Is there really such a thing as "competitive" and "non-competitive" recruitment?

[BlueBayou]

I would argue that there is no such thing as "competitive" and "non-competitive" recruitment.

I know, I know that sounds crazy. How can recruitment at an SEC school even compare with a small school with a small greek population?

But hear me out. The recruitments feel very different but the member selection methodology is the same.

If schools are utilizing RFM as directed by NPC - then all recruitments are virtually the same, bed quota schools excluded, in terms a PNM's chances of getting into a sorority. That's the way RFM is set to work.

Let's look at it this way. The big SEC type schools that publish post recruitment figures, show that very few, if any, PNMs get totally released from recruitment. Statistically, it is a very small percentage.

What you have is girls withdrawing from recruitment because they don't like the options they have left.

So what makes a school appear "competitive?" Bottom line, I think it is school that are still tiered in nature with large greek systems. Where PNMs want certain sororities and are not open to others.

At my daughter's "non-competitive" school, PNMs were surprised at how deep the cuts were by two chapters after round one. Totally the nature of RFM.

Now at my daughter's school, recruitment is much more "come as your are" with girls not necessarily focused on wardrobe and makeup like what you see at "competitive" schools. Girls can sign up a couple days before recruitment begins and I don't think that hurts them in the member selection process. It's designed to be for relaxed and casual.

It lulls you into a false believe that member selection is not as selective as you would see at an SEC school.

HOWEVER - I would assert that it is still FORMAL RECRUITMENT and because you have the same computer programing methodology working on the back end - If you have two chapters that everyone lists as 1 and 2 - Their cuts have to be deep. And your chance of getting an invite back to those two chapters is similar to what you would find at an SEC school where you have popular chapters that everyone wants. You can't argue with the math and methodology.

I think we do a disservice to girls going through by labeling things "competitive" and "non-competitive." The numbers in the membership selection process are the same across the board. They are following identical methodology.

What IS different is how relaxed the process is in terms of the parties and PNM expectations. Kind of like the difference between a casual afterwork happy hour and a black tie affair. So the PNMs probably feel less stressed and may be open to more options.

But just like an SEC school, you should not have your heart set on chapter ABC that everyone wants. And at many of these "non-competitive" schools, particularly the highly academic ones, you have sororities putting high value on certain extra curricular activities and trying to get the most National Merit Finalists.

I believe the recruitment process can be a more relaxed and less stressful experience for the PNM as some schools - but equally "competitive" with the same membership selection structure behind the scenes.