Disappointing Recruitment

[Katmandu]

When I look at the "average" pnm coming through recruitment at Miami, she ranges from attractive and put together to stunning, she is typically slender, academically strong, stylish and accomplished, with a boatload of HS activities and honors on her resume. Not all of these 900 women can pledge the same two or three chapters. Some pnms who believe they only belong in the "popular" chapters deal well with reality and go on to have a great greek experience with one of the many excellent groups on campus. (all of them). Others drop, feel insulted or rejected and miss out on a fun ride with a "lesser" chapter that has a full slate of social and philanthropic activities and a great alumna experience.

It is a difficult moment when you discover that you are not the only star in the room. Most of us experience this in first or second grade, and are stronger for it, but some of us learn it much later, when the stakes are higher than whether you are chosen to be eraser monitor or selected for the Bluebird reading circle.

The answer to the question, "What is wrong with me?", is, "Nothing, really. You just didn't want to dance with the one that asked you."

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by Katmandu

The answer to the question, "What is wrong with me?", is, "Nothing, really. You just didn't want to dance with the one that asked you."

This!

[AXOrushadvisor]

Originally Posted by Katmandu

When I look at the "average" pnm coming through recruitment at Miami, she ranges from attractive and put together to stunning, she is typically slender, academically strong, stylish and accomplished, with a boatload of HS activities and honors on her resume. Not all of these 900 women can pledge the same two or three chapters. Some pnms who believe they only belong in the "popular" chapters deal well with reality and go on to have a great greek experience with one of the many excellent groups on campus. (all of them). Others drop, feel insulted or rejected and miss out on a fun ride with a "lesser" chapter that has a full slate of social and philanthropic activities and a great alumna experience.

It is a difficult moment when you discover that you are not the only star in the room. Most of us experience this in first or second grade, and are stronger for it, but some of us learn it much later, when the stakes are higher than whether you are chosen to be eraser monitor or selected for the Bluebird reading circle.

The answer to the question, "What is wrong with me?", is, "Nothing, really. You just didn't want to dance with the one that asked you."

LOVE THIS! You are so right. I always feel there is a place for EVERY PNM IF you fully participate. I would not listen the the "tent talk" because the majority of it is not true.

I have said this before, but I'll say it again. A similar situation happened to my niece when she went through recruitment. Beautiful, 4.0, Captain of the dance team, popular- all around perfect for any Chapter on her campus. The problem? None except she is reserved. Had the perfect recruitment going into Preference and then was dropped by all the "good" houses. She was left with two great Chapters who were not "top tier" I got the call in tears and I told her "you have two options if you want to be Greek" She went to 2 preference parties listed 2 on her bid card. She got a bid from her first choice and guess what? Her whole pledge class was a group of GREAT girls that had the same thing happen to them. Guess what else? She became involved, made a difference and 5 years later it is considered a "top house" on campus. Everyone can not be in the golden house of the moment- that is what recruitment is designed to do- spread out the PNM's to ALL the houses.

I'll get off my soap box for now

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

LOVE THIS! You are so right. I always feel there is a place for EVERY PNM IF you fully participate.

I agree with most of your post, but this can be misleading.

I DO agree that when a pnm "fully participates" she maximizes her chances of receiving a bid, but that doesn't necessarily mean that there is "always" a place for "EVERY PNM" if they do so.

There are great women who are smart, beautiful, involved in community service, has a ton of extra-curriculars, etc. on their resume that might make it all the way to the end but end up getting cross-cut or slipping through the cracks every year on a lot of campuses.

Fully participating in recruitment doesn't really mean there will be a place for you, it just means that you are maximizing your chances of finding a place.

[AXOrushadvisor]

Originally Posted by texas*princess

I agree with most of your post, but this can be misleading.

I DO agree that when a pnm "fully participates" she maximizes her chances of receiving a bid, but that doesn't necessarily mean that there is "always" a place for "EVERY PNM" if they do so.

There are great women who are smart, beautiful, involved in community service, has a ton of extra-curriculars, etc. on their resume that might make it all the way to the end but end up getting cross-cut or slipping through the cracks every year on a lot of campuses.

Fully participating in recruitment doesn't really mean there will be a place for you, it just means that you are maximizing your chances of finding a place.

You are right it is not guarantee, although with quota additions I'm finding less women are being cross cut and more are being placed if they fully participated.

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

You are right it is not guarantee, although with quota additions I'm finding less women are being cross cut and more are being placed if they fully participated.

That might be how it happens at your campus, but maybe not all campuses are like that.

There are also women who go into it with an open mind but get dropped by all the houses right before pref or even before 2nd rounds are over.

I'm not trying to start anything, I just don't think it's right to mislead pnms who are reading this board to think if they 'fully participate" there will "always" be a spot for them... because that isn't always the case. It will definitely maximize their chances of finding a place, but it's not always going to happen that way.