No kidding! At least it's over the course of 2 days. The Open House round (today and tomorrow) is 23 parties over 2 days. Exhausting...

When I was a collegian at Illinois, we had 19 groups, but then we had associate members of the CPH, so they each got to make a presentation. There were 23 rounds in all. That said, I was in a chapter that would have had to double-rush if they hadn't spread it out more like that, so we were thankful that the larger number of parties meant fewer women at each one.

But you wouldn't be because you wouldn't attend all 16 - member or PNM. The members do not work all the parties as the chapter have too many members to do that. They won't all fit in the house with the PNMs. So you get some parties off. And the PNMs can't attend that many parties no matter how many invites they get so it's cut down for them too.

Do the members just break up into, say, 3 groups and A & B do the first party, B & C do the second party, so on and so forth?

That does make more sense considering the size of the chapters. (Avoiding overly nebby membership selection question here.)

My daughter is a senior active at Bama and all members are required to be at all parties. Hers is one of the larger chapters too. They were told Panhellenic would fine their sorority if all members were not in the house by a certain time each day. I remember that panhellenic had very strict rules about this in my day. They didn't want random actives out and about amongst the PNMs where they could potentially influence them.

Where is the information coming from about only some members going to certain parties? While it is true that once in the house there may be some dividing up of who fully participates in each party, it is my understanding that all actives must physically be in the house during rush.

that would make more sense. maybe in the ice water rounds those not participating in a certain party will stay upstairs?

Being physically in the house wouldn't necessarily be the same as going to/participating in every party. I assume the girls who are "off" for a party are hanging out in their bedrooms or the kitchen or something. That's what Titchou is talking about.

Thanks for the correction, Shirley, you are right.

During DD's last year - which was admittedly 6 years ago! - I think the seniors had to be there for the open house days, but then they were pretty much excused for the rest of the week. They couldn't come in and out of the house or be on sorority row, but they didn't have to recruit.

I will never stop being amazed at the level coordination you're talking about. They have 250+ members in those (relatively) little houses all the time?! Plus advisors, parents and PNMs. It's like throwing a party in the Tokyo subway and still making sure everyone has a good time.

Basically, being "off" meant you got to go to the back of the line, and only pick up a girl if there were that many (and there should not be that many). My sophomore year, my rush partner and I were doing too well to get a round "off".

You wouldn't have 250 girls, because you less one class. So minus however many seniors graduated in spring.

My daughter is sophomore, and this is her first recruitment as a member. I know they have all worked very hard to make this a successful week for all involved.

I know a young lady from home going through at Bama, so this is year 2 of anxiety for me. I'm also looking forward to Delta Gamma's colony recruitment, I couldn't believe there was no DG chapter when my daughter chose Alabama for school. It's the first thing I looked for. :)

As you probably know, this is a recolonization for Delta Gamma. They had a chapter at Bama years ago.

I know, so glad DG is returning. Alabama needs 2 or 3 more chapters to even make a dent in the large pledge classes. I wonder who will be next to colonize, and if anything is in the works?

They could add all the rest of NPC groups and still have large chapters. I don't know who will be next and what about housing? When the new houses are built, I suppose newer groups could take over those existing houses but after that??? As Dr. Witt increases enrollment, rush is going to continue to grow. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out.