Bama recruitment in the "off season"

[DubaiSis]

I didn't mean to touch a nerve. What I was getting at is by having all of these early events the southern schools are building interest and enthusiasm in sorority life. I don't see it as a way to weed out girls or make it scary. I think it must make girls excited to be part of it.

But I don't accept the fact that Greek systems are only good in small cities and towns. Raleigh-Durham isn't exactly waiting for cable tv these days, as an example.

I understand that Greek systems in the Midwest are not the same as those in the South, but a good marketing plan is a good marketing plan. I think there must be some way to adapt this process of informational parties in the spring of a girl's senior year of high school while she's talking with the other girls who are also making their plans for next fall.

Again, I apologize for offending anyone.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

I didn't mean to touch a nerve. What I was getting at is by having all of these early events the southern schools are building interest and enthusiasm in sorority life. I don't see it as a way to weed out girls or make it scary. I think it must make girls excited to be part of it.

The enthusiasm is already there. They do these events because they have a zillion Greek alum parents and prospective members contacting them every day asking for it.

A good comparison: department stores in Pittsburgh don't sell Steelers gear to "build enthusiasm" for the team. They sell it because people are already psychotically excited about the team and they'll make beaucoup bucks. This is simply giving the people what they want.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by 33girl

The enthusiasm is already there. They do these events because they have a zillion Greek alum parents and prospective members contacting them every day asking for it.

A good comparison: department stores in Pittsburgh don't sell Steelers gear to "build enthusiasm" for the team. They sell it because people are already psychotically excited about the team and they'll make beaucoup bucks. This is simply giving the people what they want.

I think it helps perpetuate things though, and it does channel the interest. It feeds it, rather than just reflecting it.

I mean think it through:
contrast the level of administrative support you'd have to have to pull off the Bama pre-rush stuff with levels at places where Greek Life struggles.

At schools where there are different, and yet self-sustaining traditions, I think differences among campuses is one of the strengths of Greek life.

But if participation is waning or has waned in the past, maybe looking at what other schools has value. (I'm not saying that everyone should aspire to be like the SEC by any stretch because it has its drawbacks too.)

And in a kind of unrelated point, it seems to me that at least half of SEC schools are either in pretty decent sized metro areas or are within an hour of one. I mention this because the size of the metro area being used to explain interest in Greek Life might not go as far as just looking at what role Greek Life typically plays in campus life, regardless of the size of the city. Sure, having nothing else to do probably makes people more interested in joining, but not every SEC school is in a town like Starkville.

ETA: neither of these schools is SEC, but Georgia Tech, which you probably know is in Atlanta, is about 25% Greek and Emory, which is technically in Decatur, is about 30% Greek.

[NUBlue&Blue]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

ETA: neither of these schools is SEC, but Georgia Tech, which you probably know is in Atlanta, is about 25% Greek and Emory, which is technically in Decatur, is about 30% Greek.

The administration at Georgia Tech is very supportive of the greek system. In fact, they used to run a PSA on the radio narrated by their dean of students touting the greek system at Tech and how fraternity and sorority members had higher grades, better graduation rates and long term financial contact with the Institute as alumni than unaffiliated students.

One thing that's different with my kids and their friends (living in a big city as opposed to a college town) is that more social life actually happens on campus because it's not so easy to "go out" in Atlanta as it is in Athens where everybody has a fake.

So I really don't know if the argument that you don't need to be greek if your campus is in a large city and there are other things to do really holds true or not. Just an observation.