Recruitment vs. Colony, that is the question
 

Hi everyone, I'm hoping you can help me!

I go to a school with fairly competitive recruitment. I'm a rising junior, and I'm trying to decide what would be the best move for me for upcoming recruitment.

We have a colony coming to campus this fall, but it's recruiting members after formal recruitment is over. As a junior, I know I'll have a hard time with traditional recruitment, but I promise I have realistic expectations for what chapters I may fit in the best with and have a shot at.

I can see benefits to both sides. In a colony, no matter what class standing we'll all be new members at the same time, so I won't feel like a sore thumb in a sea of freshmen new members. On the other hand, there's no guarantee I'll get into a sorority either way. Going through recruitment my chances are higher of getting a bid, but I'm worried that with 2 years left I won't get to know many of the girls or really leave an impression on the chapter.

Do you guys have any advice or insight on this situation? Pretty please? :)

Go through recruitment- if you aren't happy with the results, give the colony a try. Just realize that the colony isn't a sure thing, and if you drop out of recruitment when you still have a few groups left you may miss out. But if you are cut before pref or are desperately unhappy with your choices come pref night, try the colony next.

I just meant because of pure numbers, I have a somewhat larger, or at least equal chance going through recruitment even if I only have 1 when it gets down to the end. I'm just worried that I'll get to prefs and (if I still have any left) I won't be able to decide whether to list them or whether I should take my chances at the colony, if that makes sense. I'm scared I'll feel like I'm missing out either way, whether I pledge and wish I'd colonized or if I withdraw and don't get a colony bid.

^^^^^What HannahXO said.^^^^^

Going through formal recruitment not only doesn't hurt you when it comes time to go through colony recruitment, but it will provide you excellent experience with the process. And in the meantime, if you find a home, then great.

The concern you're being warned against is that you might take formal recruitment less seriously than you should, not have a good outcome, and go into colony recruitment expecting to be a shoo in. On some campuses colony recruitment is extremely competitive, and it sounds from previous posts on GC that some girls don't understand how competitive it really can be.

My advice is go through formal recruitment with all hopes of finding a home. Do your best, have your recs in order, and have your wardrobe and conversation skills up to snuff. Because you're going to be a junior, no matter what you do you'll likely have tough cuts, but there's a chance you could continue through recruitment with a couple chapters. Then, when the time comes, if going through colony recruitment turns out the right thing to do, go into that as prepared as you were for formal. And maybe as a result of having gone through formal recruitment, you'll be more comfortable in recruitment-style conversation with strangers and have a better outcome than you would have otherwise. Good luck!

What DubaiSis said - excellent advice!

a big THUMBS up to all the advice you have gotten.