Washington University Recruitment?

[PiPhiERDoc]

I'm writing a recommendation for one of my coworkers daughter who is going through winter recruitment at Wash U - any info on what recruitment and the greek system are like? Thanks!

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

There are a couple of women on here (AngieWashU is one) who have been there more recently than me (I pledged there in 87) and can probably help you. 3 of the groups who were there when I was there (including us) are no longer and there are 2 new ones since.

I can tell you they don't have houses and total is over 100.

[deadbear80]

I'm one of the Wash U alums on this board. AngieWashU and I were actually there at the same time and are members of the same chapter (although she was a year ahead of me). We were both there in the late 90s/early 00s but nothing much has changed (except for the fact that the 6th chapter that was there when we were closed and a new one colonized after I graduated).

Anyway, there are 6 chapters: AEPhi, PiPhi, KKG, DG, ChiO, and APhi.
None have houses, all have rooms on the same floor of the women's building.

Recruitment is nowhere near as crazy as at State schools. Recommendations from alums can be helpful in making a girl stick out to a chapter--but they aren't required. Not having one to a house will not be a detriment to your getting a bid.

Chapter sizes are large relative to the size of the school as a whole. Usually about 250-300 girls rush each year. Some years there have been pledge classes of over 50 girls, but last year quota was 38. It depends on how many girls decide to stay through all of recruitment. Very rarely does a girl go all the way through recruitment without getting a bid--but bids are NOT guaranteed (and in fact, one girl on my floor freshman year went all the way through only to remain bidless at the end...so it CAN and DOES happen!).

It is very possible for a sophomore to get a bid. There have been quite a large number of sophomores going through every year.

If you have more specific questions, feel free to PM me.

And anyone else is free to join in and correct me if things are different. When I was living in St. Louis last year, I helped my chapter out during recruitment and I found things to be, in general, no different than when I went through in '99.

[exlurker]

Very recent (December 5) article in the campus paper on NPC recruitment at Washington-St. Louis:

http://media.www.studlife.com/media/...-3133253.shtml

From the article I get the impression that "silence" or "contact" policies have been relaxed, and there may be a few other changes, but that's just an impression and may be wrong. I hope that more WUSL collegians and alumnae will provide more info.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally Posted by exlurker

Very recent (December 5) article in the campus paper on NPC recruitment at Washington-St. Louis:

http://media.www.studlife.com/media/...-3133253.shtml

From the article I get the impression that "silence" or "contact" policies have been relaxed, and there may be a few other changes, but that's just an impression and may be wrong. I hope that more WUSL collegians and alumnae will provide more info.

The author knows a lot about recruitment it seems.......

"Recruits will return to campus on Jan. 7 for initiation activities that end on bid day on Jan. 13."

[exlurker]

Originally Posted by SmartBlondeGPhB

The author knows a lot about recruitment it seems.......

"Recruits will return to campus on Jan. 7 for initiation activities that end on bid day on Jan. 13."

Oh yeah, I noticed that but just figured the complexities of Panhellenic terminology were too hard for the reporter. Come to think of it, thoough, this *is* WUSL, so that excuse might not apply.

Still, the SATs don't necessarily test on definitions of recruitment, new member, bid, ritual, dirty rush, initiation, quota, total, snap bid, COB, potential new member, quota additions -- so even a reporter with normal (for that school) sky-high College Board scores might have managed to get admitted.