Sorority Probates

[jayler]

Hey everyone! I hope you all are doing well. I would like to know what's the purpose of probate/coming out shows.

[bluethunder]

i was "raised" in the sorority to the understanding that probate shows are meant to publicly celebrate one's crossing into greek life and specifically into the organization-- something like a rite of passage. probate shows are a means of presenting those who have crossed to the community at large, especially the greek community. choosing to join an organization is a decision that requires discretion for a period of time, so a probate is kind of like "breaking the silence"-- it says to the community, "THIS is what i have been working on becoming". just my 22 cents

[GiggyZ]

Originally posted by bluethunder
i was "raised" in the sorority to the understanding that probate shows are meant to publicly celebrate one's crossing into greek life and specifically into the organization-- something like a rite of passage. probate shows are a means of presenting those who have crossed to the community at large, especially the greek community. choosing to join an organization is a decision that requires discretion for a period of time, so a probate is kind of like "breaking the silence"-- it says to the community, "THIS is what i have been working on becoming". just my 22 cents

Sisters in Royal Blue please allow a Finer Woman to chime in...

I have had the experience of participating in a probate show and a coming out show. My probate show marked the end of my pledge experience and was a transition into the final phrase of becoming a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. When I probated I was not a member of the sorority. I was a probate (thus the name "probate" show). Probates are not duly initiated members of their respective organizations.

The coming out show was different. When we had our coming out show we were Zetas.

The term probate show is outdated since most shows today are actually coming out shows (since the folks performing are usually members of the organization).

[PrettiPoodle402]

Just wanted to let you know about probates. I "crossed the burning sands" (another term that Greeks use sometimes in order to explain the final crossing or completion of the Membership Intake Process) in Spring of 2002. As it was explained to me, the purpose of the probate or "neophyte show" (neophyte meaning new member) is to come out to the Greek community at large and showing them that you are now officially a member of said sorority or fraternity. When I had my probate, I had been a member already for a month (we had to practice for the probate after induction) so I could have chosen NOT to have a probate and STILL would have been a member of my sorority, however, I chose to have one with my line sisters and it was quite successful!

PrettiPoodle402

[PrettyKitty]

I think my Soror Giggy Z(Spr 81~~Represent for those Deuces Big Sis!) explained it best in the historical sense...nowadays most people in BGLOs don't understand the difference and they lump both together(or it could be b/c of Membership Intake. Because True Probate Shows are illegal)...per PrettiPoodle's definition...so the end result is what was once called coming out shows are now being called probate shows...

[TRSimon]

Originally posted by jayler
Hey everyone! I hope you all are doing well. I would like to know what's the purpose of probate/coming out shows.

A coming out show celebrates the completion of the process of a person entering a Greek-lettered organization. It signifies to the campus and community that a person has fulfilled the requirements of membership and induction. Sometimes neophyte receptions and balls are held after or in conjunction with the coming out for the same purpose.

-TRSimon