My Fall 09 Recruitment Story

[wannabeagreek2]

I went to bed that night feeling hopeful, and yet I couldn’t shake the nagging thought that if I had gotten cut from 10 houses in one day, then how could I possibly keep these remaining 3 until tomorrow? Every time my phone would go off, my stomach would turn over, and slowly settle again when I saw that it wasn’t my Rho Chi’s number.

Unfortunately, that dreaded call came late the next morning. I answered the phone, already knowing what she would say. She told me that I hadn’t received any invites back to any of my houses, and that I was being released from formal recruitment. Released from formal recruitment... That really hit me. All I could think about now was how I was ‘homeless,’ something that I had been assured wouldn’t happen because the system, although flawed, worked itself out.

When I told Amy, she was so surprised. She said that couldn’t even happen at her school! I didn't understand why things were so different at my school. I secretly started wishing I had gone to Amy's school (which was actually my second choice), just so my experience had been different.

But my Rho Chi also told me about COBs, and how my name would be put on a list all year and if a chapter didn’t meet quota, they could call me and offer me a bid. I called her back and asked her about them some more. I wanted to make sure that Panhellenic knew that I was interested in a snap bid, because I assumed some girls who had gotten released would be over it. My Rho Chi said she was friends with the president of Panhellenic, and she would definitely let her know that.

So now, a few days after bid day, I’m still hoping I’ll get a call from a chapter that I liked. Also, I know a few chapters I liked (Wyoming for sure) participate in informal spring recruitment, so if I haven’t gotten a verbal bid, then I’m thinking I’ll go through that.

But thanks everybody for reading my story. I hope you enjoyed it and I’m sorry it didn’t end up with a happy ending. I really wanted to post this because I’m so curious to hear your responses to how things work at my school. I’m just kind of disappointed that basically everybody here dirty rushes so they essentially already know who their pledge class is, because I was so looking forward to going greek. So yeah, thanks again everyone!

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by wannabeagreek2

But thanks everybody for reading my story. I hope you enjoyed it and I’m sorry it didn’t end up with a happy ending. I really wanted to post this because I’m so curious to hear your responses to how things work at my school. I’m just kind of disappointed that basically everybody here dirty rushes so they essentially already know who their pledge class is, because I was so looking forward to going greek. So yeah, thanks again everyone!

I feel like this needs to be pointed out:

I understand that you are hurt, but it bothers me a little when PNMs accuse chapters of dirty rushing or picking their pledge classes before recruitment. At the school you're at, there are quite a few chapters and HUNDREDS of PNMs, I doubt that EVERY single group has every girl chosen before recruitment.

I hooe you don't think I'm being rude, but PNMs saying that EVERYONE dirty rushes bugs me, as it is likely untrue.

With that said, don't be sorry for not having the "happy ending." Not every story on GC ends the same way and we understand that.

I do hope that you find some things to get involved in that make you happy (sorority or not).

[33girl]

Originally Posted by wannabeagreek2

When I told Amy, she was so surprised. She said that couldn’t even happen at her school! I didn't understand why things were so different at my school. I secretly started wishing I had gone to Amy's school (which was actually my second choice), just so my experience had been different.

Maybe Amy is trying to make you feel better or misunderstood her system or your system, but the only Greek system in the country where you are GUARANTEED a bid if you go through rush is at Tufts. At any other school with NPC groups, a PNM can be cut or released by the individual sororities at any time. So, don't wish you went to her school. The same thing may have happened.

There are schools that guarantee a bid if you "maximize your options" - that is, attend all the events you are invited to and list all the sororities whose pref you were invited to on your bid card - but you hadn't gotten to that stage yet. It doesn't keep the sororities from cutting you.

I'm sorry your story ends as it does.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Maybe Amy is trying to make you feel better or misunderstood her system or your system, but the only Greek system in the country where you are GUARANTEED a bid if you go through rush is at Tufts. At any other school with NPC groups, a PNM can be cut or released by the individual sororities at any time. So, don't wish you went to her school. The same thing may have happened.

There are schools that guarantee a bid if you "maximize your options" - that is, attend all the events you are invited to and list all the sororities whose pref you were invited to on your bid card - but you hadn't gotten to that stage yet. It doesn't keep the sororities from cutting you.

I'm sorry your story ends as it does.

THIS.

Alot of times, PNMs, sisters, and even Gamma Chis misunderstand the guaranteed bid thing.

You have to attend Preference parties and rank them all in order to get a bid.

So there is no guarantee until you make it to Pref.

Up until that point, you can still be released from recruitment.

[twinkle555]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

THIS.

Alot of times, PNMs, sisters, and even Gamma Chis misunderstand the guaranteed bid thing.

You have to attend Preference parties and rank them all in order to get a bid.

So there is no guarantee until you make it to Pref.

Up until that point, you can still be released from recruitment.

I'm confused here..I thought there was no guarantee of a bid ever..not even after Pref. At least that is how it works here, you can still be released after pref rounds. It happened to one of my friends 3 years ago, she attended 2 pref parties, ranked both and was dropped that day by both. I guess it must be rare?

