UA charged $75 this year for girls registered before August 1. August 1 and after girls had to pay $150. I think they did that to encourage girls to register early so the rush chairs would have some idea of the number of girl participating. (In 2006 nearly 300 girls registered in the last week, I believe.) The girls are allowed to move into the dorms a week early but that doesn't cost them any extra. The girls get two tshirts (because of 2 phil. days) and a rush book. The fee also covers the ICS program used for selections. I think that is all, but there could be more.

Wow...that's really a great value. Two shirts and free room and board! No one should be complaining!

Oh, we also got 10 dining hall meals.

At Bama most of the PNMs live in the dorm across the street from sorority row so it is very tough on them if they get dropped or if they drop out or don't get bids. It must be hard to be in that dorm on Bid Day which is quite the spectacle at Bama.

UGA charges a fee. I'm not sure of the amount, but it's more than a $100, I think. It goes up the later you register, I think. (That part of the recruitment page seems to be down, which makes sense because no one would need it right now and it probably gets updated from year to year. They do have recruitment info. which would be helpful for folks thinking about it generally.)

I think the biggest cost to panhellenic is probably the campus buses that they run just for rush since classes aren't in session. I suspect that the girls who live in dorms may pay extra for meal plan or housing, but I don't know how that goes because I think they handle it with dining services and housing, rather than recruitment. I lived off campus when I rushed, so I have no idea.

My school has debated this the past two years since we've been growing and are now having to pay for a space big enough for Panhellenic to gather the PNMs and register them/get them into their groups etc.. it's been voted down that it will turn people away, but I'm thinking pretty soon it's just going to be a necessity.

one compromise could be what New Mexico State does ... they have a panhellenic new member fee which you pay if you accept a bid and no charge
for going thru recruitment.

If any sororities told Panhellenic "NO" , we could go back to the houses providing refreshments, letting the rushees stay long enough to get to know the house, getting rid of the anonymity, and quit pretending it doesn't matter which house as long as you get a pin.

It really wouldn't work like that.

Okay, seriously. I know you think the way it was when you went through was the Best and Only Way to Join A Sorority, but colleges and universities AND the women entering them have changed immensely in the past 30-40 years (or so I'm guessing the length of time it's been since you've graduated.)

Give it a rest already. Practically every single post you've made has been commenting (either straightforward or obtusely) at how much better it was back then. Things aren't going to go back to the way it was and most likely will continue to evolve and change as the needs of universities, chapters and women change.

Actually, given your age and your interests (as provided in your profile) I'm extremely surprised you joined a sorority at all. After all, they aren't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of political activism and in the '70s were still probably seen as part of The Establishment.

Ok, so your profile says you were initiated in 1974 which means you are younger than my mom - when she was in college, recruitment did not allow for the rushees to stay at the house forever, they still were timed parties. What anonymity are you referring to? And, it does matter what house you join, but using GO GREEK enthusiasm rather than "RAHRAHMYSORORITYISTHEBESTERESTESTEVER!" means that more girls will be interested in recruitment as an idea, rather than recruitment to join one house and one house only. Nobody forces girls to stay in if they hate their invitations.

At Iowa State, all of the PNM's don't live in the same dorm. They move into their respective dorm rooms all over campus. On my floor, there were only 4 of us going through recruitment. It was great moving into my room ahead of time. It was a lot easier moving everything in!

Definitely! I think there were about 12 or so girls in my rush group (I rushed in 1997. I'm assuming by your username you did as well, or the year before).

My roommate dropped out after the second day, though, and I do wonder if it was kind of difficult for her to watch me get ready.