There just isn't an easy answer. Once a chapter gets noticeably smaller than the other chapters, they immediately have an obstacle to overcome. PNMs think something must be "wrong" with the chapter, even if it is filled with wonderful women. It's hard to avoid the death spiral - the chapter is small, takes in fewer members through formal recruitment, is unable to cob to get the numbers up . . . I've lived through it, and it's the pits. I was able to help another chapter as an alumna adviser avoid it - but it took a lot of work on the part of the actives, and massive cobbing.

We're actually facing this situation this year. We had a tough graduation (the sophomores and a few of the freshmen, now seniors, from the original colony) and the largest group of PNMs that have ever gone through recruitment thus far in school history. We're planning on having our best conversationalists pick up two girls at the door, and then having group conversations from there (i.e. 5:4 instead of 2:1).

As for the size issue, for the first two parties we're having recent alumnae attend the parties so the room doesn't appear empty. As the parties go on, we've been assigned smaller rooms (our recruitment is held in the student union since we don't have houses) so it's not really an issue after the first two parties.

on no! dont ever do the 1 on 2 situation!! one chapter on my campus always brought girls from another chapter nearby because they were good on that campus. they tricked me during rush and i told everyone because it was so fake!!:mad:

Well, for a chapter with smaller numbers, what do you suggest? Did you read the OP? Do you suggest the small chapter just give up and be like "yes we suck don't join our chapter" because your previous posts would indicate that.:rolleyes: It's not like they are trying to "fool" PNMs into thinking their chapter is "top tier" by having sisters from another chapter help, it's that the number of sisters available to recruit is lower than the number of PNMs coming through their door for each party, so they either need to double/triple rush or bring in more women (from another chapter, or recent alumnae if rules allow) to recruit.

I'd think that having recent alumnae from the chapter help recruit would probably be the BEST option - these women are representative of the chapter, know the chapter intimately, and because they're recent alumnae are not necessarily going to be too noticeable as an 'outsider', if you know what I mean.

This all depends if it's allowed by the campus panhellenic. Alumnae aren't always allowed to legally recruit or they have to be labeled as 'alumnae' on their nametags.

When I was going through recruitment, I experienced being double rushed, rushed by members of other chapters and being rushed by an alumna on Pref night, even though I'd never met her. (I did not join her chapter).

The one thing that always sticks out in my mind about being rushed by someone from another chapter was that one of the chapters that was doing it my freshman year, the woman rushing me was rude. I asked a question and she said, "I don't know anything about that, I'm not a member of this chapter." She looked at me as if I was supposed to know she went to another school. My chapter also used members from another chapter that year for the first two days, but I don't recall meeting them, doesn't mean that I didn't, just was handled differently I guess.

I would say that I'd prefer the doubling up to anything else. I know one year when we had to do it, we did it more in a group setting, i.e. three PNMs with two actives. And we tried to make it a group conversation. You can always have alumnae float around the room if you want. The problem that you might also find with recent alumnae is that even though they just graduated, they're going to have less to talk about with someone who's just starting college than someone who's still in school.

Yeah, I'll also say stay away from incorporating other chapters. This fall, we had our first formal recruitment with the other NPC on campus. They had about 3 times as many members as us, so we had some help from another chapter. We have heard from the NM class we took in fall that they didn't like this set-up. They can talk about the national org and our principles just fine, but I think it's harder (ok, impossible) for them to give concrete examples of what makes our chapter special.

I think the group conversation is the best option, it reminds me a lot of COB, and would make conversation flow much better. I also think that group convo is easier for most people, rather than 1-on-1, which is much more intense than many women this age are used to. If you don't have to bump a rotation because of a group convo, that also saves the extra active you always have out of conversation. If your chapter does house tours, this is a good opportunity (in my opinion) to do a 1:2 or 1:3 rush, because the active usually spends more time explaining or showing than talking, plus it's not very conspicuous at all.

When I was a freshman, I was taken on a house tour with 2 other PNMs and the president at another chapter in the first round. I wound up really liking the house, in part because I got to spend time with the president, and never thought it was weird that other women were with me. I have no idea if they were smaller that year (they were a well-respected chapter), but it seems they hid it effectively.

no everyone was talking about groups and i think that would be much better because sometimes you get stuck with the annoying pnm who is the attention hog. i know thats who i was stuck with!!! and i didn't get to talk to a sister from that chapter at all first round!!!:(