indiana university recruitment questions/advice

[hoosierlover78]

Hi GCers! I have been looking at a lot of the information on here recently and I am going to be going through recruitment at IU this winter! I was wondering though if anyone knew exactly how it works at IU?

I have heard from some people that IU DOES NOT operate on a quota system and that it is very competitive (I read on a recruitment story from last year that only about half of the girls who go through get bids-YIKES!).

So any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

[KSUViolet06]

With a traditional quota system, quota is determined by the number of girls who attend at least one preference (final) round party. In the end, each sorority generally takes the same number of girls.

IU doesn't work that way. Each sorority at IU may take only as many girls as they have room for. This means that every sorority will take a different number of girls.

This is a VERY general description of how I understand it, but I'm sure an IU sorority alumna could probably explain it better.

Something else that makes IU dfferent from other schools. Recruitment starts BEFORE winter break, and continues afterward. You visit all chapters before winter break, but have to wait until AFTER the break to see who invited you back for the next round.

As far as advice goes: It's a good idea to get recommendations (recs) and keep an open mind to all the different chapters.

[SCTransplant]

IU (and a couple of other large schools) operate on a "bed quota" system. It really isn't beds, but the quota for each sorority on campus for formal recruitment does vary one from another. It depends on how many women the chapter will be carrying into the next year - or conversely how many seniors will graduate, go alum at year 5 etc.

Recommendations are always an asset at a big school like IU. With so many women participating and so many chapters, it helps to get your name out there, and early!

Grades, participation in activities and your ability to present yourself in conversation with sorority women are critical.

Best wishes. IU has a great greek system. Let us know how it goes.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by SCTransplant

IU (and a couple of other large schools) operate on a "bed quota" system. It really isn't beds, but the quota for each sorority on campus for formal recruitment does vary one from another. It depends on how many women the chapter will be carrying into the next year - or conversely how many seniors will graduate, go alum at year 5 etc.

Do all sophomores, juniors, and seniors live in the house or do freshmen move in after bid day? If it's the former, each chapter would take the number they need to fill the house in the fall, which would equal the number of graduating seniors/5th years going alum/transfers/withdrawls, right? Like a "bed rush" for the following fall?

[hoosierlover78]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Do all sophomores, juniors, and seniors live in the house or do freshmen move in after bid day? If it's the former, each chapter would take the number they need to fill the house in the fall, which would equal the number of graduating seniors/5th years going alum/transfers/withdrawls, right? Like a "bed rush" for the following fall?

I believe the "bed quota" is the sophomores, juniors and seniors (although I have been told some houses let seniors live out). Freshmen have to live in the dorms all year.

PS- The "greek opportunities for women" meeting is TONIGHT! YAY!

[SCTransplant]

Recruitment is deferred, so the number for quota is the number needed to fill the house in the fall. Not sure what current chapter total is. Many seniors do live out.

[BetteDavisEyes]

My advice to you would be to get recs to each sorority, preferably 2. It won't guarantee you a bid or even a chance to attend prefs but it might help the girls remember you just a bit more.

[HoosierGirl89]

Hi fellow hoosier! I went through recruitment at IU last year, so if you have any concerns, etc PM me! I would be happy to help.

[HoosierGirl89]

also, hoosierlover, check this site out if you haven't already.

http://www.indiana.edu/~gogreek/

[elleyk5187]

i went through recruitment at IU (dropped out of recruitment & ended up transferring though) & i don't want to be a downer but it's such a MISERABLE process. 19 houses is super ridiculous to go to in one weekend, but add to it whatever mother nature decides to throw in there (it was december when i did it..just guess what it was like)

i'd tell you to get recs in ASAP so the houses have your contact information. more than likely they'll invite you over for a meal to get to know you better. also, recs help the girls remember you after 19 party as there are roughly 1600 girls (that's what it was last year i believe) going through. for 19 party you fill out information cards (name, phone #, etc) & on the back list all your activities. i suggest you make your card "stand out" in a way, by decorating it with scrapbook paper, stickers, etc. i put my favorite quote on there as well. stay really positive, smile, & try to make yourself stand out. one thing i remember is i HATED being double rushed. that's when one sorority member talks to two PNMs. i'm super shy, so the conversation often times got dominated by the other PNM. don't let that happen to you, or at least try your hardest to not let it happen.

also, your rho gamma will be a big help as well.

i think if you look up your local panhellenic chapter, they'll get you in contact with people who can write recs for you (if you haven't already). it's extremely competitive so go in with a completely open mind.

anyway, good luck! i hope i didn't scare you too much. xoxo.

