The number of chapters and size of pledge classes seem just right at Illinois – I’m not sure how many more colonizations it would take to begin to reduce the size of the pledge classes at Bama, for instance. The numbers of PNMs seem to continue to climb – I’m not sure where these will eventually stabilize.
I was thinking about your question, and though I couldn’t find comparable data from Auburn, I looked at comparable data from U of Alabama instead (which also has a comparable number of chapters). I was actually surprised at the numbers –
not what I expected to find given UofA’s recruitment reputation.
Comparing U of Illinois and U of Alabama – 2010 stats for both (most recent figures posted for IL, and free of 2011 colonization variable for U of A) – beginning with attendance number at Open House:
U of IL stats:
http://www.odos.uiuc.edu/greek/membership/panhellenicStats.asp
U of AL stats (click to enlarge):
http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/121342940.png
U of IL:
Attending Open House: 1258
Total Withdrawals up to and following pref: 325 (approx. 26% of PNMs withdrew during recruitment process)
Released by all chapters (through pref invites): 2
% placed in chapter: 72.2%
Not receiving bids: 23
Received 1st choice: 721
Received 2nd choice: 138
Received 3rd choice: 33
Uof A:
Attending Open House: 1604
Total withdrawals up to and following pref: 154 (approx. 10% of PNMs withdrew during recruitment process)
Released by all chapters (through pref invites): 16
% placed in chapter: 88%
Not receiving bids: 31
Received 1st choice: 1276
Received 2nd choice: 150
Received 3rd choice: 28
The UofA numbers were a lot more favorable than I expected – compare the withdrawals during the recruitment process, as well as the percentage placed in chapters. Thoughts? Maybe SEC recruitment is not as scary as its reputation often depicts!
But we still have more mamas and daddies underfoot on Bid Day. 