08-09 recruitment
 

Hi! I just talked to one of the actives at UGA and they are so excited about their new baby angels! And I talked to a friend who is an alum and current parent at Bama. She said they had great return rates this year and picked up great girls.

Yeah Pi Phi!!

Woo!

I'm so excited for our recruitment to start. I'm deathly afraid, having never gone through formal, but I'm excited to meet all our new baby angels!

Also -- any clue on how many baby angels we got at UGA and Bama?

UGA was 62 with quota being 58.

I forget what my friend at bama said, but i think by now we can look it up :)

I wrote a rec for someone going through at UT-Austin. So now i'm looking forward to seeing how that one plays out.

Any word on how it's going at Arkansas?????

Florida State
 

All the sororities made quota (48), but I don't know if Florida Beta took any additions. Great job, ladies!

The Tennessee Gamma chapter at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville made quota plus eight, for a total of 56 new members!

Results for Pi Beta Phi (taken from our members only section, so I'm assuming they are accurate)

Univ of Arizona 67
University of Florida 48
Univ of Idaho 29
Univ of New Mexico 32
Univ of Oklahoma 74
Oklahoma State 51
Univ of Louisville 26
Iowa State 29
University of Iowa 28
Kansas State 47
LSU 77
Univ of Missouri 29
Univ of Nebraska 44
Texas A&M 57

Congrats to all!!!

ASU recruitment
 

Hi there. Sorry you daughter did not get the bid to her ideal sorority.

I would strongly recommend that she stick with the house she pledged. Many girls feel so-so about the houses they pledge for a few days or even weeks. But often by initiation they are feeling great about the chapter and couldn't see themselves anywhere else!

I don't know the specifics of ASU, but oftentimes it is difficult to get a bid as a sophomore. It's also nice to have impressive statistics like your daughter does, but that doesn't mean much in formal recruitment. Many of the girls will have the same or similar lines on their resumes.

The one thing that might have been a problem is the recommendations. At some schools those are very, very important to have. However I do NOT recommend thinking that going through next year with recommendations will solve the situation to your satisfaction. There are many other reasons why a PNM can be released. None of us can really answer why your daughter was released. To respond to your question of "It's more a matter of she really liked these girls and felt like she fit in, what went wrong?," the most likely reason is that Pi Phi did not feel a similar fit.

I'm sorry for your daughter's hurt and I truly hope that she grows to love the chapter she has pledged. I think that is way more likely to happen than you realize. :)

The fact of the matter is....they DID pick her. They saw something in her that they liked and thought would be good for their sorority...and they thought their sorority would be good for her.

She won't have better chances next time around unless she has some kind of superstar stellar campus involvement or becomes Miss America or something.

If she becomes Miss America she won't have time for a sorority! Her best friend is Miss Teen Arizona, does that help? I talked to her last night and she saw the new pledges, she didn't think they weren't picked for their beauty. And being a Brownlee didn't get her a spot either. She just thought the girls were really fun and nice, plus as she put it, "They all had hair like mine!" As only an 18 year old would see it!

I was just using Miss America as an example of a very large accolade that would draw attention to her - not as a comment on looks (hers or anyone's).

I don't know what a "Brownlee" is, unless it's your last name and you like own lots of things and stuff.

I don't know what a "Brownlee" is, unless it's your last name and you like own lots of things and stuff.[/quote]

Emma Brownlee Kilgore
1848-1925
A true leader and Pi Beta Phi's first president. The coat of arms of Pi Beta Phi is derived from those of the Brownlee family.

Also her little sister Clara was one of the first members. I do have too much stuff, at least that's what my grouchy old husband says.

O I C. I didn't realize this was the Pi Phi forum, LOL.

Is your daughter actually descended from Emma Brownlee Kilgore or Clara Brownlee Hutchinson? It sounds like your daughter had her hopes set on Pi Phi from childhood because of some family connection to two of the founders. If that's the case, I would think family members would have known to do a legacy introduction (and would certainly have known about recommendations). Not that it is by any means a sure shot at getting a bid.

Is your daughter a descendant of the Brownlees who helped found Pi Phi? If she is, did the chapter know this?

Ignore my previous post. Your reply beat it. I do wish you had let the chapter know, though it still is no guarantee. The only people who know what goes on during recruitment are the members of a chapter.

I can't believe no one asked her. The first thing out of my mouth would have been like "Oh Brownlee? Two of our founders had the last name Brownlee."

Oh I know. It would have been pretty cool. But we'll get over it. I do have another daughter who's currently a sophomore in high school. If she decides to rush, I'll be better prepared.

It's a bit surprising to me too, but it's not a totally rare name or anything.

And with connections like that, they probably assumed she would have had a legacy introduction if she were actually descended from the two founders.

It's really too, too bad, that you didn't get recommendations and letters. At first I didn't understand that she was actually related to the Brownlee family - although I assume she must be descended from a brother or something, if your last name is Brownlee (and not Hutchinson or Kilgore..???).

That said, it might not have made any difference. I think your daughter should really focus on being happy where she is! She may turn out to love her new house, and I hope she does!!!

Maybe it's early and I haven't had enough coffee, but I'm still not seeing it in any of luvgoldens responses - what exactly is the relationship between the daughter and the Brownlee founders? (Not asking whether she's like a great neice thrice removed or anything specific like that, but I haven't gotten anywhere other than a same last name.)

On one hand, I think it would be really cool to have a member in the chapter who was descended from a founder. OTOH, if she's not a good fit with that particular chapter, it could be miserable for everyone involved. It's the same as with any legacy.

