What is the rationale for recruiting a "type"?

[TriDeltaSallie]

This might seem like a weird question, but here we go.

Why do some chapters recruit a certain "type"? I'm not asking for membership selection information and I'm pretty certain that there is no NPC group that always recruits the same "type" on every campus.

Without going too much into Tri Delta membership selection, we were always encouraged to recruit a diverse group of women. We wanted a well-rounded chapter with different women in terms of majors, hometowns, looks, campus involvement, etc.

So I guess I'm curious what motivates certain chapters to go for a certain look or type. Campus reputation? Wanting to be around people just like themselves? Fraternity relationships?

Thoughts or experience with this? Thanks!

[justgo_withit]

Do you mean like why does the hot blonde (or any other popular stereotype) house always recruit hot blondes? Because being known as a hot blonde is important to them. I'm pretty sure no one discussing Greek life on the Internet is going to have a meaningful rationale for that.

Otherwise, I think it's important for chapters to think of their future pledge class not only as individuals but also how they'll do as a class. If you bid 50 wonderful girls who are all type-A leadership types, that pledge class is going to be a hot mess. Instead, if you bid 50 wonderful girls who are a mix of leaders, active followers, creative girls, athletic girls, and any other sort of "type" of person who is useful to an organization's growth and advancement then you're going to be better off.

[TriDeltaSallie]

Originally Posted by justgo_withit

if you bid 50 wonderful girls who are a mix of leaders, active followers, creative girls, athletic girls, and any other sort of "type" of person who is useful to an organization's growth and advancement then you're going to be better off.

This.

[Mevara]

Are you sure they recruit a type? Have you thought maybe they just recruit girls that are just similar to themselves?

[TriDeltaSallie]

Originally Posted by Mevara

Are you sure they recruit a type? Have you thought maybe they just recruit girls that are just similar to themselves?

I think when you look at some pictures on chapter websites, you can tell that there are groups that definitely recruit a type. We had a couple where I went to school as well. It was well-known and obvious.

I guess it is hard for me to fathom that the highest goal of a group of college women is that they are the "hot blondes" on campus. I know it is probably the case, but still...

[carnation]

I think that some sororities do recruit "types" but it may not be a conscious thing. One group at Auburn seemed to attract the girls who were upper-class and strong Christians. One at Arkansas was said to carefully choose their new members with an eye to taking as many beauty titles as possible.

Now you definitely see some sororities aim for the girls with the best grades (because they're proud of their standing on campus) or jocks (they practically advertise being #1 in intramurals on their campus for 20 years). I recall one chapter that tried to pledge the girls with the best voices because they were so determined to win the Christmas Sing every year. Said the former Panhellenic president from back in the day when we met up a few years ago:"Don't you remember how everyone else would maybe get out there with antlers and sing Rudolph? And then that group would sing the Hallelujah Chorus in black gowns in 8-part harmony."

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by carnation

I think that some sororities do recruit "types" but it may not be a conscious thing.

This.

I really doubt that a chapter would (extreme example)intentionally miss quota because they're "only taking blondes this year and 80% of the PNMs are brunette because brunette is the hot color now. No go."

I do think that people tend to be drawn to the women in recruitment who are most like themselves, in more ways than just looks.

Ex: if you're blonde, you cheer, and are a bio major, you're going to be pulling for that other blonde, cheerleader bio major you just met because she is like you.

Nothing purposeful, that's just how it tends to work out.

[LAblondeGPhi]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

This.

I really doubt that a chapter would (extreme example)intentionally miss quota because they're "only taking blondes this year and 80% of the PNMs are brunette because brunette is the hot color now. No go."

I do think that people tend to be drawn to the women in recruitment who are most like themselves, in more ways than just looks.

Ex: if you're blonde, you cheer, and are a bio major, you're going to be pulling for that other blonde, cheerleader bio major you just met because she is like you.

Nothing purposeful, that's just how it tends to work out.

YES. I totally agree with this. Especially if we're talking (which it sounds like we are) about chapters that have a tendency to get women who look a certain way.

Now, I do think there's a benefit to a chapter looking at what the chapter's vibe/type is, and being thoughtful about what type of members they would like to actively recruit - whether that's athletes, women with higher GPAs, more leaders, active followers, etc. A healthy organization will regularly self-assess to see what components they are lacking.

And just because your chapter looks for a type doesn't mean that it's ignoring your organization's membership standards - if anything, I think it's just narrowing down the standards for that chapter. Some chapters share a quirky sense of humor, or have a more "chill" attitude that won't mesh with all of the super-star PNMs that come through. Understanding this can be a matter of membership retention.

Also, have we completely ignored the PNM's preference in this matter? Those "hot blonde dancer" chapters also have the hot blonde dancer PNMs CHOOSING to be there - so how much of it is the chapter's affinity to the PNM, and how much is the PNM's affinity to the chapter?

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by carnation

I think that some sororities do recruit "types" but it may not be a conscious thing. One group at Auburn seemed to attract the girls who were upper-class and strong Christians. One at Arkansas was said to carefully choose their new members with an eye to taking as many beauty titles as possible.

