The psychology of sorority recruitment

[TriDeltaSallie]

Reading the rush threads makes me want to go back to school and do research on the psychology of sorority recruitment. The possibilities are endless.

800 or 1000 or 1200 women who are all bright, attractive and well-rounded collide for a week. Many of them have never faced significant failure before. Many of them have rarely failed to achieve goals they want. Many of them have not experienced finding out they aren't more special or desirable than the other women around them. How does the entire process impact them, especially those who desire certain chapters and find out those chapters don't think they are a good match?

Related to this is the idea that has come up on GC that PNMs will desire certain chapters because they want to be like the women in that chapter rather than the fact that they would really fit in. The ability to honestly evaluate who you are and where you would fit in well is really a challenge for a lot of young women. Getting your invites back and realizing you aren't really a ABC or DEF can be a major blow to some women's egos. How do women respond? Does she see the truth in it or simply blame the women in the chapter for rejecting her?

Trust the process is something that PNMs hear all the time on GC. The PNMs echo with "every sorority at ABC University has so much to offer"... Until they are dropped from the groups they really want and realize that the sororities that are left that "have so much to offer because every group at ABC University is outstanding" aren't what they envisioned for themselves all summer and all week. It's easy to repeat the mantra when you are "sure" you will end up in one of the most desirable groups. It is completely different when you are faced with your only options being the groups you ranked last all week. Why do some women continue to trust the process and others reject the entire system?

It would be interesting to follow up with the women who drop out and see how much they blame the sorority members and/or the process and how many of them are able to honestly evaluate themselves and recognize that they didn't belong in particular groups they really wanted for whatever reason.

And on the opposite end of the spectrum... How many women receive a boost of confidence because of their recruitment experience and the fact that they make it through the entire process? It would be interesting to know the positive psychological impact of completing recruitment successfully and how that plays out in the rest of the life in college and beyond.

[dgdramadawg]

Anyone need a dissertation topic?

[TriDeltaSallie]

Originally Posted by dgdramadawg

Anyone need a dissertation topic?

I know! That's what I mean. All the time I piddle away reading recruitment stories... I could be getting a degree for this!

[katydidKD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8rrIYevONQ


I'm sure this has been discussed on here, but your post reminds me of parts of this (where the one woman talks about the psychology behind it)

[Lady Pi]

Wow

I hope "Anonymous" gets her membership cancelled, even though apparently it doesn't mean that much to her.

I feel really bad for Allie, being taken advantage of like that. I wonder if she got into trouble after this video debuted. If I were her I would be pretty angry with the director when the video kept mentioning the awful stereotypes of Sorority A and then she pledged Sorority A.

The psychology of Recruitment is pretty interesting. I feel like it takes a lot of guts to go through with it for some girls. Most things in life people tell you to not "take it personally". Well, Rush is personal. THEY DON'T LIKE YOU! THEY LOVE YOU! THEY MADE A POSTER OF YOUR FACE! It can be a huge ego boost or a huge blow.

[kchaptergphib]

Originally Posted by Lady Pi

Wow

I hope "Anonymous" gets her membership cancelled, even though apparently it doesn't mean that much to her.

If I remember correctly, the 'Anonymous' girl was the former Recruitment Chair for her chapter. She left the chapter (or was asked to leave, I don't know). So, no, she's no longer a member of the organization.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

I think much of getting over a disappointing recruitment is realizing that there is a certain type of girl who does well in rush, and not everyone is that type. Regardless of recs and legacies and pre-existing friendships, the most desired PNM's are generally those who make a great impression in five minutes.

If you listed what you wanted in a sister, you'd list things like "loyalty" or "good listener". If you took a chapter inventory, you may end up with things like "leadership potential" and "financially responsible", but none of those qualities are really ferreted out during recruitment. Many of the women who don't have full schedules could be bristling with all of these things.

[TriDeltaSallie]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I think much of getting over a disappointing recruitment is realizing that there is a certain type of girl who does well in rush, and not everyone is that type. Regardless of recs and legacies and pre-existing friendships, the most desired PNM's are generally those who make a great impression in five minutes.

If you listed what you wanted in a sister, you'd list things like "loyalty" or "good listener". If you took a chapter inventory, you may end up with things like "leadership potential" and "financially responsible", but none of those qualities are really ferreted out during recruitment. Many of the women who don't have full schedules could be bristling with all of these things.

+1

It is interesting that on the video link someone left a comment that half the women in her chapter were b******. I can honestly say that I cannot recall a single woman in my chapter of a hundred women that I would characterize that way. Yes, some were more high maintenance than others and there were some who might have been more prone to drama. But nothing like what this woman is talking about. But I can think of many I would call loyal, good listeners, leaders, trustworthy and a whole slew of other positive things.

Then again, we were one of those chapters deemed "less desirable" and did not necessarily shine as brightly during formal recruitment. But I would have put the overall quality of our general membership up against the overall quality of the general membership of all the other sororities any day.

[KDMafia]

If you listed what you wanted in a sister, you'd list things like "loyalty" or "good listener". If you took a chapter inventory, you may end up with things like "leadership potential" and "financially responsible", but none of those qualities are really ferreted out during recruitment. Many of the women who don't have full schedules could be bristling with all of these things.

See I am not to sure about this. I believe that a lot can be learned in recruitment if the sorority members ask the right questions. Learning about part time jobs in high school and college, learning about leadership in their EC. You can find out about loyalty talking about family or high school friends, empathy in their current and past friendships or even connection to past pets. It's learning how to take the time you have and ask the right questions. I think it also helps you identify the ones who are taking sorority membership seriously. Recruitment shouldn't be treated as the elephant in the room. If sororities take the selection process seriously it will help the PNMs as well.

