Legacys in SEC Recruitment?
 

So lately I've been researching Bama's recruitment and it's competitive nature and I have read multiple times that there are enough legacys going through recruitment to fill a pledge class and a half at least in almost all of the sororities on campus. So my question is, if you have no sorority connections and know no one in these competitive SEC greek systems (specifically Bama) how do you even get a bid if the sororities clearly have more than enough people that they already know or that have a connection to the sorority to choose from? And to take that a step farther does being a minority put you at a disadvantage, keep the odds the same, or can it even be an advantage in the recruitment process?

I'm just really interested and fascinated by Greek Life and would appreciate any feedback.

Alright thank you. And I wasn't trying to find the formula on "how to get a bid" I was just wondering why those without any connections can get bids over legacies (spelt it right this time) and people with connections. I guess that may be considered trying to figure out the "formula" I was just really confused.

You need to register with your closest alumnae panhellenic.

The thing is, and you'll get this from doing some reading, although legacies are valued among all the sororities, they are not valued above all other things. The sororities, especially in these legacy-rich chapters, need to balance old blood with new. Without going into member selection (which I couldn't do if I tried for any sorority other than my own and this isn't the way we do it) but let's say they had a scoring sheet. A 4.0 gives you 5 points. You were a cheerleader, 5 points. You were the president of your student body, 5 points. Your mother was an XYZ, 5 points. You're a lousy conversationalist, 0 points. You came to rush like you just rolled out of bed, 0 points. You can see where if 20 points is a good score, the 5 points for being a legacy would be valuable but not critical.

We've been round and round about advantage/disadvantage of diversity and rush here on GC. I think at some schools it is an advantage, presuming all other things are equal, but at some schools, they are still looking for a certain look in girls and no amount of wishing it to be different is going to change that. And some are changing, but at glacial rates.

And even if you think you know which type of school you're going to, you could very well be wrong. You just have to go in prepared, hold your head high and see what happens.