Now you definitely see some sororities aim for the girls with the best grades (because they're proud of their standing on campus) or jocks (they practically advertise being #1 in intramurals on their campus for 20 years). I recall one chapter that tried to pledge the girls with the best voices because they were so determined to win the Christmas Sing every year. Said the former Panhellenic president from back in the day when we met up a few years ago:"Don't you remember how everyone else would maybe get out there with antlers and sing Rudolph? And then that group would sing the Hallelujah Chorus in black gowns in 8-part harmony."

How did they know which girls could sing? Did they have them sing during recruitment?

Also, I'm going to go MC on you and point out that the Hallelujah Chorus is only written in four parts.

[carnation]

They recruited girls whom they knew to be great singers plus they looked on rush resumes to find people who had won choral awards.

I know that it's SATB but the woman who was reminiscing was exaggerating on purpose.

[Mevara]

Originally Posted by TriDeltaSallie

I think when you look at some pictures on chapter websites, you can tell that there are groups that definitely recruit a type. We had a couple where I went to school as well. It was well-known and obvious.

I guess it is hard for me to fathom that the highest goal of a group of college women is that they are the "hot blondes" on campus. I know it is probably the case, but still...

Unless you are in the room when they are selecting members I don't think you can say that for sure. I know on my campus the chapter who is the HBH still have members who don't fit that stereotype at all. You only notice that a majority of the women are "hot blondes" but the rest fade back. Also you can't base membership simply on photos on a website. Those photos are always selected to show the chapter in the best light.

[Greek_or_Geek?]

Originally Posted by TriDeltaSallie

I think when you look at some pictures on chapter websites, you can tell that there are groups that definitely recruit a type. We had a couple where I went to school as well. It was well-known and obvious.

I guess it is hard for me to fathom that the highest goal of a group of college women is that they are the "hot blondes" on campus. I know it is probably the case, but still...

Why is it that some people assume that just because you and your sisters are attractive and care about your appearance that it's your only or highest goal? My collegiate chapter was often described as the hot blondes but we were also the highest GPA house my entire tenure there and won many national philanthropy awards as well as academic accolades. All women are multidimensional.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by Greek_or_Geek?

Why is it that some people assume that just because you and your sisters are attractive and care about your appearance that it's your only or highest goal? My collegiate chapter was often described as the hot blondes but we were also the highest GPA house my entire tenure there and won many national philanthropy awards as well as academic accolades. All women are multidimensional.

Very true.

Blonde and attractive doesn't mean you're not well-rounded.

[justgo_withit]

Originally Posted by Greek_or_Geek?

Why is it that some people assume that just because you and your sisters are attractive and care about your appearance that it's your only or highest goal? My collegiate chapter was often described as the hot blondes but we were also the highest GPA house my entire tenure there and won many national philanthropy awards as well as academic accolades. All women are multidimensional.

Because you met/saw one or two members in one or two situations acting shallow or stuck up and that automatically means that the entire chapter is like that, of course

Seriously now, I think it's part of the way that people would rather identify a group by a negative trait than a positive one, the way news reports on Greek life are almost always negative. Story about bright, caring girls doing philanthropy? Boring. Story about shallow, controlling stepford wives making their pledges line up and circle their fat? Much more interesting/profit-making. In the same way, when Greeks look for a one-liner to sum up a house you can't go "oh they're smart involved house" because that's not very interesting (and hopefully describes most chapters at the school), but "blonde cokewhores" is much more interesting and makes us feel better about our own group. It's easy to be rude to the blonde cokewhores and not feel bad about talking badly about them in an attempt to get more/better new members- much harder to do so with the smart involved house (who happens to be pretty).

Alternately, I do believe that there are houses that value good looks during MS, among other things of course. But if you're in a group that doesn't (or, more sensitively, can't because you don't get those girls) value good looks during MS, you start rationalizing that the others are superficial human beings and you're better than them because you're not like that. It kind of sucks to think that other groups might have value when your whole selling point is "join us because those girls are useless hot blonde clones".

[SoCalGirl]

Originally Posted by Mevara

Are you sure they recruit a type? Have you thought maybe they just recruit girls that are just similar to themselves?

Originally Posted by TriDeltaSallie

I think when you look at some pictures on chapter websites, you can tell that there are groups that definitely recruit a type. We had a couple where I went to school as well. It was well-known and obvious.

I guess it is hard for me to fathom that the highest goal of a group of college women is that they are the "hot blondes" on campus. I know it is probably the case, but still...

Think about how often you meet best friends who look like sisters? Like attracts like and people that hang around each other a ton will start developing similar interests and tastes.

So even if the "Hot Blonde" chapter recruits a "Not Hot Bruenette" she's likely to start eating and working out like her sisters. So maybe she becomes "Hot". If she has lots of bottle blonde sisters she may decide to give it a whirl too. Now she's just another "Hot Blonde" sister.