Alabama Recruitment

[Zillini]

Originally Posted by NOLA25

This makes more sense to me. I don't understand how having a rec written by someone that doesn't even know you could be very helpful anyway. But I do understand in the South, any rec is better than no rec.

At the University of Alabama there were nearly 1500 PNMs going through the process. After the first round many Chapters are required to make massive cuts. With so many PNM there are a lot of them who nobody in the Chapter knows personally so decisions have to be made, harsh decisions and quick decisions.

Now here's a real life analogy. Nearly 20 years ago I applied for an entry level position at a huge corporation. There were perhaps 700 applicants for maybe 30 positions. These were true "entry level" positions where they expected the employees to move up and out into other positions within the company. Therefore they went through this hiring process about once a year.

The first cut to the pool of applicants was anyone who didn't have a college degree. It didn't matter what your degree was in, but you had to have one or your application was disregarded. It wasn't personal. From the remaining pool they determined who got an interview and preference was given to those who had personal references from other employees in the corporation. How that interview went determined whether you got a 2nd interview. After that they selected those who received job offers.

Shockingly similar to a competitive Recruitment process isn't it? Of course without the singing, dancing, and skits. Though it would have been fun to see my boss do some of that.

[I.C. a Pi Phi]

Originally Posted by Zillini

At the University of Alabama there were nearly 1500 PNMs going through the process. After the first round many Chapters are required to make massive cuts. With so many PNM there are a lot of them who nobody in the Chapter knows personally so decisions have to be made, harsh decisions and quick decisions.

Now here's a real life analogy. Nearly 20 years ago I applied for an entry level position at a huge corporation. There were perhaps 700 applicants for maybe 30 positions. These were true "entry level" positions where they expected the employees to move up and out into other positions within the company. Therefore they went through this hiring process about once a year.

The first cut to the pool of applicants was anyone who didn't have a college degree. It didn't matter what your degree was in, but you had to have one or your application was disregarded. It wasn't personal. From the remaining pool they determined who got an interview and preference was given to those who had personal references from other employees in the corporation. How that interview went determined whether you got a 2nd interview. After that they selected those who received job offers.

Shockingly similar to a competitive Recruitment process isn't it? Of course without the singing, dancing, and skits. Though it would have been fun to see my boss do some of that.

Ding, Ding, Ding....we have a winner. Great "real world" example.

[WVU alpha phi]

Hope this link works, I know some DDDs at Alabama and they posted facebook pics from Bid Day:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/al...&id=1507950018

[bama]

Bingo Zillini!

I know people don't get how we do things, but like I said it is because we have such a high volume of girls we have to take other things into consideration. Out of 1500, each house gets to choose 77 or so. I am starting to get the impression that some posters believe we should be changing our practices or that some how "the way they did things at their school back in the day" is some how superior. I am in no way saying how things ran at Bama are the best, we can always improve, I am just saying this is what works for our system right now. It is unfortunate that not all girls get matched and some really great girls slip through the cracks. If your school had that many girls going through, how would you make cuts? You would get nit picky too.

And LittleOwl- are you somehow inferring that Alabama is not a good academic university? I know some people think we are all inbred and don't wear shoes, but The University of Alabama System (UA, UAH, UAB) is one of the highest respected systems in the country for engineering, medicine, business, etc. We are able to maintain 3.5+ GPAs and still know how to have a good party. I have friends who graduated from ivy league schools who have amounted to nothing after college and some of the most successful people, in the South at least, graduated from UA. And like I said, elsewhere things maybe different, but when I say I am a graduate of the University of Alabama, the first thing out of people's mouths are "What sorority are you in?" and I am proud to tell them.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by bama

Bingo Zillini!

I know people don't get how we do things, but like I said it is because we have such a high volume of girls we have to take other things into consideration. Out of 1500, each house gets to choose 77 or so. I am starting to get the impression that some posters believe we should be changing our practices or that some how "the way they did things at their school back in the day" is some how superior. I am in no way saying how things ran at Bama are the best, we can always improve, I am just saying this is what works for our system right now. It is unfortunate that not all girls get matched and some really great girls slip through the cracks. If your school had that many girls going through, how would you make cuts? You would get nit picky too.

And LittleOwl- are you somehow inferring that Alabama is not a good academic university? I know some people think we are all inbred and don't wear shoes, but The University of Alabama System (UA, UAH, UAB) is one of the highest respected systems in the country for engineering, medicine, business, etc. We are able to maintain 3.5+ GPAs and still know how to have a good party. I have friends who graduated from ivy league schools who have amounted to nothing after college and some of the most successful people, in the South at least, graduated from UA. And like I said, elsewhere things maybe different, but when I say I am a graduate of the University of Alabama, the first thing out of people's mouths are "What sorority are you in?" and I am proud to tell them.

