It probably isn't hard to look at the invite the girl got and the chapters she listed. Even easier if it's on the computer. Just take out the ones she shouldn't have listed.

Correct. If a chapter cuts but the PNM does not (or lists them on her pref card :rolleyes:) she's not getting in. Snap bid or otherwise. Basically if she doesn't have a full invite list, she can know she's not getting in. If she does, she doesn't have a way to know if listing PPP on her pref card would work or not. But basically it won't. Snap bids don't have any relation to the bid card itself though.

/you're not wrong i'm mostly rambling now.

I thought if a woman wasn't invited to a party by XYZ (or didn't attend due to going to other parties), but faithfully attended all parties and maximized her options, she could be eligible for a snap bid from XYZ. Isn't this where flex lists and regrets come into play? Granted a woman may not want to accept a snap bid from XYZ if she chose not to attend parties previously, but it is a possibility, isn't it?

I think everyone is missing the obvious here: the OP said this semester was informal recruitment. Unless her school is super weird, informal recruitment does not entail an MRABA, bid matching, RFM, etc.

I find it interesting that a chapter not bound by the limits of RFM allegedly "really likes" a PNM that they did not invite to preference.

Aren't they still bound by quota/total/ceiling though? If there are only 12 spots, there are 30 interested women, and you are torn on 20, why invite the other 10?

Yes, they are bound by total. However, you don't have to cut a specific number of women at any given time. To use your example, the chapter wasn't even "torn" on her to invite her to preference.

That we know of, if I have the story right, her roommate said they wanted her. But we all know that story and how it can end. Unless the roommate is in the other group who never invited her.

Her roommate can not speak for the whole chapter. The chapter cut her when they didn't have to. Clearly, the chapter did not like her as much as the roommate says they did.

That is exactly what I was getting at, a preference invite doesn't mean as much as some people think it does.

It means much more during formal recruitment. During informal, it doesn't mean as much, and the OP didn't even make it that far.

Doesn't this depend on the school? My chapter has not done informal while I've been a member, but the chapters here generally only invite girls to pref at informal if they're intent upon bidding them. If a chapter has 10 spots, they usually invites ten to pref, and then bid more if not all 10 accept the bids.

I don't fully agree. Preference invites can include legacy policies, courtesy invites, a woman that the chapter still isn't sure about. I read it as an invitation that could lead to a decision that may not be favorable to a PNM and as a result, not receiving a bid. Some other woman could really shine and be higher on a bid list, as we all know attending preference means the name is on a bid list in almost all situations, just not very high in some cases.

I think an informal pref. invite can mean more, as during formal RFM can increase the amount of invites, and there could be more room to get to know women and make a decision later. With informal you may already know them from class or see the PNM in action on campus instead of in a secluded no boys no parties formal environment.

It depends on the informal process, yes. Sometimes the informal invite means you're getting a bid and sometimes it would mean less.

However formal pref invites must be on their bid list and bid lists are 2-3x quota generally (assuming 2 or 3 pref parties). But you don't put women on the list unless you want them. (Or you know, you're doing it wrong)

Well, if you invite a woman to pref, she is on your bid list. So there is no "make a decision later". You are willing to have her join your chapter.

Generally yes. However if you are in a chapter where almost everyone who prefs you will put you as their number one choice, you know you're not going to get anywhere near the bottom of your bid list. Sometimes it's easier to invite someone to pref for political or other reasons. You are willing to take her, but know the chances of that really happening are very low.