I think the difference between "maximizing the options" and "shopping" is HUGE! HUGE!
I've learned alot from my process, as short as it has been so far. Here are my thoughts...
There is a differnece between the woman who contacted four or five groups she felt a particular connection with, and contacting twenty. It's one thing if all four groups you contacted respond that they don't do AI, don't have an alumna chapter in your area, etc., and then to move on to more groups. But to contact 13 at once is a slap in the face to those who are already members and those who are still finding their way. Also, remember that just becuase the person doesn't openly post she's contacted 20 groups doesn't mean that she hasn't. I know of two different women who've contacted over ten at the same time.
I'm not a sorority member, but a PNAM. In my opinion, what's the point of contacting that many groups at once? Yes, the 26 NPC groups are all outstanding - that's why they've stood the test of time - but I would seriously question the woman who felt the need to contact over six or seven at the same time. And I'm not even a member. It is not true to the process, not true to your *future* org, and not true to yourself. Joining a sorority, in my opinion, is not just something you do on a whim. It is a huge commitment. In my opinion, those who join as AIs should be (in theory) more committed and wasn't just 'something they did in college' (this may be the sister I hope to be talking - not that anybody on GC is like this - obviosly you are all extremly commmitted to your respetive groups otehrwise you wouldn't even be on this website, but I do belive I have read a thread on here that only a quarter of women stay involved with their sorority after college) becuase they've gone they've already taken the initiative to go the non-traditional route.
Finally, I am a firm believer that you get out of the experience what you put in. Contacting over a certain amount of groups at the same time dillutes your experience. If that person still finds her AI home, she knows that she contacted 25 groups before the one that was hers. Just becuase your sisters don't know that's how you ended up a part of the organization does not make it any less of a reality, and that is something the AI needs to live with herself.
(please don't flame me if you disagree - of course I realize there are exceptions to everything I wrote above and nothing is set in stone!)