My grandparents are from Alabama (Camden, Tuscaloosa, and Hoover), so should hope that being from AL doesn't mean that, lol.

[lawgal]

I have to second the part about the mindset being different outside of the south. Some of the sorority women that I know were enthusiastic that my daughter was going through recruitment, but told me that recs were really not needed! This is even though they knew she was going to an SEC school. I had a friend who had promised to help my daughter with recs, who then went out of town for a period and when she got back said, sorry she had forgotten but she was sure it would not affect my daughter's rush. If it were not for some wonderful people at an alumnae panhellenic that wasn't even in our geographic radar and a truly wonderful woman here on GC, we would never have gotten all the recs in time. And my daughter had started early. I truly sympathize with the out-of-region pnms who come to SEC recruitment without that kind of help. I know my daughter told me that alot of those girls dropped out of recruitment or were cut heavily right out of the box. (On the other hand, I think Cincinnati must be a city with a southern heart - those girls always seem to be prepared for the SEC rush.)

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by bama

Bingo Zillini!

And LittleOwl- are you somehow inferring that Alabama is not a good academic university? I know some people think we are all inbred and don't wear shoes, but The University of Alabama System (UA, UAH, UAB) is one of the highest respected systems in the country for engineering, medicine, business, etc. We are able to maintain 3.5+ GPAs and still know how to have a good party. I have friends who graduated from ivy league schools who have amounted to nothing after college and some of the most successful people, in the South at least, graduated from UA. And like I said, elsewhere things maybe different, but when I say I am a graduate of the University of Alabama, the first thing out of people's mouths are "What sorority are you in?" and I am proud to tell them.

Wow, I didn't get that from her post at all!

In some regions (I'm thinking coastal California and the Bos-Wash corridor as specific examples), there's more of an emphasis on having attended a relatively small number of schools because people are from all over the place. Since alumni of those schools come from and end up all over the world, there's international recognition. When you hear the names "MIT" or "Johns Hopkins," most people around the world know those are kick-ass schools. While Alabama is a great school, a lot of people who aren't from the South may not know that because it's primarily known on the regional level. It's good that you're proud of where you went to college--I think everyone should be. I know I certainly am.

I think I'm of two worlds on this topic--on one hand, I grew up in the South and don't understand why everyone gets so freaking hysterical about "SEC" rush. Hell, I was prepared with recs for every house at UF even though my parents could have given two flying farts each about Greek Life. My high school hosted a Panhel info session in March of my senior year, and I met with women willing to write my recs. As a result, I was prepared to rush at a southern school even though I didn't end up at one! So, I understand and have no problem with the fact that you need a rec or you'll get cut. It's like having references on your job application!

On the other hand, I went to a liberal college in the Northeast that lumped Greek Life in with every other extracurricular activity. So I understand that while I made lifelong friendships and learned leadership skills, I could have had as great a time there if I hadn't gone Greek. I was not going to meet my husband because I was in a certain sorority.

I am just ready for Southern rush to be over! All kinds of crazies come out of the woodwork!

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I am just ready for Southern rush to be over! All kinds of crazies come out of the woodwork!

Yep.

[littleowl33]

Originally Posted by bama

And LittleOwl- are you somehow inferring that Alabama is not a good academic university? I know some people think we are all inbred and don't wear shoes, but The University of Alabama System (UA, UAH, UAB) is one of the highest respected systems in the country for engineering, medicine, business, etc. We are able to maintain 3.5+ GPAs and still know how to have a good party. I have friends who graduated from ivy league schools who have amounted to nothing after college and some of the most successful people, in the South at least, graduated from UA. And like I said, elsewhere things maybe different, but when I say I am a graduate of the University of Alabama, the first thing out of people's mouths are "What sorority are you in?" and I am proud to tell them.

I am absolutely not inferring that. I'm sorry if you're offended, but I thought I had made that pretty clear in my post - that I was just offering another viewpoint from a New-Englander who grew up in a different area of the country than you did. Nowhere did I say anything negative about UA, which I already know is a wonderful and well-respected institution. I, too, am very proud of my University and my sorority. I'm not sure why you're on the defensive here. Though I'm not at an Ivy League school, I'm sure we can all find examples of men and women who have done poorly (or well) after graduating from any institution... so I'm not sure why you're trying to degrade the Ivies.

As Munchkin said...

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Wow, I didn't get that from her post at all!

