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Originally Posted by carbonbeach81
Are girls invited back after each set by invitation only? Is it conceivable they might receive 3+ prefs or even NO prefs by the end of rush week? Where I really get confused is how the process ends--how it's narrowed down to the point where each girl matches up with a chosen sorority by the time bids go out. Do they receive more than one invitation to join by bid night and then choose their favorite....or is it conceivable they receive 1 or no bids at the end and don't join at all?
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Yes, each subsequent round after the first is invitational, with the maximum number of parties decreasing each round. For example, my alma mater goes 14-10-6-3-Bid Day. At the vast majority of schools, PNMs will be matched with one bid at the end of formal recruitment.
Some schools do an "accept/regret" style of invitations. Each PNM will get a list of chapters who invited her back for the next round, and if she has more than the maximum number of parties for the next round, she can choose which ones she wants to return to. This is often done on "off days" between rounds.
It's becoming more common to rank a top (maximum # for next round) and the bottom. This way, a PNM gets a generated schedule right before the next round of parties. For example, at my alma mater, PNMs would rank their top 10 chapters (order doesn't matter) and bottom 4 in order. Say 9 of your top 10 invite you back. The program would look at the first of you bottom 4, and if they invited you back, you will go there; if not, it would go to the 2nd and so on. If your schedule is full, you might not know for sure how many chapters invited you back (and conversely how many you cut).
It is common to not have a full schedule. While it can hurt , I would encourage every PNM to go through preference because there is nothing to lose and everything to gain by sticking out as far as possible. Read stories in the recruitment stories sub forum and you'll see how some chapters can go from ok to favorite or "worst to first".
It is possible to get cut from all chapters, however, certain things will increase chances of that. Low grades, non-freshman status, and anything in the "Weird Rush Stories" thread.
Some smaller schools may do formal recruitment a little differently. There may be no cuts after the first round (especially if there are 5 or fewer chapters). Some schools will offer multiple bids to PNMs. Some don't have rounds altogether.
Quote:
Originally Posted by carbonbeach81
My daughter has great grades, is very kind, genuine, great personality, and is very pretty. So far, one cousin has offered to write her a rec letter to her sorority, but other than that there are no sorority alumnae we know. (I told my daughter to keep her eyes/ears open when socializing, babysitting Moms, friends' Moms, etc.).
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Many NPCs allow recs to be written by collegiates from another chapter than the one at the PNM's school. Ask teachers, coaches, activity sponsors, family friends, friends' family, etc. Often when you find one sorority alumna, she will be able to tell you about others. In my little town of 6,000 people, if a girl from my high school asked me, I'd be able to point her in the direction of alumnae from 20 NPCs, and this is people from my town, not people I know at Maryland. AND I don't live in the South. Keep digging. Your daughter has time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by carbonbeach81
Although one of her dream colleges has a website for sororities and rush week, the info is rather basic. Is this website her best source for info or did you read a book or visit other websites to learn the basics before rushing?
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I personally think GC is a great source of info. And it's free! I would caution against books, because they often don't account for different types of campuses (size and culture).