Question About Quotas

SunnyFLGirl · #1 07-03-2008, 03:08 PM

Hi! This is my first post, but I've been lurking around for awhile. I searched for this topic, but I couldn't really find anything specific to my question. So, I'm just gonna go ahead and ask!

If a chapter has trouble making quota and has had trouble making quota for multiple recruitments, is this chapter less likely to cut as many girls as some of the other chapters throughout the rush process?

I ask this because I'm going to be rushing as a junior transfer next year and I have an alumna writing me a rec. The rec is for one of the chapters that has difficulty making quota and since I know I'll experience heavier cuts in general due to my class standing, I'm just trying to figure out my chances of being extended a bid from any of the chapters.

Also, I'll technically be a junior due to credits, but due to a change in major, I'll actually have more like three years left. I know this is important, but how exactly do I let the chapters know this?

Thanks for any answers/advice! =)

Deepher4Life · #2 07-03-2008, 03:38 PM

I would say that a chapter having difficultly making quota for a couple of semesters would not cut as much as other chapters at the school. That is because they probably have less girls coming back to invite only events.

Chances are nationals is on their back for them to raise numbers and they feel the pressure to have as many girls at events as possible.

The best way to let them know that you would still have about three years left, is to tell them. Every time you are speaking with a sister during rush, and year/standing is brought up just say: "Im a junior, but im still going to be here three more years, so ill be graduating with the sophomores" or whatever.

GOOD LUCK!

AOII Angel · #3 07-03-2008, 03:47 PM

I agree with Deepher4life, especially if the campus is using the new release figures. The more popular chapters, in that system, must release more girls than the less popular groups. Be careful thinking of these chapters as "desperate" however, and go in selling yourself. They likely will not take you simply because you're a number. Your status is a little different than the average junior, so make sure they know that. In the end, though, you have to let these chapters know that you are interested.

KSUViolet06 · #4 07-03-2008, 04:02 PM

I feel like this needs to be said:

I'd be very careful with thinking that smaller chapters are always looking to invite back the max number suggested per the release figures.

At the end of the day, it's up to the chapter whether they want to follow the RFM and go with those numbers. I know that at my school, there were small chapters that cut more than the RFM said they had to, because they felt like doing it. Conversely there were larger ones who cut less or even more than what the RFM suggested. So you can't always say, small group = invites back more girls.

Mutual selection is still at play whether the chapter is large or small. The chapter is going to invite back those that they are interested in, and those that they feel are interested in them. There is no way to mathematically compute your chances based on release figures because there are more variables at play than just those. These include grades, campus involvement, etc. of the PNM pool.

FSUZeta · #5 07-03-2008, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

I agree with Deepher4life, especially if the campus is using the new release figures. The more popular chapters, in that system, must release more girls than the less popular groups. Be careful thinking of these chapters as "desperate" however, and go in selling yourself. They likely will not take you simply because you're a number. Your status is a little different than the average junior, so make sure they know that. In the end, though, you have to let these chapters know that you are interested.

the chapters with higher return rates have to release a higher # of pnms, and the chapters with lower return rates are allowed to invite back more pnms, but ultimately it is up to the chapter with lower return rates to decided how many they invite back. it is suggested that they invite back "x" number of pnms, but they can invite less if they prefer

the release figure model was designed to give the chapters who have not made quota in the past a better chance of making quota, and giving the pnms more chances to receive a bid. the good news is that it seems to be working.

don't worry about how many pnms a particular chapter can ask back-you just present yourself the best you can, and let the chips fall where they may. understand that some of the chapters might have dropped you because of your class standing and concentrate on the chapters that do ask you back.good luck!

AOII Angel · #6 07-03-2008, 05:49 PM

Maybe I should clarify my post...more popular chapters are required to release more PNMs than the less popular chapters are. The less popular chapters, however, are not required to invite back as many PNMs as they are able to. In general, the chapters are trying to maximize their chances of filling quota, but very few would do so at the risk of accepting women who clearly do not fit in.

Zillini · #7 07-04-2008, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Maybe I should clarify my post...more popular chapters are required to release more PNMs than the less popular chapters are. The less popular chapters, however, are not required to invite back as many PNMs as they are able to. In general, the chapters are trying to maximize their chances of filling quota, but very few would do so at the risk of accepting women who clearly do not fit in.

