For the most part, in the Northeast, you'll find more chapters with fewer members each.

I kind of prefer it that way. It would blow my mind to have 250 sisters, and see girls on a regular basis wearing my letters, and not even know their name.

yeah, at Arizona State each sorority has around 100, at least I believe that's their cap...but its like, can you really call each girl your sister...you really will only really get to know a few of them!

Before finding OPA, Delta Zeta was colonizing, and they ended up taking 93 girls (I wasn't one of them, but I tried!) but I realized after that there was no way I could really get to know that many girls, and remember who they all were!

I second that. My school has 8 sororities and we have about 80 members each, give or take a few. It's not really possible to know *everyone*, but it's a much smaller, closer community. I wouldn't be able to handle a chapter of 250!

We have seven social sororities on my school's campus, with membership ranging from 71 (last semester's total) to 8...so even though the organizations at or close to total have a small membership when looked at on a grand scale, within the campus community they seem huge!

I know it sounds strange, but it really isn't that hard to get to know everyone in a large chapter!

Especially with Prides or the equivilant...

November 1: Preference Night (6:30-10:10)

November 2: Bid Day (5:00)


Good luck Petals and I hope you get the house you want!:)

We had 120 girls in my chapter and I knew every one of them. I could tell you where they were from, their interests, their major, their close friends in the house, etc. Honestly it wasn't hard at all to know everyone and nobody had a problem with it. I mean, you see them at least once a week at meeting and chances are you live with them, take classes with them, and at the very least go to socials with them! No I wasn't best friends with everyone but you're not going to have that in a chapter of 20 or 200. There were actually times when I wished my house was bigger because I felt like we could have made a bigger impact in philantrhopy and campus events if we had more members!

Anyway, Petals I hope you're having fun tonight at pref! I can't wait to hear how it goes!

That's a lot of sororities. I went to the wrong school.

Yeah, Jon, but there are also 52 fraternities!

While I'm sure it's possible to have a large chapter and know everyone, I think that there are many more who would say the exact opposite. My friend who was Tridelt at Auburn had a lot of girls in her chapter too, and she told me she didn't know all of them very well.
It may also differ based on the campus Greek culture. I probably knew a couple hundred people at school but the majority weren't in my sorority.

This is sooooo exciting! Petals is at her Pref parties right now!!! I can't wait to hear how tonight goes! Goodluck Petals!!

Jawdrop...please tell me you're kidding! That's one for every week of the year!

lol, good way to think of that ;)

*sends good luck to petals*

WOOHOO!

I can’t believe it’s all over… I was one of the few people that actually enjoyed recruitment, so it’s kind of sad that it’s over. I’ll definitely miss a lot of the girls in my Pi Chi group and our daily meetings, but it’s really exciting to know that some of them could be my new sisters tomorrow. I’m so excited to do this thing and find out where everyone’s going.

So tonight, I felt super-lucky and thankful that I had a full schedule, let alone with sororities I loved. Oh, and as for the dress? I ended up wearing one that was hanging in my closet all along! I don’t want to say too much, but it definitely wasn’t black, so I felt really unique and confident. It was sort of a classy-retro look; I couldn’t have felt better.

First I visited Miami, which I was really excited for since they’ve been a favorite of mine since open houses. I was paired with a girl I met in one of the earlier rounds, and we sat at tables in the suite and ate cheesecake and drank sparkling cider (sooo good). The suite was covered in white fabric, so it was a pretty neat effect to be sitting in an entirely white room. After a little while, we made it up to the sorority’s floor in the dorm and got to hang out in one of the rooms. I had a lot of fun but wasn’t really sure if this was the place for me. The girl that preffed me and I just didn’t click like I did with some of the other girls I met here, and I left just sort of unsure of things.

Next up was St. Lucia, which was decorated beautifully with white drapes, lights, and flowers EVERYWHERE. Here we had little personal hors d'oeuvre platters, cheesecake, and punch. The girl that preffed me was someone I’d seen at every round; even when she didn’t rush me, she’d make a point to say hi, which I really liked. We just really got along well and I felt totally comfortable, even when I dropped some food on the ground or tripped on a decoration. After eating a bit, we went up to their floor (which was decorated BEAUTIFULLY) and chilled out in one of the rooms. Taking PSUSigKap’s advice to heart, one of the things that I really liked here was that I felt just as comfortable talking to the other PNMs and getting to know them as I did with the sisters. After a while, we went back downstairs for a short ceremony and said our goodbyes. It was just a really great time, and I felt so confident that I could fit in here after tonight.

Finally, I went to the Bahamas, which had no ceremony or floor-tour, but rather an assortment of desserts and conversation with a sister for the whole time. I’d never met the girl that I was paired with, but we had a lot in common and I had a ball at this party. The suite was draped in black with balloons everywhere… a very chic and classy design.

When it came time to rank, I was truly torn between the Bahamas and St. Lucia, as though it sounds so cheesy, I knew I’d be happy at either. At both sororities I felt like I was talking with an old friend. I could see myself getting ready to go out with them, crying about a bad day, staying up late talking about absolutely nothing. My goal tonight was just to feel confident about whatever decision I made, whether it was to withdraw or rank the way I did. And let me tell you, it feels good to know I’ll be happy wherever I end up!

