Confused about COB
 

Last year I received that "I'm sorry Lisa you did not get any prefs, there is still COB where if there are spots still available the sorority will hand you a bid". i.e. the girls were come to your door and hand you an invitation to COB, not go to a party and then decide if they like you. Well, that's how I understood it

I feel for Enna since she's in the same situation I had last year, but do I have the COB confused? If I could go to one party and that be all, I'd do that, but maybe my school's different?

COB is constant open bidding...it's not like formal recruitment at all... i got in through COB, for example.. i went to one COB event and they extended me a bid.....

I did COB!
 

Yep! Me too :) My chapter had an open spot and after hanging out with some friends I already had in the house, I expressed my interest in joining. They extended me a bid and the rest is history. But in other cases we have little get-togethers during study break with ice cream or invite girls over for dinner to get to know them and they can see the house, etc. Then if we extend bids to them they can accept.

It happens after formal recruitment too, but it's not isolated to that time period.

Re: Confused about COB
 

In formal recruitment there is a number set by Panhellenic that each house can pledge based on the number of women going thru--called quota. While they may want to ask more, many houses have to release women (or cut) during the process. After bid day, if the group has not met total----the limit for each house on campus, they can COB, or Continuos Open Bid. Each group does this their own way and it can be after only one party or other event but is usually when someone already knows you. Each group has their own way they COB.