COB Dates
 

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Actually, if a bid is offered to you through COB, you usually have at least 24 hours to decide whether or not to sign it. You might miss the bid day festivities, but better to do that than be tied to the wrong group for a year.

I hate when Panhels do this, it's so crummy for the rushees especially those who are doing the smart thing and checking out all the groups.

Thanks KSUViolet06 and 33girl! Turns out that one of the chapters has a bid day happening nearly two weeks after the bid day of another chapter. :( I don't know anyone in the chapters, so I'm completely unbiased. How should I go about participating in COB (since I can't check out every chapter) if they all look the same to me?

My alma mater does informal recruitment this way. It's a mad free-for all, with PNMs having to choose between overlapping parties and having to decide whether to take a bid or try to hold out for another chapter. I'm glad I went through formal (though the changes didn't take place until after I joined).

All I can say is to go to as many parties as you can and follow your gut. Only you can make the best decision for yourself.

This is how Spring Recruitment happens at my school and how I went through. If the chapters have events near each other, you could try going to each for a little bit just to get a feel for them and meet some of the actives. If you feel you have made any connection with any, just go to their events for the next few days or split your time if you liked another one as well. Good luck!

If you are completely unbiased and don't know anyone in the chapters at your school, I would recommend attending all of the COB events to meet lots of new people. Assuming that there may be some chapters on your campus not participating in COB, perhaps you should also consider just meeting people at the spring COB events and then attending formal recruitment (in the fall?) so that you might maximize your options and find the right sorority for you (not just those that have fallen under total this semester)?

That was what I was going to suggest. Our campus has a similar situation and it's frustrating for the sororities too as we end up trying to beat each other to the punch for the girls we want. Though a lot of girls COBing are doing it because they know what sorority they want, there are many that have no idea, and I've seen them take the first bid they got when they probably would've been extended more than one had they waited. And they end up being disappointed sometimes. If you have NO idea I think the advice of getting to know the girls now and then going through formal recruitment is a good one. Otherwise you could try to get to know girls from the chapters prior to the COB's.