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On certain big campuses, several of the older sororities have pretty much interchangeable members, despite what people say about 'finding your best fit' and they're all looking at the same group of a couple hundred outstanding girls. Say there are 1600 PNMs--6 groups might have their eye on the same 200-300 girls because no one knows for sure which way the girls will go. I've actually seen lists--let's say, a sorority thinks that quota will be 50 and here are their top 50 girls but because they know that every sorority gets cuts, they have a runner-up list. No, I'm not talking about my own sorority, I haven't seen any Pi Phi lists because I'm too far from alum groups or chapters. I have seen lists for at least 6 other groups.
Whether or not these campuses have pre-recruitment parties in the spring or summer, these groups already have their eye out for certain girls. Most of them they know very well. I know of one SEC sorority that has alums looking out for 'the best girls from the small towns' in their state and that's mainly who they pursue. Others may have other types of girls they're looking for but when invite lists come out, it's pretty obvious that many sororities have the same list of desired PNMs, mainly your stellar girls with great service and grades and activities and looks. Many sorority members have a Wall of Fame inside where the members hang up posters with pictures and details about their PNM favorites, urging others to vote for them.
It'd be nice if there could be a second round of no-cut parties so sororities could get to know girls better and that happens at some medium-sized to smaller schools but face it, when you're dealing with hundreds of girls you conduct it the best you can. I don't have any suggestions for how to do it better...the numbers are just too big.
AXOrushadvisor, you're probably right about exclusivity. So much of the PNM talk before recruitment on certain campuses isn't "Will I get a bid?" but "Will I manage to get a bid from certain groups?" That's no different from what it was like 30-40 years ago but your chances were better to get in your desired group back than because quotas were determined sooner and thus quota was bigger.
You know what? I think that in a way, sororities are reaping what they sowed back then. If 8 sororities took classes of 60 each and the other 4 took only 25 each, the new members were happier then because they got (one of) their choice groups. However, their daughters are paying the price because with so many legacies of certain groups on certain campuses, the daughters aren't making it into their legacy groups.
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