[ISUKappa]

Originally Posted by twinkle555

I'm confused here..I thought there was no guarantee of a bid ever..not even after Pref. At least that is how it works here, you can still be released after pref rounds. It happened to one of my friends 3 years ago, she attended 2 pref parties, ranked both and was dropped that day by both. I guess it must be rare?

Not every university offers guaranteed placement. It sounds like your university does not offer it, which still means a PNM could be released from recruitment even after pref if she does not match to any chapters she preffed. Yes, it is rare, but it can happen.

For those universities that do offer guaranteed placement, as long as your friend had accepted and attended every invitation available to her (assuming she was at or under the number she could accept every day) then she would have been placed at one of her pref chapters.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by twinkle555

I'm confused here..I thought there was no guarantee of a bid ever..not even after Pref. At least that is how it works here, you can still be released after pref rounds. It happened to one of my friends 3 years ago, she attended 2 pref parties, ranked both and was dropped that day by both. I guess it must be rare?

Not every school uses guaranteed matching. Your school must not use it. I don't think mine does either.

[bostongreek]

Originally Posted by 33girl

the only Greek system in the country where you are GUARANTEED a bid if you go through rush is at Tufts.

sorry to hijack, but how does that work? if a very undesirable girl goes through that all of the sororities cut immediately (i'm talking the weird rush stories kind) then how do they decide which group is stuck with her?

[MaggieXi]

Originally Posted by bostongreek

sorry to hijack, but how does that work? if a very undesirable girl goes through that all of the sororities cut immediately (i'm talking the weird rush stories kind) then how do they decide which group is stuck with her?

No group is "stuck with her". I think even with "guarnateed placement" (which is just another phrase that can be misinterpreted!) if the PNM is released completely before the preference invitations are issued, she is completely out of recruitment.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by bostongreek

sorry to hijack, but how does that work? if a very undesirable girl goes through that all of the sororities cut immediately (i'm talking the weird rush stories kind) then how do they decide which group is stuck with her?

Originally Posted by MaggieXi

No group is "stuck with her". I think even with "guarnateed placement" (which is just another phrase that can be misinterpreted!) if the PNM is released completely before the preference invitations are issued, she is completely out of recruitment.

Actually in the case of Tufts, yes, some group is stuck with her.

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh....php?p=1504459

I think that someone said this ^ is actually called guaranteed bidding or guaranteed matching, not guaranteed placement, to differentiate from what places like Texas do.

[bostongreek]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Actually in the case of Tufts, yes, some group is stuck with her.

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh....php?p=1504459

I think that someone said this ^ is actually called guaranteed bidding or guaranteed matching, not guaranteed placement, to differentiate from what places like Texas do.

that sounds like a horrible system for the chapters!

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by wannabeagreek2

But my Rho Chi also told me about COBs, and how my name would be put on a list all year and if a chapter didn’t meet quota, they could call me and offer me a bid.

AFAIK, you have to sign up for COB. After all, it is open to women who did not go through formal recruitment in the first place.
But that's still no guarantee of a bid. And if all the groups made quote, COB is unlikely...at least until second semester.
Sometimes, the answer is "no." I'd bet the majority of female students on your campus are NOT greek. Your best bet is to explore and develop other interests. There are way more of them than there are sororities!
Good luck to you!

[LAblondeGPhi]

Originally Posted by OPhiAGinger

You've said that three times now. Enough.

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Oh, badly played, you with your 119 total posts. What in the world could possibly make you think you can decide when KSU has said enough?

I know there's a whole hierarchy on here, and I do take note of posters who have thousands of posts, but can't we play nice? You two have a join date to GC within a couple of months of each other... which was 3 years ago, I might add. I understand when people admonish a newbie with 4 posts and a join date of yesterday, but some posters have been on here for years and simply don't post as often as others.

Violet made the point a couple of times, and maybe it was a little overkill, but that's every poster's GC right, right?

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by LAblondeGPhi

I know there's a whole hierarchy on here, and I do take note of posters who have thousands of posts, but can't we play nice? You two have a join date to GC within a couple of months of each other... which was 3 years ago, I might add. I understand when people admonish a newbie with 4 posts and a join date of yesterday, but some posters have been on here for years and simply don't post as often as others.

Violet made the point a couple of times, and maybe it was a little overkill, but that's every poster's GC right, right?

I regret mentioning the post count. My point was that she shouldn't be directing another knowledgeable user in what that user posted, particularly in such a flippant way. Had she been more pleasant in making the same point, I'm sure it wouldn't have even made an impression.

[LAblondeGPhi]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I regret mentioning the post count. My point was that she shouldn't be directing another knowledgeable user in what that user posted, particularly in such a flippant way. Had she been more pleasant in making the same point, I'm sure it wouldn't have even made an impression.

Agreed. We all have to be even more clear about being polite/nice/respectful/etc. when writing a communication rather than saying it. Nature of the beast.