Our Panhellenic's policy is that any chapter who doesn't invite the max allowed for every round is not eligible for Quota Additions. That's a pretty darned good reason to invite the max.

Zillini · #8 07-04-2008, 10:54 AM

Agreed. Panhellenic's general attitude that every PNM deserves to be in a sorority and therefore every chapter should be happy to invite/pledge her is ... to be polite ... frustrating and inaccurate.

violetpretty · #9 07-05-2008, 11:16 PM

I could understand if a chapter cuts WAAAAY more than the suggested number, but if it is a struggling enough chapter (i.e. if they were to actually make quota and still be under total) they'd be allowed to offer snap bids to any unmatched PNMs they want.

owlie33 · #10 07-10-2008, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by violetpretty

I could understand if a chapter cuts WAAAAY more than the suggested number, but if it is a struggling enough chapter (i.e. if they were to actually make quota and still be under total) they'd be allowed to offer snap bids to any unmatched PNMs they want.

Snap bids are for chapters to fill quota, not total.

UGAalum94 · #11 07-10-2008, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by owlie33

Snap bids are for chapters to fill quota, not total.

I'm pretty sure that some campuses do let chapters extend bids on bid day but after regular bid matching beyond quota if they were below total. Now, technically, these may not be called snap bids but they worked the same way from the PNM perspective and for the chapter too.

33girl · #12 07-10-2008, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by owlie33

Snap bids are for chapters to fill quota, not total.

She was referring to the policy that said you had to invite the max number back to be eligible for QAs. For struggling chapters, QAs are probably a moot point. And they are allowed to snap bid/open bid anyone they want to get up to total.

owlie33 · #13 07-10-2008, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

She was referring to the policy that said you had to invite the max number back to be eligible for QAs. For struggling chapters, QAs are probably a moot point. And they are allowed to snap bid/open bid anyone they want to get up to total.

I think we just have a terminology problem here.

Quota additions = the addition of women who did not match to bid lists of chapters who have made quota...only appliciable to chapters making quota...there are a limited number of these

Snap bids = helps chapters who didn't make quota to reach quota...only applies to those not making quota. You can snap up to quota even it it puts you over total.

A chapter that has reached quota cannot issue snap bids. The chapter can only issue COB bids if they are under total.

Also...it is a big step to say QA are a moot point for "struggling chapters"...and it would be just as big of a step to say that "popular chapters" don't usually have to snap bid. I've personally seen both scenarios.

UGAalum94 · #14 07-10-2008, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

She was referring to the policy that said you had to invite the max number back to be eligible for QAs. For struggling chapters, QAs are probably a moot point. And they are allowed to snap bid/open bid anyone they want to get up to total.

Assuming there are people who want to accept the bids, which is always what makes it tricky

I think you are right that worrying about staying eligible for QAs is probably not that important for struggling chapters.

BUT, I think chapters with smaller numbers or lower returns should really think carefully about cutting folks.
The quality vs. quantity debate can go on forever, but sometimes, especially with PNMs well versed in competitive recruitment who won't telegraph their disinterest, chapters get delusional about who of the PNMs they really have a chance with and will consequently release some girls who would have been good members because they imagine they will keep perfect PNMs instead.

Don't keep crazy people who you'd be unwilling to bid and who are off putting to other PNMs, but don't get cut happy early in the process. The release figures are there for a reason; don't work against them.

UGAalum94 · #15 07-10-2008, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LionInMI

Hi, I may need to fly you all out for back-up, I have been having the above argument for the past 3 years and am girding up for year #4.

This may sound horrible, but if the disposition is that every girl find a place, can't you figure out a way to suggest that the girls everyone really wants to drop get equally distributed among all groups rather than being placed in the groups that already have the lowest return rates?

Won't the-powers-that-be see that they are weakening the weaker chapters by compelling the weakest by return rate to keep the least desirable PNMs?

If it's a charity bid anyway, why not reassign the girls who got cut out of a round randomly back to parties rather than forcing the hands of a few groups?

It doesn't seem that it would be that hard to figure out and it would mean that the powerhouse chapters felt the same hardship that the smaller return rate chapters felt in terms of lack of mutual selection.