[AOEforme]

My aunt was a Chi-O at IU and she said recs are essential!

She also said being personable and relaxed during recruitment helps a boatload! Read APhiAnna's tips... she said conversations that she had with PNMs that were substantial rather than "What's your major?", "Where are you from?", etc. made a PNM stand out... which is super important when there are 1600 girls going through!

She also said to make sure to keep an open mind! After the 19-House, Chi-O was the last house she wanted to be in! After second rounds, they were her top choice...

[Katmandu]

Originally Posted by HoosierGirl89

also, hoosierlover, check this site out if you haven't already.

http://www.indiana.edu/~gogreek/

LOL, I love the fact that a "decorative drink" will be served at one of the rounds..... I'm envisioning frilly drinks.

What beautiful chapter houses there are at IU! Does anyone know which campus has the most NPC chapters? Anyone have more than the 19 that a few campuses have?

Good luck HoosierLover78!! Have a great time.

[kreich]

I was at IU before the "no frills" thing started, so not sure how the mechanics of the rush parties have changed, but it appears that the general organization of rush is the same.

My advice is to get as much sleep as you can. Seriously. It is a grueling weekend in the Fall and a grueling week in January.

Try not to take anything personally. Remember that if a girl acted like she really liked you but you don't get asked back to the house, chances are she really DID like you. She wasn't being fake. There are just a ton of variables that factor into recruitment. And the decision isn't hers alone.

Have fun. Stay in the moment at each house. Go by how YOU feel about your experiences--don't just go back the reps of each house. Your guy friends will have opinions. They'll tell you which are the top houses and which are the lower tier houses. Try to push all of that to the back of your mind--and go by what YOU want to do.

Also, don't just look around the room at the sisters at each house. As the parties get smaller and smaller, I encourage you to observe the girls who are going through recruitment with you. At pref night, up to half of the PNMs in the room with you could be your in your new member class if you end up in that house.

Everyone kept telling me "it all works out the way it is supposed to"--I hated that they kept saying that, so I won't say it to you...but...I hope you keep in mind that there are happy girls in every house, so keep an open mind.

Good Luck!!

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by Katmandu

What beautiful chapter houses there are at IU! Does anyone know which campus has the most NPC chapters? Anyone have more than the 19 that a few campuses have?

Good luck HoosierLover78!! Have a great time.

University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, IL: September 4-14, 2008
Registered PNMs=1,346
Quota=53
Campus Total=170
Quota last year=48
****************
Pi Beta Phi Illinois Zeta 1895
Kappa Alpha Theta Delta (New) 1895
Kappa Kappa Gamma Beta Lambda 1899
Alpha Chi Omega Iota 1899
Chi Omega Omicron 1900
Alpha Xi Delta Kappa 1905-?/1983-1995/Colony Fall 2008
Delta Gamma Iota 1906
Sigma Kappa Theta 1906
Alpha Omicron Pi Iota 1911 (54)
Phi Omega Pi Gamma 1911-?
Alpha Delta Pi Sigma 1912
Gamma Phi Beta Omicron 1913
Alpha Gamma Delta Sigma 1918
Theta Phi Alpha Beta 1919-1953
Alpha Epsilon Phi Mu 1920
Delta Delta Delta Delta Pi 1920
Delta Zeta Alpha Beta 1921-?/1988 (56)
Zeta Tau Alpha Alpha Kappa 1921-1988
Kappa Delta Sigma Omicron 1921
Phi Mu Delta Beta 1921
Alpha Phi Beta Alpha 1922
Alpha Delta Theta Delta 1922-1939 National merger with Phi Mu
Phi Sigma Sigma Theta 1923
Theta Upsilon Gamma 1923-1940/1946-1962 National absorbed by Delta Zeta
Beta Phi Alpha Beta 1923-1941 National absorbed by Delta Zeta
Sigma Delta Tau Kappa 1926
Delta Phi Epsilon Rho 1927-1988
Iota Alpha Pi Phi 1954-?
Pi Kappa Sigma Alpha Psi 1954-1958
Sigma Sigma Sigma Gamma Alpha 1957-1987
Alpha Sigma Alpha Epsilon Beta 1982-1992

