If quota is 10, the chapter's first bid list (of 10 names) is in alpha order. The second bid list (everyone else attending their pref parties...in your scenario, 10) would be in order of preference.

If Quota is TEN then only the first TEN girls are done alphabetically.

Everyone AFTER quota is then done in order of preference.

Oh my!!!! AlphaFrog and I responded at the same time AND said the same thing! ;)

No worries, dear AF!

if quota is 10 for ABC, then the first bid list will have 10 names in alphabetical order. so it would look like this, no matter if girl A was 10th or girl I was first, because quota is 10.
1.A
2.B
3.C
4.D
5.E
6.F
7.G
8.H
9.I
10.J

the second bid list would have the rest of the girls in number order

11.Z
12.K
13. Q
14. BB
15. K
16. M
17. L
18. AA
19.GG
20.Y

so for Z to move up to the first bid list, one of the first 10 girls matches to another sorority or she doesn't have ABC on her preference card.

i can see where your concern about later in alphabet girls, but if a girl whose last name is Z, she would only be last on the first bid list, which is up to quota, so if quota was 20, she would be 20 and if she had XYZ on her preference card and she was on the first bid list when it came out she would be an XYZ. it is done alphabetically so when going through the cards, it is just easier.

if you don't recieve a bid and you have maximized your options, it means you were just too far down on a bid list, which is why quota additions are used. but if you suicided DEF and lets say your last name starts with a W, and you didn't make it onto the first bid list, it not because your name, its because you were not high enough (girl 45) and they filled quota(25) before they got to you.

hope this makes sense.

ETA: hahaha, it took me so long to write this, that other people answered it first!

Many many thanks. It's very clear to me now.:rolleyes:

Reading this reminds me of a LSAT prep question, oye.

Final question: is it a Panhellenic rule, as in it's in the "Green book", that the A list is not ranked? As in everyone is just considered #1? And so that would mean that alphabetizing, or randomly sorting, or whatever has no effect so long as the A list contains the same # of girls as quota?

The fact that the first bid list is alphabetical has no affect on what members are chosen, because the first bid list is equal to the number of women in quota.

If quota is 10 and all 10 of the ladies who are on DEF's first bid list put them first, it makes no difference whether Polly PNM is listed 2nd, 5th, or 10th on the list. She's one of the first 10 to match, so she gets a bid.

The only time the rank matters is once you move off the first bid list.

I have a copy of the Green Book around here somewhere - I'll have to pull it out to see whether its specifically stated that the 1st Bid List is alphabetical. (Not sure if its an actual rule, or if its something that has evolved b/c its easier to implement in practice and has no affect on the bids issued from the 1st bid list.)

I think that GLO can turn in the list sorted anyway they want right, with the understanding that girls will be matched in order? They just have to follow their own internal policies, which I think might require alphabetizing so that from the group's perspective all first list is number one.

It can be easier to comprehend by thinking that all of these girls are in a big "tie" for first place - doesn't matter what order they're listed in, b/c they all "came in first."

I like to think of the first bid list as a "box". If you're in the box, order doesn't matter. If you're in the box you can be matched to that chapter. You stay in the box until you are matched somewhere. If you're not in the box, you "wait in line" (aka the second bid list). You stand in line in order. If you are the next one in line to go in the box, you can only move into the box if someone already in the box matches elsewhere.

Yes, it's lame, but it might help people who are more visually oriented understand bid-matching.

I have the Green Book. We haven't solved the problem, but if this has a happy ending, I'll let y'all know. Thank you so much for your help!

Actually, that's a pretty good way of describing it. I might just have to borrow that analogy from you. :)

That was my rush! It was actually in the middle, though, so corrected invitations were issued a few days later (we had a week off between rounds).