Do most guys actually receive bids?

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by **DU**

Do most of the guys who rush receive at least one bid from any fraternity? What is the rate of guys who don't receive any bids at all? What are the qualities of guys who don't receive any bids? I know it changes from school to school but still.

It varies from campus to campus, but of the 500 some guys who rushed, 150 didn't get bids at my campus.

[FSUZeta]

in another thread firehouse had proposed a rush schedule that sounded that it might be effective for some chapters desiring to raise their numbers .basically, the chapter would participate in formal recruitment, pledge the desired guys, get them started on their pledgeship and recruit another pledge class, and repeat until they were at the desired number of members.

he was not talking about "warm bodies", he was talking about guys whom one would be proud to call "brother", who would be an asset to the chapter.

i have heard ifc representatives on several different campuses(all in the south) lament,"we need more guys to sign up for recruitment". i never asked them how they go about advertising rush, or how they recruit-i wish that i had, just for curiosity sake. it seems that they have one rush and no matter what the outcome, they are done for the year.

do numbers not matter to fraternity chapters? large numbers in sorority chapters usually mean a strong, popular chapter. if a sorority does not pledge quota, or is under total, they work very hard to meet that goal, even if it means continual recruiting. what gives guys?

[shinerbock]

What campuses? Most of the big southern greek schools do fine. Most kids who don't rush are ones we don't really want. Sure there are some exceptions, but I'm not really sure what you're referring to when you say they need more people to go through rush.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

What campuses? Most of the big southern greek schools do fine. Most kids who don't rush are ones we don't really want. Sure there are some exceptions, but I'm not really sure what you're referring to when you say they need more people to go through rush.

I tend to agree with this.

My guess is that the IFC representative feel a "need" for more guys so that there are more guys available during formal rush. Perhaps they are doing this to help the chapters that don't have the ability (finances, manpower, alumni) to rush year round.

For example, on many campuses, the perceived "top" chapters take as many guys as they want over the summer. They can do this because they have the budget to rush year round and have numerous rush parties over the summer. By the time fall comes, they usually have most of their pledge class in place. As such, the number of men available (without a bid) during fall is lower. Either because the "summer" guys accepted a bid and do not need to sign up, or because they have to sign up but already know where they are going. And while the "top" chapters may have most of their pledge class in place, they do continue to rush. Which can result in an even smaller number of guys available for the rest of the chapters. To be clear, all the guys may be great. Just that certain chapters may get more members than other chapters due to their ability (finances, manpower, alumni) to rush year round. Thus having more guys "available" during formal rush helps all the chapters.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

do numbers not matter to fraternity chapters? large numbers in sorority chapters usually mean a strong, popular chapter. if a sorority does not pledge quota, or is under total, they work very hard to meet that goal, even if it means continual recruiting. what gives guys?

Numbers can matter, but not necessarily the same way they might with NPC chapters.

IFC doesn't have a campus imposed quota or total. As such, largest may not always equal the best. I feel it is more important for a chapter to be competitive "all around". As in being at or near the top in all things important on campus and within the campus Greek Life world. As such, being one of the largest chapters has it's advantages. In additional to numbers (which looks good on campus i.e. "they are the biggest"), you have the manpower to be tops in areas like campus leadership, sports, "social graces" (who throws the "best" parties and gets the "best" girls"), campus events (Greek Week, Homecoming etc.) among other areas. And more often than not, a chapter that is one of the best on campus, usually continues to pledge the best. You also end up with alumni that are damn proud of their chapter and they often give back. All this due to tradition and respect as it were. But it does come back to the members (numbers) that make it happen.

As a disclaimer, you don't have to be one of the largest to be one of the best. But it sure as heck doesn't hurt.

[33girl]

Unless, of course, a group becomes the biggest by taking any warm body they can find, and there isn't enough wheat among the chaff to make that strategy pay off.

[macallan25]

Most good top chapters already know who is in their pledge class before rush even starts.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by macallan25

Most good top chapters already know who is in their pledge class before rush even starts.

Ditto.

[shinerbock]

Granted, I've said stuff like "it'd be cool if we had more people go through rush" but that doesn't mean I just want people, it means I want more people who we'd actually consider bidding. Numbers are good and can be helpful, but they're second fiddle to quality.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Unless, of course, a group becomes the biggest by taking any warm body they can find, and there isn't enough wheat among the chaff to make that strategy pay off.

Oh I couldn't agree more. Which is why I feel it is more important for a chapter to be competitive.