Hand Matching vs. Computer Based Systems

[gpb1874]

We've been using ICS for several years and I love it. We used to use an old computer program and it was horrible - it was DOS based. You do not have to use RFM if you use ICS (not familiar with innova), but if your campus uses ICS, it makes it much easier to do RFM. As others have mentioned, RFM actually works out better for all involved. The chapters that are really strong at recruitment invite back fewer people because they don't need as large a pool to chose from. Chances are that they will get all the girls they invite to pref, so they are forced to cut more girls earlier on instead of holding on to girls they will not need. Chapters that don't do as well in recruitment are able to invite back more girls since historically, they have a harder time recruiting girls. It just balances the odds a little better. And as already mentioned, it keeps super chapter A from keeping PNMs hopes up that they will get invited to pref when in reality, they need to look at more chapters. Hopefully that made some sort of sense. I know there are threads that explain it a lot better!

Your recruitment process sounds a little weird to an outsider. Why is there a week between the first event and second event? Can the recruitment events be back to back? I'm at a smaller campus and here's our schedule:

Wednesday - orientation (no rounds)
Thursday - Open house, 30 min rounds, everyone attends
Friday - Sorority event (usually ice breakers or games), 30 min rounds, most pnms attend, chapters usually only for grades
Saturday - Philanthropy, 45 min rounds, invite only, heavier cuts are made for this round.
Sunday - Pref, 50 min rounds, invite only, heaviest cuts are made for this day; bid day is that night.

Lastly, you can add girls back into a chapter's event (as long as the chapter wants her there). You just have to do it manually, but it's not that big of a deal.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by gpb1874

Your recruitment process sounds a little weird to an outsider. Why is there a week between the first event and second event? Can the recruitment events be back to back?

CWRU is pretty academic focused and I'm guessing they would lose a lot of girls if events were on school nights.

Originally Posted by Panhelgirl321

At our school, we have recruitment for two weekends. The first weekend the girls meet all of the chapters. After that weekend, they rank their preferences and the chapters give us their first and second lists. Many of the chapters want the same girls, and a lot of times the girls that the chapters want are not interested in them at all. I guess our directors biggest concern is that since the chapters do not pick the girls that want to go back to their parties, the PNM's will be dropped and the chapter's will see less girls. Does that make sense? Depending on how the chapter does the previous year depends how many PNM's they are allowed to have back the second weekend.

Thanks for all of your help!

It sounds like the chapters and the girls both need to wake up and smell the coffee.

Do you have a problem with everyone wanting to go to sorority XYZ and no one wanting to go to sorority ABC? Or is it just an issue of rushees AND sororities not being able to convey to each other where they really want to be? Do all the women have to visit all the sororities at least once? I read your Greek life website, and frankly it was really wordy and confusing - I couldn't find an answer to that basic question. Also what is up with the part about no one being allowed to go over ceiling of 50? Do you not use the same quota for all groups?

There are always going to be perfect PNMs that everyone wants. Only one sorority will get them. If sororities persist in focusing on 10% of the rushee pool to the exclusion of the other 90%, I'm sorry, but the crappy numbers they get will be their own fault.

This isn't a computer vs hand matching issue, this is an attitude issue.