I think this also helps chapters identify which PNMs are interested in them as well. Someone who rolls her eyes when you ask her about experience volunteering or gives one word answers shows they are not interested in impressing you, while if you focus just on small talk can make it easier for the uninterested PNM so seem more engaged just based on the amount of effort they need to put forth.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by KDMafia

See I am not to sure about this. I believe that a lot can be learned in recruitment if the sorority members ask the right questions. Learning about part time jobs in high school and college, learning about leadership in their EC. You can find out about loyalty talking about family or high school friends, empathy in their current and past friendships or even connection to past pets. It's learning how to take the time you have and ask the right questions. I think it also helps you identify the ones who are taking sorority membership seriously. Recruitment shouldn't be treated as the elephant in the room. If sororities take the selection process seriously it will help the PNMs as well.

I think this also helps chapters identify which PNMs are interested in them as well. Someone who rolls her eyes when you ask her about experience volunteering or gives one word answers shows they are not interested in impressing you, while if you focus just on small talk can make it easier for the uninterested PNM so seem more engaged just based on the amount of effort they need to put forth.

Absolutely. This is one of the challenges a "popular" chapter faces during recruitment in the era of RFM. They essentially have their pick, but because they have to cut so many women early in recruitment, they have to know what they are looking for and how to determine if a PNM has those qualities. If all they're looking for is "cute" and "bubbly" that is their right to choose PNMs that way, but if they want more women with more substance, they must ask the right questions. You have to have all of your members on the same page about wanting certain things in PNMs and educate them how to steer conversations to be productive. Otherwise, you'll have a bunch of your members gushing about PNMs and they can't really give you concrete reasons why they'd be good members.

I do agree that cute girls with bubbly personalities tend to do better in recruitment, though. Social psychologists know that people who are attractive are more likely to be perceived positively, and unattractive people are more likely to be perceived negatively, even if you have an identical conversations. It's ingrained in our brains.

[AXOrushadvisor]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Absolutely. This is one of the challenges a "popular" chapter faces during recruitment in the era of RFM. They essentially have their pick, but because they have to cut so many women early in recruitment, they have to know what they are looking for and how to determine if a PNM has those qualities. If all they're looking for is "cute" and "bubbly" that is their right to choose PNMs that way, but if they want more women with more substance, they must ask the right questions. You have to have all of your members on the same page about wanting certain things in PNMs and educate them how to steer conversations to be productive. Otherwise, you'll have a bunch of your members gushing about PNMs and they can't really give you concrete reasons why they'd be good members.

I do agree that cute girls with bubbly personalities tend to do better in recruitment, though. Social psychologists know that people who are attractive are more likely to be perceived positively, and unattractive people are more likely to be perceived negatively, even if you have an identical conversations. It's ingrained in our brains.

I TOTALLY agree with this, BUT how do you really get to know a young women and ask the right questions in 5 minutes? Maybe the real answer here is to have the first round go a little longer, but I know for a lot of Universities there are major time constraints.

[AXOrushadvisor]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I think much of getting over a disappointing recruitment is realizing that there is a certain type of girl who does well in rush, and not everyone is that type. Regardless of recs and legacies and pre-existing friendships, the most desired PNM's are generally those who make a great impression in five minutes.

If you listed what you wanted in a sister, you'd list things like "loyalty" or "good listener". If you took a chapter inventory, you may end up with things like "leadership potential" and "financially responsible", but none of those qualities are really ferreted out during recruitment. Many of the women who don't have full schedules could be bristling with all of these things.

You are absolutely spot on with the comment about first impressions. I think that is what is the biggest issue with RFM. A lot of those women your releasing today after round 1 you kept for another look under the old system. I would like to see some other way to release women after round 1 then go to RFM.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

You are absolutely spot on with the comment about first impressions. I think that is what is the biggest issue with RFM. A lot of those women your releasing today after round 1 you kept for another look under the old system. I would like to see some other way to release women after round 1 then go to RFM.

I know that some PNMs are able to rank the sororities "with regrets" as a sign that they didn't hate the GLO. It's a shame that sororities can't do the same thing, to make COR easier.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

You are absolutely spot on with the comment about first impressions. I think that is what is the biggest issue with RFM. A lot of those women your releasing today after round 1 you kept for another look under the old system. I would like to see some other way to release women after round 1 then go to RFM.

As with most things, RFM was put in place partly because people abused the system. Sororities were inviting back girls they had NO intention of bidding just to cover their butts in case something wild DID happen and they lost all the girls they wanted (it never did) or for bragging rights (we had more people come back to our parties than any other sorority!).

Something had to be done for those girls who were going the whole way through to pref and getting screwed. This isn't just big schools either, it happened at ALL size schools. Yes, it hurts like hell to get released from 9 out of 12 groups, but better to find it out the first day than after a week of falling in love with a group that doesn't even know you're alive.

I think the best solution is for more schools to offer sorority preview weekends so the PNMs can at least put themselves out there.

(Large rush only) If a chapter is so "high octane" that only that type of girl makes it in rush, wouldn't the shy, sensitive girl get lost in the shuffle of the chapter if she DID make it in?

The "entitlement complex" may be worse nowadays, but there have always been girls who were Edie Everything at their teeny weeny high school (sometimes on their own merit, sometimes not) who went to a large university, rushed, and got their butts handed to them on a platter.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by 33girl

The "entitlement complex" may be worse nowadays, but there have always been girls who were Edie Everything at their teeny weeny high school (sometimes on their own merit, sometimes not) who went to a large university, rushed, and got their butts handed to them on a platter.

This is so true! (Although it was annoying when this kind of girl did make it into a high-octane chapter.)

"Edie Everything"! LOL!