University of Southern California Recruitment
 

Sorority recruitment began today at USC (University of So. Cal). I know that there are Trojan GC'ers--anyone have details? How many going thru recruitment? Usually I write several recs, but this year I do not have anyone going thru.

Hope we get some stories and or info about how the week is going. USC has one of the toughest recruitments on the west coast, in my opinion.

There are 1042 women participating in recruitment...bound to be a difficult week for those on both sides!

University of Southern California
 

The University of Southern California has a long standing Greek system. The first sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, was established there in 1895. Fraternities and sororities are located on 28th Street, traditionally called "The Row".

Recruitment Schedule:

Sunday--Conversation Day
Monday--Conversation Day
Women will visit ten chapters. Sigma Delta Tau will participate in this part of formal recruitment.

Tuesday--House Tours
Wednesday--House Tours
Women will visit up to 6 chapters by invitation

Thursday--Slideshow Day
Women will visit up to 4 chapters by invitation

Friday--Preference
Women will visit up to 2 chapters by invitation

Saturday--USC football game in Memorial Coliseum

Sunday--Bid Night

Presents--October 21, 2012

I am wishing all the pnms all good thoughts for a wonderful week!

Fight on!!!!

I'm also sending good thoughts to the pmn's and all of the actives as well :)
What do you all think about the day off between pref and bid night?

Fight on. I would love to read a story from Southern Cal.

Pearly,

My guess is Panhellenic would have preferred to have it on Saturday, but there is a game at the Coliseum which is sold out. This year the first game is at home, so Bid Night will have to be on a Sunday. With only nine houses participating in the entire process at least recruitment did not have to be held for a longer period.

I am wondering if Panhellenic will have to add extra parties as has been done at some colleges this year due to the record breaking number of potential new members.

Presents will be held again on Parents' Weekend in October.

I understand why they scheduled the way they did...I think it opens the door for pnm's to be influenced on that game day especially during the tailgating. I know the pnm's will have done their final ranking and turned it in early on Saturday before any of the pre-gaming...

Girls will have signed their pref cards and have been matched to a house before the game. Neither the actives nor the (P)NMs will know who is in which house on game day.

The past two years, the first game of the season has been away and/or the second week of school. Having the Hawaii game be this Saturday caused some issues with scheduling that are not usually issues.

There have been no extra parties, though the turnout is a record high. Convo day parties have been about 47-53 girls I believe.

And I doubt this is a surprise to anyone, but 14 parties in 12 hours is not much fun!

(PNMs did seven parties today, either in the morning or afternoon/evening, and then will do the remaining three Monday evening, in two shifts again.)

It's been a whole other experience being on the sister side (I'm so much more appreciative of my experience now!) and I must say, based on those I've met, it's a great group of women going through formal.

Thank you for the update kaeb! Do you know if there are restictions for the pnm's regarding tailgates and fraternity parties for Saturday?

So, Pref is Friday night and Bid Day is not until Sunday night???
If I were a PNM, I think I'd develop an ulcer waiting that long ...
Hopefully Panhellenic will instill in the PNMs to be mindful & NOT medicate their nervousness by "over-serving" themselves on game day.

Good luck to all the houses & PNMs!

I believe the entire recruitment process is supposed to be dry, so I'm sure they're not allowed to drink on Saturday. I know actives are not allowed to drink within 24 hours of bid night (so no alcohol during or after the game). I think all other rules regarding communication with PNMs are still in effect, meaning we can't talk to them, and they can't talk to us.

I agree, ChioLu, I think for both the houses and the PNMs, the anticipation will be awful! I'm kind of glad I don't have to deal with it on the same level they do.

This is my first going through recruitment as the mother of PNM. The way I understood it is that if you aren't dropped before Pref and you maximize your options, you will receive a bid. Is it possible to receive a bid from a house other than the two you attended Pref parties at?

You can not receive a bid from a chapter that you have not listed on your bid card.

Occasionally, a PNM will decide to list a chapter at which she did not attend pref, but this won't accomplish anything for the PNM unless a very long and strange sequence of events takes place, and such circumstances are so rare that I can safely say no, you cannot receive a bid from a chapter at which you did not attend pref.

