My chapter has ALWAYS done much better with COB. We felt more comfortable, and our new members always said that is what made them accept their bid. . we were comfortable and they didn't have to pretend to be anyone else with us. COB was great for us, formal rush usually wasn't. I too know what it feels like to be the chapter that always COB's, when another one is at/above total. But it worked for us. We just kept plugging along.
I've not been involved with bid matching, but I don't think our campus has been too consistent with using release figures(if we used them at all!). I wonder what recruitment would be like if we adhered to all the formulas. I do remember the largest 2 sororities inviting back like 75% or better of the rushees to pref EACH, when they could only give bids to 25% (We had 4 sororities on campus). That was definately not fair, because the PMN's could only go to 2 prefs. . .guess which ones they DIDNT go to, and DIDNT put on their bid list.
(and guess how many went bidless, until the invention of snap bids). This is my impression, I have no idea of the actual numbers.
This is the same campus that has way less than 100 girls signed up for rush this year. Lord, help us.
Enna. . .go do COB. I've personally seen it work for many girls over...and over...and over... and over again.