Indiana University Bloomington, IN: December 6-7, 2008 (Open house), January 7-11, 2009 (Invitationals)
No Quota Set
Campus Total Not Set
*****************
Kappa Alpha Theta Beta 1870
Kappa Kappa Gamma Delta 1873
Pi Beta Phi Indiana Beta 1893
Delta Gamma Theta 1898
Delta Zeta Epsilon 1909
Alpha Omicron Pi Beta Phi 1916-1996/1999
Delta Delta Delta Delta Omicron 1917
Sigma Kappa Tau 1918-1994
Theta Phi Alpha Zeta 1920-1959
Phi Mu Delta Alpha 1920
Phi Omega Pi Xi 1922-?
Alpha Chi Omega Alpha Mu 1922
Zeta Tau Alpha Alpha Xi 1922
Chi Omega Theta Beta 1922
Kappa Delta Sigma Upsilon 1923
Alpha Delta Pi Beta Alpha 1926
Sigma Delta Tau Upsilon 1940
Alpha Xi Delta Beta Pi 1946-1970/1987
Delta Phi Epsilon Delta Delta 1946-1952
Alpha Gamma Delta Beta Delta 1947
Alpha Phi Beta Tau 1947
Gamma Phi Beta Beta Phi 1957
Alpha Epsilon Phi Epsilon Epsilon 1958
Sigma Sigma Sigma Epsilon Xi 1989-1994
Alpha Sigma Alpha Epsilon Phi 1990?-1994

Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA: September 26-October 6, 2008
Quota=
Campus Total=
Quota Last Year=18 or 20
********************
Chi Omega Mu Gamma 1926
Alpha Omicron Pi Epsilon Alpha 1929-1973/1982
Theta Phi Alpha Rho 1929-1969
Phi Mu Beta Mu 1929
Delta Gamma Alpha Chi 1930
Kappa Kappa Gamma Delta Alpha 1930
Kappa Alpha Theta Beta Phi 1931
Alpha Chi Omega Beta Mu 1932
Gamma Phi Beta Alpha Upsilon 1932
Alpha Epsilon Phi Alpha Zeta 1937-1978
Zeta Tau Alpha Gamma Epsilon 1939
Kappa Delta Beta Theta 1939
Alpha Xi Delta Beta Lambda 1942
Sigma Delta Tau Phi 1943
Delta Zeta Gamma Delta 1946
Phi Sigma Sigma Beta Eta 1946-1970
Alpha Gamma Delta Alpha Mu 1947-2000
Delta Delta Delta Alpha Phi 1947
Pi Beta Phi Pennsylvania Epsilon 1953
Sigma Sigma Sigma Beta Upsilon 1954
Alpha Delta Pi Delta Kappa 1958-?/1991
Alpha Phi Gamma Rho 1958
Delta Phi Epsilon Delta Pi 1960-1966
Iota Alpha Pi Beta Alpha 1962-?
Alpha Sigma Alpha Gamma Eta 1962
Sigma Kappa Theta Psi 1992

************************************************** *********

UIUC (20 active chapters) and IU (19 active chapters) have sorority houses and large new member classes. Penn State (20 active chapters) has dorm floors and smaller quotas (smaller chapters).

[AXOrushadvisor]

Wow! I had no idea schools limited the number of women that could pledge like that. I would imagine the "good" houses take less women and the struggling houses have more openings. That would make it extremely competitive and stressful on the PNM. At times, it seems, that we worry to much about the Chapters and not enough about the PNM's.