In some regions (I'm thinking coastal California and the Bos-Wash corridor as specific examples), there's more of an emphasis on having attended a relatively small number of schools because people are from all over the place. Since alumni of those schools come from and end up all over the world, there's international recognition. When you hear the names "MIT" or "Johns Hopkins," most people around the world know those are kick-ass schools. While Alabama is a great school, a lot of people who aren't from the South may not know that because it's primarily known on the regional level. It's good that you're proud of where you went to college--I think everyone should be. I know I certainly am....

...On the other hand, I went to a liberal college in the Northeast that lumped Greek Life in with every other extracurricular activity. So I understand that while I made lifelong friendships and learned leadership skills, I could have had as great a time there if I hadn't gone Greek. I was not going to meet my husband because I was in a certain sorority.

I'm sure we would have already heard from quite a few other offended Alabama GCers if they read my post the same way you did.

[srmom]

The first cut to the pool of applicants was anyone who didn't have a college degree. It didn't matter what your degree was in, but you had to have one or your application was disregarded. It wasn't personal. From the remaining pool they determined who got an interview and preference was given to those who had personal references from other employees in the corporation. How that interview went determined whether you got a 2nd interview. After that they selected those who received job offers.

Shockingly similar to a competitive Recruitment process isn't it? Of course without the singing, dancing, and skits. Though it would have been fun to see my boss do some of that.

Yep, that's the real world! Job hunting can be much more cut throat than even the most competitive of SEC recruitments (especially for kids graduating from college this year )

[LadyLonghorn]

Does anyone else find it strange that PNMs and moms have no trouble finding GC so they can complain after they or their dd has been cut but can't seem to find it prior to recruitment when any normal person would be researching and preparing?

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by LadyLonghorn

Does anyone else find it strange that PNMs and moms have no trouble finding GC so they can complain after they or their dd has been cut but can't seem to find it prior to recruitment when any normal person would be researching and preparing?

I do.

I mean I typed "sorority recs" into Google and GC was like the 3rd result.

If you type in "Bama sorority recruitment" I think it's 4th or 5th.

[Low C Sharp]

I know people don't get how we do things, but like I said it is because we have such a high volume of girls we have to take other things into consideration.

I know many women who rushed on a whim without recs at U of Illinois and experienced few cuts. You can do all right without them there, even though the system is immense.

That's not a criticism of Bama -- IMHO, it makes a lot more sense to cut PNMs based on recs than on looks, and looks are necessarily going to form a bigger part of the impression a PNM makes if the chapter has no other information. I'm just saying that system size alone doesn't explain the importance of recs in the SEC.
________
QueenOfLove

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

That's not a criticism of Bama -- IMHO, it makes a lot more sense to cut PNMs based on recs than on looks, and looks are necessarily going to form a bigger part of the impression a PNM makes if the chapter has no other information. I'm just saying that system size alone doesn't explain the importance of recs in the SEC.

Yeah, actually it does. Honestly, I used to be a very vocal critic of recs, and I kinda get where they're coming from down South. If 1500 women are registered, and a chapter has to release half of those women or more after round one, you're looking for "reasons" to release and reasons to keep and recs offer more information than an active can learn in 15 minutes. Not to mention, when your chapter is 250(?) think about MS with that many women deciding the fates of 1500 PNMs. Recs help a PNM stand out against PNMs who don't have them, and well-written recs help PNMs stand out against PNMs with generic recs. Recs are like step 1 in showing your commitment to Greek Life, because they take time to obtain.

It may not seem fair to cut a PNM for not having a rec, but imagine as a single active, you talk to, say, 30 PNMs in the first round total. Some you have great conversations with useful information on whether she'd be a great member. But face it, sometimes you end up talking about your favorite TV shows or your hometown...things that can make for an enjoyable conversation but leave you with little idea on what kind of member a PNM would make. How else to decide? Recs.

The only gripe I have about recs is that it seems unfair to women who decide at the last minute that they want to go through recruitment, and therefore, have little to no time to get recs.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

I know many women who rushed on a whim without recs at U of Illinois and experienced few cuts. You can do all right without them there, even though the system is immense.

That's not a criticism of Bama -- IMHO, it makes a lot more sense to cut PNMs based on recs than on looks, and looks are necessarily going to form a bigger part of the impression a PNM makes if the chapter has no other information. I'm just saying that system size alone doesn't explain the importance of recs in the SEC.

Illinois is deferred recruitment, though, right?

If you had a semester or more to actual see what a girl did on campus, the recs wouldn't matter as much.

ETA: nope. It's not. I wonder how they do handle it. What do you suppose the chapters use to release girls in the early rounds?