The psychology of sorority recruitment

[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!

[AXOrushadvisor]

Originally Posted by 33girl

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.

I totally agree with the abuse of the system and saw it first hand. What would happen if you started RFM after round 2? You would get a second and longer look at some of those women who don't light up the room when they walk in the door, but still be forced to make heavy releases?

[AlwaysSAI]

There was a graduate student at my sister's school a few years ago. She went through recruitment purely for the research aspect. She intended to publish something about it, I thought. I don't know whatever happened to her.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

I totally agree with the abuse of the system and saw it first hand. What would happen if you started RFM after round 2? You would get a second and longer look at some of those women who don't light up the room when they walk in the door, but still be forced to make heavy releases?

The problem is that it goes both ways. Doing RFM after round 2 means that the "top" chapters would do lighter cuts, and PNM's would not necessarily take a look at the chapters that take a little longer to really make an impression.

I think it is less about the numbers game, and more about the attitudes of 18-year-old women, in BOTH directions.