

As said before it applies at Michigan that you must attend the maximum number of parties possible, and if you decide not to show up at a house you will be dropped from all of rush.

For some reason I'm feeling the memories of a girl on GC from a couple of rushes ago who majorly isht-talked about a number of sororities during her rush.

She ended up getting a bid from a house that she royally isht-talked about. The sisters found about what she had said, and the PNM ended up declining the bid. It was an uncomfortable situation for the PNM, the house, and the rest of the sororities because THEY ALL FOUND OUT.

DeltaBetaBaby...I'm feeling you on this one.

The moral of Aesop's fable folx, you don't know who reads this.

Just my two cents.

That is very true. I know that from what I have read the PNM dont really talk alot of isht about the GLO's just their own personal opinions on how it is for them. It doesnt really refect on the sorority at all since everyone is different and has different opinions, I would go as far as saying that the org. has a bad rep or anything b/c truth is that there is isht talked about just about every sorority on campus it all depends on who you talk to. Just alot of stupid people who have nothing better to do with their time if you ask me!

Nichole

This is true, but it can still be very, very messy. Chapter X won't know what invites this PNM is getting, and won't know whether she keeps coming back because she wants to, or because she has to. If a chapter believes the former and they're wrong, then they could be very hurt in the end.

Case in point: my rush freshman year. There was a house on my campus that wasn't very popular, and several PNM's would act DELIBERATELY impolite at that house in an attempt to get cut by them. I thought that was totally not classy, and I was always very friendly and polite at this house, even though it was probably my last choice. Well, I never was in a position to cut them, and I went to pref. Needless to say, there were some pissed off people at that house when I ended up somewhere else -- they thought i was very interested in joining.

Personally, I think that PNM's should be required to go to all their invites -- up until Pref. If pref night comes around and a PNM really isn't interested in a house, they should be allowed to cut it regardless of how many invites they have. It would save both sides a lot of stress and disappointment.

Speaking as a Software Engineer, I find this impossible to believe. In fact, even if the software is completely bug free (which is so highly unlikely I'd bet my life's savings on it) -- you still have hardware issues to deal with. 1 bit flip and you have an error. How that error manifests itself depends on when and where the bit was flipped.

Granted, it's not likely -- hardware is pretty stable and good code is generally error free. But generally is the key term. I truly hope that everyone's Panhellenic Association double checks the bid lists and those who did not receive bids to make sure that it makes sense. While the software is going to most likely get it right -- the exhausted people entering the data are another story entirely. :)

That is absolutely fine. You are an adult, and you are entitled to make your own decisions. However, as an adult, you (and PL) have to take responsibility for those decisions. I did not take issue with PL deciding not to complete rush. I took issue with her statement (to paraphrase) that she somehow got screwed by the system.

(edited because I accidentally got my PNM's confused)

I do sort of agree with DeltaBeta here. What bothers me about this story is that there is a lot of "talk" amongst people, but no solid evidence to back up the talk. PL, you say the system screwed you, but how did that happen? The system didn't screw you, but the sororities where you wanted to go had to make the cuts accordingly. Yes, many sororities would love to take a whole lot more girls than quota allows, but being a member of the Panhellenic means that you follow the formal recruitment rules and the way that it works. Panhellenic and its rules are in place so that all sororities are on as equal footing as possible. And by having this system that may help smaller sororities catch up to the larger groups is not a screw job to PNMs.

As for the computer bid matching, every single time that I've used it and there was a problem, it was human error. Women in sororities and PNMs have to fill out their scantrons carefully and make sure that everything is perfect. Human error is nearly ALWAYS the problem.

Pinklady, it sounds to me, and I could be wrong, that you had in your mind the groups you wanted going in, which while I don't agree with that school of thought, is fine to do. But if that plan didn't work out, blaming the system that sororities have been using for many many years to have fair and equal recruitment for all sororities isn't really fair. I hope that either through COB or snap bids or whatever method necessary, you find yourself a home at Michigan. It sucks to have so many sororities on a campus and not be able to find your place, but I think that it's out there for the taking if you look at it :)