[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I also think the kind of things and lessons women are learning in pledging has a lot to do with it. When your pledging consists of self-esteem building activities, being showered with gifts and a lack of any mandatory activities, it's not true to life. I'm sure there are many women who are shocked when after initiation, they're presented with lists of mandatory activities and things that must be done. All of sorority life is not like pledgeship - however, it should get easier, not harder.

That's why I think some sororities have gone from new member education to total membership education (which is similar to Sig Ep's Balanced Man program). We have done it (ours is called Essential Sigma) and I believe Gamma Phi Beta's member ed program (Crescent Values) is similar.

Tri Sigma dropped its traditional new member education program and unveiled its total membership education program in 2006. When our chapter started with it, our retention rates went up.

The way it works, the new member stage requires different activities to move on to the next stage, which is initiation. Post initiation, the new girls work with chairwomen to learn about leadership in the sorority. The next stage includes actually holding chairs and offices.

It's hard to explain, but the program grows with each member. It's not just getting a bid, being a new member who gets presents and doesn't have to do anything, getting initiated, and then having to do a bunch of things that you didn't have to do before. Each stage has its required activities (even for the new girls) and its culminating experiences.