So would not most PNMs be delighted with the bid they receive?

It is my understanding at SC if a pnm attends two preference parties and lists both she will receive a bid from one of those two. It may not be the chapter the pnm listed first. If a pnm was invited to only one preference party, attended and listed that chapter on her card she should receive a bid from that chapter.

My guess is this year new member classes may be the largest ever at SC.

You would think so, but no, not everyone is thrilled. Some girls are devastated by receiving their second choice on bid day. It may be the first time they haven't gotten something they wanted, or they may genuinely have a huge gap in how they feel about #1 and #2.

They may have lost their favorite early in recruitment, and not really be thrilled about either of their pref chapters. As recruitment becomes more competitive all over, those delicate emotions may be going the way of the dodo.

Slideshow Day at USC
 

Today the pnms pick up their invitations to Slideshow Day. They may attend up to four parties.

:confused:

Instead of starting recruitment with “Conversation Day” on Sunday, why didn’t SC start recruitment a day earlier on Saturday? If they had done so, and still followed the same schedule, Bid Night would fall on Friday and there would not be a "need" for an "open day" due to the home football game.

Because it clashes with events for welcome week and the university did not approve. Its the same reason why USC doesnt do recruitment before classes start (a week before) because it clashes with welcome week.

Thursday night the fraternities have their "Blue Chip" dinners. These are by invitation only and are essentially the frat version of "pref". Tomorrow (Friday) the frats will extend bids. Not every young man who attends a blue chip dinner will get a bid from that frat.

Two celebs that I am aware of going thru recruitment at USC---Patrick Shriver (Shwarzeneggar...spelled wrong, I know, but I am too lazy to look it up!). Patrick has many good friends from his high school (Brentwood School) in a particular frat. I wont say which one, but it is likely he will get a bid from that frat. Patrick is gorgeous and I am sure the row is buzzing about where he ends up!!

Also rushing is the daughter of Jamie Foxx!!

Wondering, with frat recruitment finished on Friday, but sorority recruitment not finished until Sunday (bid night for the girls), how on earth with the row stay "dry" on Saturday sith USC hosting the first home football game of the season??!!!

I just found out the daughter's friend little sister is rushing!! I am so hoping for a good outcome.

Preference
 

Friday morning the pnms pick up invitations for Preference parties. A possible new member may accept up to two invitations.

Bid Night will be Sunday evening.

Legacy cut by other sororities
 

My DD PNM is a legacy to my sorority W which was listed on her recruitment registration and on her resume presented to rec writers. I was not a member of W at USC but at an out-of-state school. She is only a legacy because of me -- not sister, grandmother, etc. I hate the whole tier concept, but allegedly sorority W is a top-tier sorority at USC.

After round 1, DD was cut by XYZ (all so-called top tier USC sororities). She had an amazing rush and was not cut by any other sororities the rest of recruitment. She is hopeful to receive a bid to one of the fabulous chapters she attended for pref!!

My question is: do sororities XYZ automatically cut legacies to W at USC? or I guess it could be any legacies within that "tier"? Any ideas?

I had inquired about leaving legacy information off recruitment registration and other recs (besides legacy rec) altogether but was advised that being a legacy to one chapter showed Greek support.

Is it better to omit W, X, Y or Z legacy status at USC?

Mamagreek, I have no clue, I'm sorry.

I'm expecting quota at SC to be a record high this year... like absurdly so (for us).

Look Forrward
 

From women I have heard about through the years who had legacy daughters it appears some are released from their legacy chapters and others are not. SC has families where generation after generation wish to enroll. Some of the older chapters have more legacies than spots in the new member class. Some are legacies to two or more chapters.

Member selection is private information. Your daughter has had great choices. She appears happy with her invitations and is looking forward to a wonderful experience in her new home.

From what I understand many women were released completely and would love to be in your daughter's place tomorrow.

I wish her happiness Sunday evening when she opens her bid!:)

The unique SC Song Girls....http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_2912_ADJ.jpgkaeb,

We are guessing now as I can only speculate how many attended preference parties. Do you think the new member classes will reach 80?