With that, I ranked them like this:
St. Lucia
Bahamas
Miami

I felt so lucky because so many girls didn’t have full schedules and didn’t get asked back to the sororities they liked. There were definitely a lot of tears tonight. One girl was even “promised” a bid by one group and wasn’t asked back there tonight. I’m just so thankful that I had such a positive recruitment experience and can’t wait for bid day tomorrow!

To those of you who PMed me asking more about my experience, I promise to get back to you ASAP, I’ve just been going crazy (as you know :) )

Time to try and get some sleep!

I'm so happy for you!! Good luck with St. Lucia (or bahamas :D lol) tomorrow!!

yay!! im sooo glad you enjoyed recruitment!! sounds like you had a great pref night. youve had a such a positive outlook! good for you petals :) have TONS of fun tomorrow with ur new sisters and dont forget about us GC kiddos that want to know where u ended up!!

I'm so excited to see what happens!!!

good luck
 

i was thinking about the girl you were talking to with st.lucia and it totally reminded me of my rush crush.good luck tomorrow!! I have homecoming event to attend and then i will be right back on greekchat to see where u go...im addicted,lol!

I am so glad to hear that you still have such a positive attitude and would be happy no matter where you end up. I can't wait to hear the ending. Good luck Petals!

You have had such a mature and positive outlook throughout this entire process and your return invites prove that it shows through to the sororities! I'm glad you enjoyed prefs and I think it is wonderful that you felt comfortable at all of your prefs chapters. Whether you get Choice 1, 2 or 3 I feel sure you will be an outstanding new member and a great new sorority sister! I think it is wonderful that those 3 chapters have seen something special in you enough to want you to attend their prefs ceremonies-- no matter which sorority appears on your bid card, remember that you were very well-liked at all and very much wanted by the sorority you have received a bid from!!

I know today will seem like it will stretch on forever until you receive your bid-- just stay busy, study, shop, call home and savor this moment-- you have had such a great recruitment week with lots of new experiences and new friends!

We're very excited for you and can't wait to hear where you've pledged-- drop us a note tomorrow and fill us in on the details :) Good luck!!!

Good luck today! I'm still hoping Sigma Kappa is in the running but we'll find out soon enough!

I stopped reading after ASA was out of the running;)

/obvious lie

Good luck, and I hope you're happy wherever you end up.

it really has been interesting reading all this, so because there's so many possibilities of which organization she'll join, it's going to be interesting to hear who/what she chooses!

I agree with everyone that has pointed out what an incredible attitude you have had as a PNM. It's wonderful that you had a full schedule and felt a connection with all three sororities that you preffed.
Like the other girls here rooting for their sororities, I'm hoping AOPi is still in the running, but I know that every sorority has something unique and amazing to offer and whichever sorority gets you is going to be very lucky! :) Congratulations on prefs and can't wait to hear all about bid day--hopefully later tonight! Best of luck! <3

I am SO happy for you!:) I love your descriptions of the pref events. Just enough to let me pretend I was there:p

I'm really glad that you felt wonderful in your dress.

Happy Bid Day!!!!!

Hooray, I hope you have beautiful weather for bid day...I've heard rumors of snow in PA, and that's just uncalled for!

Wondering...wondering...:p

I guess she'll know in about an hour which tropical destination to call home! How exciting. :)

Isnt this an infraction?!?!?!?! That group can get into trouble with Panhellenic and should. Bids are not guaranteed which is why we do not "promise" a bid to anyone during the recruitment process.

Yes, it sounds like it would be but some of our members have certain ways to phrase the "I hope to see you soon" departing words that the women thinks she is being promised a bid when in fact, she isn't (or she is but it is being dressed up). VERY hard to prove but to a broken hearted pnm, it is a promise. How much do you want to be that promising group picks her up in COB b/c they want her but not enough to put her on their bid list. I hope that group doesn't make quota...by at least 1 woman!

Most likely it's been reported to the j-board, and will be dealt with accordingly.

Hello my lovely GCers :)

Just dropped by to say thanks for the kind words and good energies! Off I go to bid day activities with my lovely new sorority.... which I'll be sure to let you know later :D

(evil, I know, but just wanted to say that all is well!)

(and, indeed, the "promised" bid was reported to j-board, and luckily that poor PNM got a bid to her top choice today instead. A happy day for all!)

Yes Petals, that is evil.:p

I hate that you're keeping us waiting, haha, but CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so glad you got a bid from one of Penn State's wonderful sororities and we can't wait to hear which tropical location you got...and which sorority that actually is! :) <3

Oh come on, so not cool!

Congratulations on your bid, Petals!



Now go do something about that mean streak! ;)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
 

SO EVIL!

CAN'T WAIT!

Though a friend of mine told me a girl from my high school went ZETA at Penn State today, that made me pretty happy.

I hope you're enjoying your night! But I better hear something soon or I'll pop!!!