As of this evening, 1630 are signed up.
Out of that, almost 650 are Alabama residents. The rest are OOS or OOC.

University of Alabama is adding a day to recruitment because of the number of pnms: http://www.uapanhellenic.com/

For the third year in a row, UA is expecting record-breaking numbers in terms of participation in sorority recruitment. In order to accommodate the increase in registration, we have added an additional day to the formal recruitment schedule. Recruitment will now take place Friday, August 10, 2012 through Saturday, August 18, 2012.

Recruitment events will begin on Friday, August 10, 2012 with Convocation, which will be held at 7:00 pm at Foster Auditorium. Dress for Convocation is casual and t-shirts and shorts are appropriate. We understand that majority of the women participating in recruitment will be moving in on Friday, so you are encouraged to come as you are.
The new 2012 recruitment schedule will be as follows:
Thursday, August 9 & Friday, August 10: Residence Hall “Early Move-In”
Friday, August 10: Convocation (7:00 p.m. Foster Auditorium)
Saturday, August 11: Open House Day 1
Sunday, August 12: Open House Day 2
Monday, August 13: Philanthropy Day 1
Tuesday, August 14: Philanthropy Day 2
Wednesday, August 15: Skit Day 1
Thursday, August 16: Skit Day 2
Friday, August 17: Preference Day
Saturday, August 18: Bid Day (10:00 a.m. Bryant-Denny Stadium)

I think the website says registration closes August 1. But there is a late registration from the 1st until the 9th. Hard to believe that many would register that late and be able to be prepared for Bama recruitment...

Early Registration: $100.00 (March 25th - May 31st)
Regular Registration: $150.00 (June 1st - July 31st)
Late Registration: $200.00 (August 1st - August 9th)
On-Site Registration: $250.00 (August 10th at Convocation)

From the web site. I don't think these have been adjusted for the extra day, though.
No, there aren't that many that come in at the last minute...but....I actually know someone who is waiting until the last possible minute, because she's re-rushing and doesn't want anybody in her hometown to know she's going through.
She's nuts.

You know, not every PNM has $150 at the drop of a hat, either.

I also think that unfortunately some girls (OOS in many cases) adopt the "I'll register when I get all my recs" attitude. They don't understand the process, the time or the commitment. They wait until the last minute (this week :/) and then scramble to find the recs they need. So, there's a lot of last minute registrations.

I have had many requests for recs in the last 5 days and I can tell you that I've had some pretty funny ones. Had one girl call and ask with the lead off line, "So I only need a rec for the house I choose right? And I choose yours!" I also had a girl call and ask, then she tells me she just fill out the form (which she has downloaded) and sign my name if that's okay...ummm NO!

Finally, the best one was a girl who called yesterday. She informed me she had sent her resume and pics to the sorority already. She just wanted confirmation that I would call and "put in a good word for her". I gently explained that wasn't how it worked (she was shocked), asked her to send me her resume and pics via email, I would get back to her. She did. Her resume was incomplete and a mess and her pics had her in a playboy bunny suit (a Halloween costume??) and a pic of her in a crown (no mention of pageants on the resume). She called me back 6 times in the next hour (I didn't answer the last 4) to ask if I had seen "her work" and had I called yet. I had to explain that unless she was willing to rework her resume and get me some different pics I was not going to be able to write her a rec. She explained to ME that it was ok, she really didn't need the rec since once the sororities met her they would be so taken with her beauty, charm and intelligence (2.8 GPA by the way, which I also explained might be a wee bit of a problem!) that she would have at least 10 or more bids to choose from. OH MY!!!!! She was from OOS. I am not saying OOS girls are all like this but for many who don't have experience with SEC recruitment they just don't understand, or choose not to understand..not sure which one.

I would expect to see the final number close to 2000. In the past it seems that if there were 1000 girls at Preview we usually picked up another 500 or so for recruitment..so 1500 at Preview (if I remember correctly) would put UA close to 2000. It's very exciting but I hate to see those really large pledge classes. The sororities will have to work really hard to make sure they bond. There are a couple of houses on campus that take traditionally large pledge classes and then lose quite a few because they don't feel "the connection".

Have heard of several groups that were on campus in the spring looking into colonization for fall 2013. I know a couple decided to not pursue at this time but I had thought one was interested.....Delta Phi Epsilon???? but never heard if there was a vote and if so how it went. Anyone?

Alphapimommy, I very much want to know what happens with these PNMs during recruitment!

Delta Phi Epsilon was the only group presenting and was not offered an expansion opportunity.

I've got one right now trying to get me to do a sponsor form for her - upperclass, 2.5 GPA, OOS and "can't find anyone in her hometown." Said she "talked to some girls who said to explain to everyone that she was sick spring semester and that's why her grades are low." Hmmm...don't think so. I told her to talk to the GA about it - that I really can't in all good conscience sign one for her knowing we can't take her. Ugh.

Had a classmate of D's (we're from Texas) ask me to write for her for Alabama. Told her I would be happy to as she is a really sweet girl and just beautiful. Got her resume and was :eek: shocked at her grades. A 2.7 eek.. I did send it but told her not to expect full schedules due to the amount of girls, being OOS and grades. She told me its ok she has 2 friends in one of the houses and they will get her in their house.. Hope it all works out, I know her friends are telling her this stuff.. Worries me though.

While I do know I overplan everything to an extent far beyond that is needed but I just don't understand why so many PNMs leave this stuff to the last minute?!

They're probably the same girls who register for classes like the week before the semester starts. Which may perhaps be a red flag.

As far as OOS is concerned based on the statistics that I posted from 2011, I am confident that the majority of OOS PNMs do know what they're doing :-)

Because they just don't know. I am pretty sure that my mom never even wrote me a legacy introduction form for her group.

A colleague's daughter rushed at an SEC school a few years ago, and declined my offer for a rec, because the website says you don't need them (I wrote in anyway, but with obviously limited info).