costs of sororities at university of alabama

[kddani]

It's great that you want to pay her dues and are in a position to do so. But it's not like she can shop around and "buy" a middle of the road (cost-wise) sorority. Recruitment doesn't work like that.

If you have a budget in mind, tell her what it is, and make anything above and beyond that her responsibility- she will be an adult. It is a bonus that you are helping her financially. She can easily get a job to help pay for extras such as t-shirts, photos, date parties, etc.

[MaggieXi]

I think that the train has already left the station. Recruitment has got to play out before she can accept a bid. Whether that bid is with the highest prices sorority or the lowest price sorority is not really within her control. Even if you have the information now on how much each sorority will cost per semester, will she be expected to rank the more expensive sororities lower even if they are a better fit for her and could eventually lead her to accept a bid to one that she does not like?

[Munchkin03]

I didn't see this mentioned in this thread, so I apologize if it was there and I just missed it. Many sororities DO NOT allow first-semester members (or anyone who hasn't initiated) to do a payment plan for one-time fees. This is nationally mandated. I'm sure there are some who do allow payment plans for new members, but please do not assume that is the case.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I didn't see this mentioned in this thread, so I apologize if it was there and I just missed it. Many sororities DO NOT allow first-semester members (or anyone who hasn't initiated) to do a payment plan for one-time fees. This is nationally mandated. I'm sure there are some who do allow payment plans for new members, but please do not assume that is the case.

True.

My sorority couldn't put new members on payment plans either.

Really, the cost of being in a sorority varies depending on alot of stuff: whether you live in the house, whether the chapter assesses fines, whether the costs of social events are included, whether she would like to buy extras like party pics, etc.

You can't very well "shop" for the best priced sorority like it's a car or something. If Alabama chapters don't provide complete financial info, you really don't know how much you will actually be expected to pay until you receive and accept a bid.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

You can't very well "shop" for the best priced sorority like it's a car or something. If Alabama chapters don't provide complete financial info, you really don't know how much you will actually be expected to pay until you receive and accept a bid.

My NPC Green Book knowledge is spotty at best, but don't chapters have to do a pretty complete financial disclosure at a certain round? The prices shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, especially once they've gotten to Bid Day!

[cbm]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

My NPC Green Book knowledge is spotty at best, but don't chapters have to do a pretty complete financial disclosure at a certain round? The prices shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, especially once they've gotten to Bid Day!

They did not at my campus. Money was never discussed (this was ~10 years ago). The most information we had on the $ aspect was the information in the booklets sent to PNMs and info from the website, both of which just provided a range.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

My NPC Green Book knowledge is spotty at best, but don't chapters have to do a pretty complete financial disclosure at a certain round? The prices shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, especially once they've gotten to Bid Day!

Yes, but how it's done varies.

My school followed the rule to the letter and required us to hand out detailed pamphlets with ALL info (dues, housing costs, meal plans, whether we assessed and how much, pretty much everything). The PNMs got to keep them. So there was nothing you didn't know about the cost of every chapter after 2nd round.

At other schools, they may just provide a ballpark figure on a poster during one of the rounds.

I don't believe the rule specifies how the info must be provided, or how detailed it has to be.

I'd imagine that at some schools, tradition may just trump the rule and they may just not do it (because money is simply just not disussed). Or they just put a small amount of info in the recruitment booklet or on the Panhellenic website.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by kddani

It's great that you want to pay her dues and are in a position to do so. But it's not like she can shop around and "buy" a middle of the road (cost-wise) sorority. Recruitment doesn't work like that.

If you have a budget in mind, tell her what it is, and make anything above and beyond that her responsibility- she will be an adult. It is a bonus that you are helping her financially. She can easily get a job to help pay for extras such as t-shirts, photos, date parties, etc.

Originally Posted by LatinaAlumna

Best advice of the thread!

I was VERY fortunate that my parents and grandparents covered everything that my scholarships and grants didn't, but I still had a job through most of college because it was nice to have money I didn't have to explain or justify to anyone, and it put me well ahead of my peers for obtaining employment and other positions later. Beyond the financial aspects it also helped with time management and letters of recommendation for graduate school and work.

I'm suggesting a part-part time job, for say 10 hours a a week so she can contribute if the economy is still blah, and be an example to younger siblings. I babysat as a teenager and worked at a summer camp before college, so you can start your younger ones now, and if the money isn't needed later, BONUS.

[OleMissGlitter]

Would it be awful to ask her to get a small part-time job on campus to help with costs? I know at Ole Miss many sorority girls have small part-time jobs to help pay for t-shirts and things like that. It's not unheard of and I don't think she would be shunned or looked down upon if she had a small job. Just an idea.

ETA:

Originally Posted by cbm

They did not at my campus. Money was never discussed (this was ~10 years ago). The most information we had on the $ aspect was the information in the booklets sent to PNMs and info from the website, both of which just provided a range.

Money was never discussed at Ole Miss either. To my knowledge it is only discussed at Orientation during the summer. The averages on the PHC Website are rather low I think too.

[LatinaAlumna]

Originally Posted by kddani

If you have a budget in mind, tell her what it is, and make anything above and beyond that her responsibility- she will be an adult. It is a bonus that you are helping her financially. She can easily get a job to help pay for extras such as t-shirts, photos, date parties, etc.

Best advice of the thread!