University of Alabama Recruitment 2007

[NutBrnHair]

Zillini,

No, it's not your fault. All you can do is process the information you receive. THEY dropped the ball.

Question...did the young woman mark herself as a legacy on her Panhellenic form?

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by Gung-Ho-Chi-O

I'm just kidding but I think with a sorority having as rich a history as KD has at Alabama, people don't need to worry about their chapter or question their member's choices. I can tell you one thing...the strong sororities at Alabama know who they want practically years in advance...the girls in the houses know who is "back at home" & will be joining them in the near future. They know not only who they want but who they will be fighting to get them. It's not like they are going into rush to meet all the girls & see who they like from a few brief encounters during the week, although some sororities do pledge girls they just met & grew to adore. The focus of most actives who have a girl from home or a relative they are pulling to pledge is to make sure their girl meets the rest of the girls that aren't from her hometown or that haven't met her previously from a spring party or visit to the University.

Originally Posted by MVisKD

News straight from the second floor of the KD house:

I have spoken to a current KD senior, and she had NO CLUE that they did not meet their numbers....She said everyone was so excited about the new members and it seemed she genuinely did not know that they didn't meet quota. She said that all of their top girls pledged and that is all they care about! I am not sure if the Exec board is keeping it quiet or what, but I think that publicizing whatever did happen would hurt all of the new pledges (and actives!) feelings.

Originally Posted by bamabelle99

I MISS MAGNOLIA DRIVE TOO!!!!

That said, if KD wanted to meet quota, they would've. They are very selective, they have the right to be...and like a previous poster said - they know years in advance who is going to be in the house.

When I was in school, I remember a few Old Row sororities not making quota - not because they couldn't, but because they didn't have too. In general those houses will always be strong and don't need to take quota to have a successful rush (I refuse to call it recruitment).

I see the "party line" is in full force!

Ladies, I can assure you, even strong, good, Old Row chapters wouldn't want this to happen four years in a row.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

I see the "party line" is in full force!

Ladies, I can assure you, even strong, good, Old Row chapters wouldn't want this to happen four years in a row.

Even if your "not quite" quota is 60 - I can't imagine explaining this to your HQ. "Why didn't you take quota?" "We didn't feel like it."

[Zillini]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Even if your "not quite" quota is 60 - I can't imagine explaining this to your HQ. "Why didn't you take quota?" "We didn't feel like it."

I don't know about other sororities, but our Inat'l uses achieving Quota as a criteria for awards. But it doesn't matter if it's achieved through bid matching, snap bids and/or COB. Achieving Chapter Total is also a criteria.

[MVisKD]

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

I see the "party line" is in full force!

Ladies, I can assure you, even strong, good, Old Row chapters wouldn't want this to happen four years in a row.

I sure am glad I have a "party line" to help back up the lone KD on the board!

I know you feel allegiance to your home chapter as well and wouldn't want everyone spreading rumors that they snapped 16 girls or had alums come back to help rush because they didn't have enough members to do so. I am only trying to keep a good vibe about my chapter so this news doesn't spread down to next year's potential rushees and keep us from getting quota again.

So thanks for all the KD support and good words, everyone!

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by MVisKD

I sure am glad I have a "party line" to help back up the lone KD on the board!

I know you feel allegiance to your home chapter as well and wouldn't want everyone spreading rumors that they snapped 16 girls or had alums come back to help rush because they didn't have enough members to do so. I am only trying to keep a good vibe about my chapter so this news doesn't spread down to next year's potential rushees and keep us from getting quota again.

So thanks for all the KD support and good words, everyone!

I totally understand and you'll see from my previous post when I stated it would be a "wake-up call" for any of us -- and we've ALL had similar situations.

I do wish KD all the best and I'm positive they have a terrific pledge class, but it rubs me the wrong way when the mantra is something like "they didn't want quota" ... "they didn't even know they didn't make quota" ... etc.

[MVisKD]

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

I totally understand and you'll see from my previous post when I stated it would be a "wake-up call" for any of us -- and we've ALL had similar situations.

I do wish KD all the best and I'm positive they have a terrific pledge class, but it rubs me the wrong way when the mantra is something like "they didn't want quota" ... "they didn't even know they didn't make quota" ... etc.

Let me just make it clear- the woman I talked to said SHE didn't know they didn't make quota. She said a completely different number than others on this board have posted. She is also a Senior and not that concerned with all the hoopla, anyways. She probably was just covering their butts so word doesn't get out and the rumor mill started. Again, it is not something they are advertising.

