Can someone explain generally how the matching process for RFM works?
Which way does the matching lean towards, the PNM or the Chapter?

For Instance, it will match all the PNMs to their first choice (if possible) even if this means that the chapter gets girls lower on their carry list. Or it will match the top x number of PNMs on a chapter's carry list even if its the PNMs 2nd/3rd/4th choice.

I hope this makes sense. Thanks in advance.

KSUViolet06 .. I concur ... RFM deals with how many PNMs can be invited to each round of events and ultimately to preference. Bid matching hasn't changed with the exception that if the campus uses RFM they aren't restricted to the 5% limit on quota additions.

As always its a mutual selection process. Bid matching attempts to match a PNM with her first choice until it is clear that she won't match there.

Thanks for the clarification, I thought RFM had its own matching process.

Neither. It balances both. I'll use a visual example to explain.

Let's say quota is 20. The A list is the first 20 members on the list, and they are all tied as the chapter's #1s; order does not matter. Think of this as a "box". The B list is in order of the chapter's preference. Think of this as a "line". All PNMs in the "box" that rank that chapter first are matched. PNMs who match elsewhere are removed from the "box" and PNMs from the line are moved into the box, in order, beginning with #21. If she ranked the chapter first, she is a match.

So if a PNM is in "line" for her first choice and in the "box" for her second/third, her spot is held there until she matches with her first choice or until her first choice fills quota. The myth of being "cross cut" suggests that you're missing out on your second choice while your first choice fills quota. Not true. If you are "cross cut" it means you are too far down the list on all your chapters and your school doesn't have a guaranteed matching policy for PNMs who maximize their options.

Basically, a PNM gets her first choice unless the chapter makes quota before reaching her name on their list.

This is for bid matching after Pref night, but what about for Day 1 to Day 3? Is the matching process generally the same?

Every sorority is going to be different due to their past return rates for rush parties. Some groups can invite projected quota x 2 back, some can invite projected quota x 5 back. The more popular sororities just need to start deciding who they REALLY want earlier, rather than stringing along the "maybes." I'm sure at first it's a bit of a cluster, but once they realize that "throwing lots of @#$% to the wall and seeing what sticks" is no longer a viable invite strategy, it's probably a lot less stress for everyone involved.

What it boils down to is, the most popular sororities are going to cut more people and cut them earlier. If a PNM comes into rush with only those groups in her sights, she'll probably be disappointed.

What do y'all think about the release figures now? Any changes?

Carnation, honestly, I think the only issue with the RFM's that I see is that the first round is totally based on first impressions. There is not enough time to really get to know a girl. I think this hurts PNM's the most who are shy and reserved. I think it helps PNM's who might be very attractive, but not have a lot of the other qualities your looking for. I think you could fix this by having 1st round parties be a little bit longer, which is hard at a lot of universities or have your releases not be so drastic so you could actually meet these women a second time and get a better feel for them.

I wish that PH would prep the girls too but as time goes by, several of us have decided that a lot of groups at competitive schools have their "cut after first round" list made well before recruitment. A lot of these girls aren't grade or reputation releases, they're simply unknown to the members. Come to think of it, several groups probably have most of their "cut after second round" list finished well in advance too...you know, the legacies and heavily recommended girls they're sure they don't want.

Also done ahead of time: the ranking of multiple girls from 1 city or high school. This is known as the 'there are 10 girls from ABC High School or ABC City and we can't take them all" list.

Agree with you 100% on all points! The Greek system misses lots of great girls that way.

On the other side of that coin, if Susie is THAT shy, she would probably be uncomfortable in a chapter so full of overly vivacious girls. "You'll end up where you were meant to." As far as the PNMs who are cute but crap otherwise...I'm sure they get cut very quickly.

Ditto all this to the girls who don't get into ABC because ABC only takes girls from certain cities/high schools. Why would you want to be in a group that's going to have a bunch of inside jokes that you don't understand and that every other thing they say they have to explain to you?

The whole point is: do your homework!! This is a generation that studies, compares, contrasts and preps for college admission to the nth degree. Especially when looking at competitive colleges (which these days, just with the sheer amount of college age students) is most of them. They need to look at rushing a Greek org (because I think guys also go through similar things at competitive schools) the same way.

I mean, if you can find out that Vanderbilt likes you to write your essay about a family member that died and how you grew from it (regardless of what their website says), you can certainly find out that they need recs for sorority rush (regardless of what the website says).

I don't agree with this. If those chapters won't give those "unknown" women a chance they aren't missing out on being Greek, they just go to chapters that will take the time to get to know them or are better at researching PNMs. The Greek system is only missing out on those great girls if those great girls decide to not accept invitations to chapters that do want to get to know them. With release figures it seems that it would be rare for a great girl to not get invites from any chapters.

I'm not advocating that chapters only take girls they know, but frankly that is their business and how they do membership selection. They are only hurting themselves in the long run if they miss out on great members and more conscientious groups take the time and effort to procure recs for women without them.