Competitive? Or a Different Term?

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by HQWest

On a big campus with 16-18 big chapters, there are still niches. People from certain hometowns or high schools group here or there. Legacies stick with their legacy chapters. People in certain majors group here or there, but like KSUViolet said with that much variety - you should be able to find one where you can make a home. Plus, you should be able to leave it better than you found it.

In addition to what you've mentioned, most women still have options throughout recruitment when there are more chapters. At Illinois, there are about five chapters that are roughly on par at the bottom of the recruitment strength game, so even the PNM's who don't shine as much are likely to have 2 or 3 pref parties to attend. Psychologically, going to three prefs and choosing which one to rank first is VERY different from attending one pref and feeling like this is all you have left.

That's why the situation Carnation is describing is so amazing to me. You would think that there would be some selling points beyond the top three chapters, and women who still had three or more options would be able to see that.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

In addition to what you've mentioned, most women still have options throughout recruitment when there are more chapters. At Illinois, there are about five chapters that are roughly on par at the bottom of the recruitment strength game, so even the PNM's who don't shine as much are likely to have 2 or 3 pref parties to attend. Psychologically, going to three prefs and choosing which one to rank first is VERY different from attending one pref and feeling like this is all you have left.

That's why the situation Carnation is describing is so amazing to me. You would think that there would be some selling points beyond the top three chapters, and women who still had three or more options would be able to see that.

Granted it was a long time ago, but at Illinois there was definite status attached to being Greek. I don't think as many PNMs had the feeling that pledging a lower-tiered house was a worse option than being a GDI. The first question asked when you met someone new on campus was always, "what house are you in?" and if you said "I'm not Greek" the response was, "why not?" The social structure was:
1. The 3 queens
2. A mid-tier sorority
3. A lower-tier sorority
4. GDI

I think the problems occur at schools where being in a "lower-tiered" sorority is worse than being independent.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

Granted it was a long time ago, but at Illinois there was definite status attached to being Greek. I don't think as many PNMs had the feeling that pledging a lower-tiered house was a worse option than being a GDI. The first question asked when you met someone new on campus was always, "what house are you in?" and if you said "I'm not Greek" the response was, "why not?" The social structure was:
1. The 3 queens
2. A mid-tier sorority
3. A lower-tier sorority
4. GDI

I think the problems occur at schools where being in a "lower-tiered" sorority is worse than being independent.

Ha, I think that was only among Greeks. My dorm floor was mostly athletes, and they couldn't tell a Sigma from a Lambda.

But yes, there was, overall, a sort of Greek vs. GDI mentality. I think one reason is that, contrary to 33girl's example upthread, living in the chapter houses at Illinois + paying social dues was pretty comparable to other living options. So, there was rarely a financial reason not to go Greek, and those of us who did couldn't understand why others wouldn't do it.

I wonder what the fraternity scene is like on the campus in the OP. Carnation, care to elaborate on that?

[MaryPoppins]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

I think the problems occur at schools where being in a "lower-tiered" sorority is worse than being independent.

I can't think of a place where that is the case and fits Carnation's criteria in the OP. IMHO the number of schools where "being in a "lower-tiered" sorority is worse than being independent," in the South would be scarcer than hen's teeth. If I am wrong please do enlighten me.