Less popular sororities

[Benzgirl]

When I was in school, there was one house that fit the bill. Chapter total was 105, and most houses were at total. A couple years after I graduated, Unpopular Chapter reorganized. Today, they are one of the most "in demand" houses on campus. Unpopular Chapter is always top of the Greek GPA list, the members are always involved in campus activities and often hold officer titles, they are great in intermurals, are sweethearts, and most girls are highly attractive.

Chapters can turn around over night, as other chapters can go down-hill with one bad recruitment.

[KSUViolet06]

Something about the "least popular" on campus: sorority members don't realize that it could be their house, so they talk crap. They never think about the fact that if "least popular" closes, someone else is going to become the *new* "least popular."

I also like to remind people that reputation changes. I've gone to the same school for grad and undergrad, so I've been at KSU for 6 years. The chapter that was considered *top* when I wa a freshman is not considered that now. The one that was "least popular" is now larger than the one that used to be considered *top*.

Also, it only takes one pledge class to change a chapter.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Something about the "least popular" on campus: sorority members don't realize that it could be their house, so they talk crap. They never think about the fact that if "least popular" closes, someone else is going to become the *new* "least popular."

Reputations can take longer to change at some campuses, but I think your top point is an especially good one.

I think there's a perception that if that one chapter would fold, then the system would be stronger. Actually, I think people underestimate how much that one weak chapter (or maybe even group of chapters) is doing for everyone else in terms of propping up their reputations. Everyone else can say "oh, poor XYZ, I'm glad I got QRS" without every having to think about how the girls in QRS aren't much different girl for girl than XYZ; XYZ just has fewer of them. And if XYZ goes away, QRS is going to look a little less attractive compared to the rest of the system without XYZ to outshine.

[carnation]

A major thing that's helping overcome this is the new release figures. I can think of several chapters that were on the verge of dying that have come up to total or almost so in the last 5 years.

I can remember how Erik Conard used to say--bluntly but truthfully-- that we all ought to help the "weenie" chapters because if they died, any one of our groups could be the next weenie.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by carnation

A major thing that's helping overcome this is the new release figures. I can think of several chapters that were on the verge of dying that have come up to total or almost so in the last 5 years.

I can remember how Erik Conard used to say--bluntly but truthfully-- that we all ought to help the "weenie" chapters because if they died, any one of our groups could be the next weenie.

Yep; it's kind of funny that we went so long without them, considering how much they seem to do beneficially with relatively few differences in bad outcome, as near as I can tell.

[gee_ess]

I agree that the new release figures are definitely helping the overall system.

[AGDee]

The PNMs also don't realize that if they all went to that chapter together, they could potentially completely change the chapter around. Becuase of a rough summer, my chapter returned with 15 members the semester after I was initiated. We took 19 women through formal recruitment that year though. The personality of the chapter changed completely.

[abfab02]

Originally Posted by carnation

A major thing that's helping overcome this is the new release figures. I can think of several chapters that were on the verge of dying that have come up to total or almost so in the last 5 years.

I can remember how Erik Conard used to say--bluntly but truthfully-- that we all ought to help the "weenie" chapters because if they died, any one of our groups could be the next weenie.

What do you mean by "new release figures"? I'd really like to find new ways to help bring our chapter up to total.

Originally Posted by abfab02

What do you mean by "new release figures"? I'd really like to find new ways to help bring our chapter up to total.

http://greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=22514

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by OTW

http://greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=22514

Excellent! I was writing when you were posting it.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by abfab02

What do you mean by "new release figures"? I'd really like to find new ways to help bring our chapter up to total.

Please look in the recruitment forum; I think there's a stickied thread at the top about them with a detailed overview.


In short, though, they are a method that a campus panhellenic can use to get the chapters who usually have a high percentage of their party invitations accepted to release many of the girls who will not get bids much earlier in the recruitment process. Rather than going all the way through recruitment hoping to get a bid from a chapter that probably won't bid them, the PNMs start looking at other chapters more seriously relatively early in the process.