Daughter is a legacy and was cut

[irishpipes]

By having every group attend, UNC may be attempting to de-stigmatize spring recruitment, as well as letting PNMs know that there are more choices so that they can make informed decisions about spring recruitment versus fall formal. (We get a lot of new members posting that they accepted a COB bid without checking out any other groups and have buyer's remorse.)

Your daughter needs to prepare herself for the reality that it will never be easier as a sophomore - she needs to know her options may be even more limited than they were the previous year. Although UNC isn't as competitive as the SEC, she should plan to have recs for every chapter. She will need to evaluate before recruitment if she would be comfortable accepting a bid to a chapter that isn't "top tier." The tier mentality is difficult for a 19 year old to ignore, but it may preclude her from having a great greek experience. In that same vein, she would be wise to seriously consider the groups recruiting this spring. I think the legacy chapter ship has sailed - she needs to pretend they aren't on campus and look at the other chapters as if they are the only options.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

By having every group attend, UNC may be attempting to de-stigmatize spring recruitment

But it doesn't. The rushees get there, see that super popular ABC who they didn't get a bid from is there and get all OMG YAY THERE'S STILL A CHANCE FOR ME IN ABC THEY STILL NEED GIRLS WHOOT WHOOT.

Then (this can be when they talk to the girls at the event, or when the actual invites start going out) the rushees discover that ABC didn't need members at all, they are just at the event because they have to be, and they're so upset that it makes it even harder for them to give a fair look to the groups that ARE taking new members. It's like seeing fresh lobster on a menu and then finding out that there is only one fresh lobster served a day and it's already gone - anything else isn't going to taste as good because you psyched yourself up for lobster.

[IndianaSigKap]

Originally Posted by 33girl

But it doesn't. The rushees get there, see that super popular ABC who they didn't get a bid from is there and get all OMG YAY THERE'S STILL A CHANCE FOR ME IN ABC THEY STILL NEED GIRLS WHOOT WHOOT.

Then (this can be when they talk to the girls at the event, or when the actual invites start going out) the rushees discover that ABC didn't need members at all, they are just at the event because they have to be, and they're so upset that it makes it even harder for them to give a fair look to the groups that ARE taking new members.

I totally agree with you. Back in the old days, when I was in school Panhel listed the chapters who were participating before doing sign ups. This gave the PNMs an accurate picture of who had openings and the chapters had a pool of women who were interested in those chapters to pull from for events. Our Panhel didn't tell PNMs how many spots each chapter had, but they required that the chapters have at least three to participate. If there were more than three chapters, and there usually were in the fall, they would set up open houses that worked like formal recruitment, only fewer houses to visit. Both groups went into it with a clearer picture. One fall in particular 7 chapters participated and over 100 girls signed up.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by 33girl

But it doesn't. The rushees get there, see that super popular ABC who they didn't get a bid from is there and get all OMG YAY THERE'S STILL A CHANCE FOR ME IN ABC THEY STILL NEED GIRLS WHOOT WHOOT.

Then (this can be when they talk to the girls at the event, or when the actual invites start going out) the rushees discover that ABC didn't need members at all, they are just at the event because they have to be, and they're so upset that it makes it even harder for them to give a fair look to the groups that ARE taking new members. It's like seeing fresh lobster on a menu and then finding out that there is only one fresh lobster served a day and it's already gone - anything else isn't going to taste as good because you psyched yourself up for lobster.

I totally agree. However, I have yet to work with an office of Greek Affairs that would come close to understanding this. (The same folks who write websites and brochures saying recs are the responsibility of the chapters.)

[33girl]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

I totally agree. However, I have yet to work with an office of Greek Affairs that would come close to understanding this. (The same folks who write websites and brochures saying recs are the responsibility of the chapters.)

To cut some slack, I believe that there are GAs out there who do have teh stupids and believe exactly the above, but there are probably also GAs out there who do understand it but can't make their superiors understand it/care enough to try to understand it. Unfortunately, the latter are usually the ones who don't stick around very long because there are only so many pairs of hip boots out there to wade through manure.

[carnation]

The statements about not needing recs practically make me cry. How many times have I tried to tell a mom and daughter that even though the booklet said they didn't need them, they really did? And then you know what happened.