I know this has happened to all chapters. During my years at Alabama I saw chapters get smaller and smaller and the quality of the girls pledged every year just diminish - they ended up with pledge classes full of someone else's leftovers. It is a hard thing to come back from and I don't wish it on anyone, and especially not my chapter.

[honeychile]

Shame on you, Zillini! You don't have the entire alumae database memorized yet?

They both should have known better!!

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by honeychile

Shame on you, Zillini! You don't have the entire alumae database memorized yet?

They both should have known better!!

Wait!!! I think it's honeychile's fault too! She should have TOLD you.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

Wait!!! I think it's honeychile's fault too! She should have TOLD you.

Um... Okay, IT TAKES A VILLAGE!!!!

Omigosh, now I'm doing it....

[irishpipes]

I guess I am thinking of the KD situation differently. I am wondering if this is a case of a strong chapter falling victim to the new release figures - not being familiar enough yet with that process to avoid this pitfall. I know that a few years ago at Georgia some of the strongest chapters had to snap to quota and the general feeling was that the new release figures caught them off guard a little. The new release figures help the smaller chapters right off the bat, but the stronger ones may need several recruitments to understand fully how to achieve the same results with fewer PNMs.

Just a thought.

[Bamarox]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

I guess I am thinking of the KD situation differently. I am wondering if this is a case of a strong chapter falling victim to the new release figures - not being familiar enough yet with that process to avoid this pitfall. I know that a few years ago at Georgia some of the strongest chapters had to snap to quota and the general feeling was that the new release figures caught them off guard a little. The new release figures help the smaller chapters right off the bat, but the stronger ones may need several recruitments to understand fully how to achieve the same results with fewer PNMs.

Just a thought.

That's exactly what happened. Because they have had one of the highest return percentages they had a higher release figure. If you are not smart you will miss quota, next year their release figures will be lower. For the top houses there is very little margin of error.

[Tex-A-Bama]

You ladies have been great keeping us all informed of the Rush #'s and such. My daughter is a legacy of a chapter that is not present on this campus. She had a great expierence and never once complained.I think the Rush process works and these young ladies end up where they belong. The strength of character comes out going through Rush especially in the dog days of summer. My daughter is happyso I am happy. Personally invoved in Bama rush and now moving on to a
texas rush a little more at ease. A little diffence in #'s. 795 women going through.

[bejazd]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

I guess I am thinking of the KD situation differently. I am wondering if this is a case of a strong chapter falling victim to the new release figures - not being familiar enough yet with that process to avoid this pitfall.

I wouldn't look it at it as "falling victim." If you think about the way the new release figure method works, it's normal to expect that some very strong chapters are going to miss quota from year to year. Top chapters have big release numbers and they are all competing for the same girls. But the chapters aren't psychic. They can't possibly know for sure what Polly PNM or Patty PNM is going to do ....it's happened to everyone that a group of PNMs that have "bonded" during recruitment week and they all decide they want to stick together and pick the one house they all have in commom and boom! there goes 5,6 10 girls on your bid list who may truly have loved you. Whatever. Some of the greatest members you'll ever get are pledged in COR.

Sheesh all these chapters are fabulous in their own right. I give 'em all snaps for a terrific recruitment!

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by bejazd

I wouldn't look it at it as "falling victim." If you think about the way the new release figure method works, it's normal to expect that some very strong chapters are going to miss quota from year to year. Top chapters have big release numbers and they are all competing for the same girls. But the chapters aren't psychic. They can't possibly know for sure what Polly PNM or Patty PNM is going to do ....it's happened to everyone that a group of PNMs that have "bonded" during recruitment week and they all decide they want to stick together and pick the one house they all have in commom and boom! there goes 5,6 10 girls on your bid list who may truly have loved you. Whatever. Some of the greatest members you'll ever get are pledged in COR.

Sheesh all these chapters are fabulous in their own right. I give 'em all snaps for a terrific recruitment!

I am not understanding why you prefaced your remark as if you disagreed with me, and then went on to prove my point. When you aren't allowed to ask as many girls back, losing 5, 6, or 10 from your bid list could put your chapter below quota.

Anyway, I stand by my phrasing of "falling victim." I like the new release figures and support using them, but they are absolutely intended to make things easier for the weaker chapters, which consequently makes things more difficult for the stronger ones. As you stated, it is normal under the new method to expect the stronger chapters to miss quota from time to time. Since that wouldn't have likely happened previously, they are falling victim to the new process. It's not the end of the world, yes, they can COB or just go with what they got, but it is a potential consequence of the new system.

And I don't believe I said anything which implied that I didn't think the chapters were fabulous.