new member programs preparing you for life as an active

[AOII Angel]

I totally disagree with this line of thinking. I don't think you have to do chores to "earn" the right to be initiated. Hazing does not make a stronger brotherhood or sisterhood. Women and men are very different and so are the members of the NPC and the IFC. Comparing drop out rates for women and men is like comparing apples to oranges. Men join fraternities for a very different reason than women join sororities. My older sister was in the last "pledge" class at my chapter, and I was in the first "new member" class. She had to wait an entire semester for initiation while I had to wait six weeks. She said the only difference in the equation was time. She went to a lot more meetings than I did, but she felt she was no more "prepared" than I to become an initiated member. Her pledge education included things like memorizing the letters of the greek alphabet (sorry...how important is that really?!) My new member education was pared down to the basics of what sisterhood meant. My sisters and I were smart enough and worthy enough to get "it" within the six week period. Change is hard, but it's not good enough to justify not changing because "Well...I had to do it that way!" or "I had to be hazed to be a real brother (or sister.)" That's a cop out!
By the way, I just saw the Tri Sigma program on the internet. It really is a nice system. That may be what the other NPC groups should model their own member education programs after.