Gentlemen, if your chapter has not embraced this concept, my advise to you is to do so as soon as possible! My chapter, Mu Tau has historically experienced fairly lackluster to average numbers during Rush -- Candidate Classes of 10-15 were the norm.
Our chapter this semester started out at 23 in the Fall. We worked the VBR angle since around early July. This involves contacting incoming Freshmen, making contacts, getting leads, making friends with incoming guys, etc -- in other words, building your rush base. Before the Formal Rush process even began, our chapter had a contact list of 41 possible men to extend bids to.
They also got alum support and put together a VERY sweet Rush DVD which they'll be forwarding to HQ. It was professionally produced, had some very nice music/CG's -- it really helped us communicate to guys at home, gave them something to show their parents that answered the tough questions like "Will it hurt my grades?", etc.
After Friday at the end of formal Rush (with next week being informal) we have already had 27 bids accepted. So in only one semester (our first REALLY using the VBR process), the Mu Tau chapter has nearly doubled in potential size (the next challenge will be retention).
I'm estimating that our first Candidate Class using this process will be in the mid-low 30's. It wasn't tough, any chapter can do this. If you haven't started already or doubt whether or not it works -- it does. We got literally the cream of the crop type guys that the top houses were gunning for.
It's actually pretty humorous. We've heard rumours started by other houses that we were doing things like stealing guys' bid cards and things to force them to accept our bids
. Of course, rumors being spread by these folks in my opinion is the highest form of praise imaginable.
VBR -- IT WORKS.
LHT
Kevin Taylor
MT #5
Vbr
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