[AOII Angel]

VictoriaGermany,

I can only speak for NPC sororities (you can look them up on google.) Women go through recruitment which is an organized event that allows women to get to know the sororities and the sororities to get to know the women. After this week, women are offered a "bid" to join. They are then known as New Members (formerly pledges.) The new member time for NPC groups was formerly one semester, but this has been shortened universally to 6-10 weeks (give or take a week.) This gives women time to get to know the history and traditions of their new sorority. If they do not like what they are learning, they can "disaffiliate." They would not be allowed to join another group (ie take another bid) for a full calendar year. Like German sororities, if you are kicked out of a chapter, you are not likely to get a bid from another. Initiation occurs after the New member period. At this time, the women are full members of the sorority. If you decide to disaffiliate after initiation, you may not join any other NPC sorority. Alumna status is conferred when a woman graduates or leaves school. If the woman marries or has children, she is also offered the choice to become an alumna rather than stay active. We hope that alumna stay involved for life. Our national/international organizations are run by our dedicated alumnae. We have many alumnae chapters throughout the US that allow women to meet with other alumnae in their area. Alumnae also support the local collegiate chapters. If you go to the NPC website, it has links to each NPC sorority. These sites can be very informative. Thanks for the information about German sororities. It has been fascinating!