@mamagreek: each group has their own private membership selection process so I can only say for sure that the only case that it should be left off the information submitted is if your D would definately refuse a bid to her legacy group for some reason...
Did she pref at her legacy house on Friday? Good luck to her (and you) today! All of the houses are wonderful and the Greek community is great at USC ! Please come back and tell us where she ends up or even share her recruitment story :)

Here is my dumb question. Why do they call them song girls when they are a dance group?

Can I profess my love for marqise lee yet? =) I love this year!

Lots of high schools in Southern California have or have had Song Girls, I'm sure the SC Song Girls were the inspiration. Yes they are a "dance" group, but they performed to the school "song." My HS' Song Girls wore uniforms almost identical to the USC Song Girls. Some years they had a music note on their uniform. USC has a competition cheer team as well.

At Stanford they are called the Dollies. It's just a name, like Song Girls. Tradition. Best Pac 12 cheer/dance girls are at UCLA and University of Oregon! They are very athletic, gorgeous, and have great choreography. USC Song Girls, eh, not so much. Eye Candy for the most part.

Back to recruitment! Bids at what time tonight at USC??

Bid Night at SC
 

Women are to meet at 7:00 p.m. PT to receive bids. Once they are received the women "run" to the row to celebrate with their new sisters. Most of the parties are on the front lawns of the chapter houses. Some have themes and can be elaborate. There are no classes on Monday due to the Labor Day holiday.

With over a thousand women registered and nine houses participating in formal recruitment new member classes may be the largest ever.

@pearly
 

My daughter was NOT released by her legacy house and other than the 3 sororities that didn't invite her back 1st round, she has been invited back to all of her top choices for rounds 2, 3 & pref. She'll find out tonight where she is a nm, but she will be happy in either! The reason I inquired about certain sororities releasing other chapter's legacies was because those so-called "competitor" sororities were the only ones who released her. It just makes me think that when sororities X, Y, & Z had to make cuts, they just said cut anyone who's a legacy to chapter W at the first round. I know required cuts were heavy and trust me as Mamagreek, I am ever so thankful that the rest of the week went so well. Keeping my fingers crossed for bid night!!! Thank you.

Highly likely that your daughter will get a bid from her legacy chapter if she went to pref there and ranked them first. No telling what the other three chapters were thinking... Of course I don't know which houses you are talking about exactly but I do have a good idea. The conspiracy theorist in me immediately thinks that might be too much of a coincidence! In any case, I am glad she had such a wonderful experience and found a new home. Congratulations!

With Release Figures Management, the chapters with the highest returns to their parties (historically) are required to release more women. Grades and recs can be easy cuts to meet those release figures. Some chapters may assume that a legacy will go to that chapter and cut legacies to other chapters also. Some may not. There's no way to know why your daughter was cut from those three. There have been discussions on GC about whether to put legacies on the Panhellenic forms or not at certain schools. Some have felt it was a disadvantage to have that information out there. Others think it doesn't make a difference. Some chapters take great pride in "stealing" a legacy from another chapter too. It can go either way.

Bottom line- She'll end up where she is meant to be :)

One of my best friends has a son in a fraternity at USC. They extended their bids yesterday. According to my friend, all of the fraternity guys get their lawn chairs, etc. and line the "ROW" to watch the new members run to their sorority houses. Nothing unusual with that. But apparently the fraternity men refer to it as the "Running of the BITCHES" ! To quote Stephanie from Full House: "HOW RUDE" !

Any USC GC'ers care to comment? Do other schools call it this also??

@AGDee:I had originally said something about the "legacy stealing" but I was trying to be all sweet and Panhellenic and edited my post... I was actually thinking collusion to explain why they all dropped her right away

First off, recruitment has been INTENSE.

As for what the running to the row tradition is called, in my years at SC there have been various names. As far as I was aware there isn't one 'official' name in Row lingo.

This however is a pretty hilarious short video of the running to the row, as inspired by the running of the bulls in Pamplona

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd0xqBBRbWQ

If any of you read my thread of my daughter's recruitment know but this....she would have taken out anyone who said something rude to her or another woman she would have taken them out. Yep...all 105 pounds of her. :)

Congratulations to all the new members! Have the time of your lives.