After Several Years: What Do You Think of the New Release Figures?

[lyrelyre]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoses

This would extend the recruitment period, however maybe it should go back to the way it was when I rushed. We went to parties, then the day after we had something called "post office". We would go around a certain time and get the invite list- who invited us back. We would see the list, select which ones to go to, and then go on our way. If you were upset, then the Rho Chis were there to talk to you for as long as you needed. The parties were not until several hours later. You would meet at a certain time and get your schedule of parties, but you already knew who was on the list. So say first parties ended at 9pm on Sunday. From 10am-2pm on Monday you could go to post office. The second parties would then start at 6pm.

Originally Posted by Blondie93

Yes, it worked this way at my school in the early 90s, on a campus with 10 houses and over 600 women going through Recruitment. We got our invites at 8am, and parties began early afternoon. If the computers of that day could make it work, then I have absolutely no doubt that logistically (referring back to LyreLyre's post) it could work today with even better technology.

(**for those who were upset and wanted to drop... they were encouraged to accept the invites they wanted/had, return to dorm and sleep on it a bit, and then they could drop out right before the parties. This usually allowed them time to get over the hurt and most plugged right along with the rest of the week)

I agree wholeheartedly that PNMs should be choosing from the groups that invited them and not the newer method of having them rank immediately after parties. I have spoken with quite a few PNMs who stated that they "would be doing all the choosing." It has been clear that they do not understand fully that there will be cuts on the sororites' parts too, and I agree that this leads to more women dropping.

I do not agree that all of those who drop would not be devoted members. Eighteen year olds make impulsive decisions, especially when emotions are running high. I know a few from my campus who really regretted their decision to drop and could have been outstanding members. They just allowed their emotions to get the better of them.

With this system how long did recruitment end up lasting? Our recruitment currently begins on a Monday with Bid Day on Saturday. We have 11 chapters and about 650-700 PNMs.

I absolutely agree that PNMs who withdraw are not necessarily undesirable members. That is the answer I have gotten when I voiced my concerns about decreasing placement rates to various college Panhellenics. I overall like the new release figures, but if there are ways to increase PNMs placement I think they should be explored. Does anyone know if retention rates have increased with the new release figures?

Originally Posted by jwright25

What you all are discussing here is the difference between Priority Ranking and Accept/Regret. The advantages of Priority FAR outweigh the advantages of Accept/Regret - and that's why we've seen the vast majority of college Panhellenics switch to it. Consider this: Campus has 12 chapters. PNMs go to all 12 first round and can go to 8 the second round. Super Susie PNM gets invited to all 12 chapters for second round. Average Annie gets invited to 6. With A/R, Annie is somewhat depressed because she was invited to HALF the number of chapters as Susie. With Priority, Susie's list has 8 chapters and Annie's has 6. So she doesn't feel as bad. Plus she could (theoretically) "save face" and say that she got invited to her top choices if she wants.

That's just one instance. Not to mention that you can't do flexing unless you use Priority, and the advantages of flexing alone are too great to give up.

I remember one university's Panhellenic handling the ranking very well. The recruitment counselors told the PNMs to rank the 8 chapters that they loved as #1, and then the chapters that they liked as 2, 3, 4, 5. So it wasn't ever "who do you want to go back to?" or "who do you like the least?" The vocabulary was always very positive.

And regarding the A/R method of having PNMs look at invites in the morning and go to parties in the evening.... WAY more PNMs drop out when it is done this way. When PNMs get their invitations 15-30 minutes prior to the parties, they are already dressed, they are already there. There's no time for tent talking and others trying to convince them to drop. Then they go to the parties and many times actually make a connection and wind up joining a sorority. Sure, some still drop, and that's fine. But at least they gave it a chance.

(I realize that we've wandered into A/R vs. Priority discussion, but this discussion does weigh in very heavily to RFM. )

In your hypothetical, Susie and Annie would only know about each other’s schedules if they shared that information. Theoretically, a PNM could always “save face” by keeping quiet about her preferences throughout Recruitment. I know this is unlikely, as Recruitment is such a social event, but no system is going to make someone who got fewer invites feel better about themselves. If Annie and Susie are going to share schedules and invites, they’ve probably already shared the order in which they ranked the chapters.

I wholeheartedly agree that Flexing is fantastic. In my opinion, it’s one of the best parts of the new release figures.

I’m not sure even the most positive description of ranking by a Recruitment Counselor could get through to an excited 18 or 19 year old. In my experience, once a PNM knows the maximum number of chapters she can visit next round, she tends to think of chapters she ranked lower than that as “cut” by her.

As far as way more PNMs dropping out under A/R, I can only speak for the campuses (campi?) where I have advised, when I say that the number of PNMs withdrawing from recruitment increased. If that’s not true across the board, then it is even more reason for me to endorse the new release figures.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by lyrelyre

. Does anyone know if retention rates have increased with the new release figures?

I found that at my school, while there were some drop-outs after the first cut (which was on Day 2 of 4 with the new RFM), we had higher numbers of women who attended Preference and received/accepted bids.

This was different from the years before the new RFM where we didn't make any cuts until Day 3 (of 4). We would have hardly any drop-outs for the first 2 days, then there were MASSIVE drop-outs after that first cut which was halfway through recruitment. Then more would drop by Pref and we ended up with fewer than half of the girls we started with.

[ComradesTrue]

Originally Posted by lyrelyre

With this system how long did recruitment end up lasting? Our recruitment currently begins on a Monday with Bid Day on Saturday. We have 11 chapters and about 650-700 PNMs.

5 Consecutive Days:

Day 1: 10 Houses
Day 2: 6 Houses
Day 3: 4 Houses
Day 4 (Pref): 3 House
Day 5: Bid Day

"Turnaround," as it was called, was at 7 or 8 each morning. We got our invites printed out from a computer. We then circled the ones that we wanted to return to (maybe a scantron was involved?? I can't really remember).

Parties for Day 2 started around 1pm. Day 3 started around 3, and pref started around 6. (IIRC)

em_adpi might be able to shed light on current practices there. I know there are now 11 chapters and even more going through recruitment.

[ForeverRoses]

Originally Posted by Blondie93

5 Consecutive Days:

Day 1: 10 Houses
Day 2: 6 Houses
Day 3: 4 Houses
Day 4 (Pref): 3 House
Day 5: Bid Day

"Turnaround," as it was called, was at 7 or 8 each morning. We got our invites printed out from a computer. We then circled the ones that we wanted to return to (maybe a scantron was involved?? I can't really remember).

Parties for Day 2 started around 1pm. Day 3 started around 3, and pref started around 6. (IIRC)

em_adpi might be able to shed light on current practices there. I know there are now 11 chapters and even more going through recruitment.

We had 11 chapters and it was Saturday-folowing sunday. Saturday was convocation and then meet your Rho Chi Groups. Open houses were 2 days, 1st parties were 2 days, second parties 1 day and pref 1 day with bid day the following day.
And we used scantron to pick our groups.