Luvgoldens, I hope your daughter is doing well!

She was here last night, but wouldn't talk much about the sorority situation. I know they have to narrow it down, but the whole process sounds like it could be damaging to one's self esteem. I don't think I could have put myself out there like she did.

Another try on the photo....

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l2...stcheer004.jpg

When I was a junior in college, I think it was, a PNM went through recruitment that was a descendant of one of the Theta founders in some way. I think it might have been a great-great-great-whatever aunt. She did end up joining Theta!

Can't see the picture unless you're her myspace friend - which is probably a good thing.

Recruitment can certainly be hurtful, but in the end I think it is more of a positive learning experience. She did well to continue through despite the disappointment and hopefully will continue her resilience!

I talked to a very old friend tonight, my best friend from flight attendant training, she was a Pi Phi from CU. (Her mother told her she would never get in!) She wanted to write a letter for Tay, but I think it's too late. I wish I would have thought to ask her a couple of weeks ago.
My daughter came home tonight with her roommate and 4 of her guy friends, they are out on the golf course now playing some crazy game. I think she's going to be fine. It was just a tough weekend!
Thanks for all your advice! cb

Little sisters at Fraternities?
 

I just remembered my brother had a beautiful gf who was a Pi-Phi at ASU back in the late 80's. Her name was Beth and she was from Colorado. Does anyone remember her? My brother Ken was the President of the Sigma Nu house back then, before they got into trouble. He had a wonderful experience with it all, but he's so much fun, he always has a great time. He mentioned they might still have little sisters for the fraternities and my question for you ladies is this: Is this something I want my 18 year old daughter involved in? Thank-You! cb

Your daughter is lovely. But yes, recruitment is tough. Most of the girls going through have similar stats. I wouldn't put myself through it again. I think so much of getting a bid is clicking with one member, who then talks you up to other members. Also, remember that some chapters have more legacies going through than they have room for. In cases like that, legacy introduction forms and recs can make a huge difference, though they're still not a guarantee. Still, let that be a lesson if your other daughter decides to rush.

I hope your daughter takes a deep breath, dusts herself off and realizes that her new chapter is a place where she can be happy.

Yes, it would definitely be too late for your friend to write a recommendation for your daughter now.

By the way, even if your daughter were not to initiate into the sorority she has joined, she would not be eligible to receive a bid from Pi Phi for a year. This is an NPC regulation - no woman that receives a bid from one sorority during formal recruitment can receive/accept another from a different sorority for a one year period.

As far as little sisters for fraternities, they are now forbidden by most if not all of the NIC organizations. On some campuses, they still operate contrary to national policies. Many fraternity little sister groups that acted as de facto sororities actually became NPC sororities in the 1980s when the groups were made illegal.

Personally, I would not encourage a young woman to join these groups as I have heard many negative things about the groups still in operation. But I can't speak for every group and every campus.

Your daughter seems to be great and dealing with recruitment disappointment in the normal, natural way. I really hope she is growing to love whatever sorority she joined. Maybe you could use GC as an opportunity to learn more about the history and rich traditions of that group.

I know my mother, who went to a women's college that did not have Greek life, was rather opposed to me joining my sorority, but grew to love Pi Phi in the four years I attended college. She will tell anyone who asks that Pi Phi is the best! I hope that you will come to feel the same way about your daughter's new sorority. :)

My advice to you right now is honestly to let go. Everything usually works out as it is supposed to!

They don't have offically approved, structured Little Sister programs anymore like your brother's fraternity would have had. The last gasp for these was around the early 90s. If there is anything called "little sisters" on the campus, they are not approved by the fraternities' national HQ and your daughter should not get involved.

We start our recruitment on Thursday! I'm very nervous, but I've been told I can "talk to a brick wall"...
Hopefully we'll get a large group of wonderful angels!

Good luck Bevin!!

What campus are you at again (if you don't mind sharing)?

We started our recruitment this past Wednesday. We had open house rounds on Wednesday and Thursday, and first rounds on Saturday and Sunday.

Second rounds is Thursday and Friday, with Pref rounds on Saturday. I'm getting excited!

Good luck with recruitment, ladies!

I love the Angel symbol, so many cute things you could do with that! Angels are everywhere. I maybe getting into "Owls!"
But I need some more advice from you kind ladies....my daughter has been invited to a meeting with her potential sisters and was told to wear "Business attire." We are clueless what that should mean to an 18 year old. We are in AZ where it is still at least 100 daily, it might cool off to 90 during the evening. Help! And thank-you!

I would recommend wearing a nice pair of slacks, or maybe a very nice (business-y) skirt with a nice top and modest heels. For instance, I wear a black pencil skirt, a silk type top and black pumps for some business meetings. Unfortunately, it is a bit warm but it isn't as hot as some outfits.

Good luck!

I'm at Illinois State. Not a hugely "greek" campus, but as of last night (registration closes today), there were almost 500 girls signed up for recruitment. There are 12 houses going through recruitment (at least, I think that's how many decided to). We do Thursday/Friday welcome rounds, Saturday philanthropy/house tours, Sunday pref, Monday Bid Night!

Do some houses not typically participate in formal recruitment there?

Illinois State is a really pretty campus. It's in Bloomington-Normal. My husband and I visited the campus a few years back and the joke between us is that it is just so "Normal" --the students, the natives, the buildings.

How did your recruitment go? Let us know about the new "baby angels" at ISU. :)

We have a CERES house, Delta Phi Lambda (an Asian interest sorority), and one house who is choosing to only do informal recruitment this year.

Indiana Zeta took 22 Baby Angels, making quota plus one!! =D