The Best Strategy for a "Weak Recruiting" Chapter

[Greek_or_Geek?]

I think there are a couple of flaws in your logic.

It assumes that those women will accept a bid if given one by the WRC.We know from experience that so many PNMs will sign a bid card that ranks a choice they won't consider because they believe it will give them a better chance at their first choice. (Whether Panhellenic gives them that impression is a whole other discussion.)

It assumes that a much larger percentage of PNMs are especially strong and especially weak. My experience has been that perhaps 10% on either end at the maximum. Almost all the PNMs will be somewhere in that 80%, although a good number of them will believe they are in the top 10%.

It assumes that all similarly ranked PNMs have the same strengths, weaknesses and interests and the chapters (with the exception of the WRC) are homogeneous. In actuality many PNMs will naturally gravitate to chapters with familiar feels (eg: the extra studious chapter, the sporty chapter etc.)

That said, I have no idea what an effective strategy would be. I have to think that it would vary significantly with the campus culture and the attitudes of the incoming PNMs.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Greek_or_Geek?

I think there are a couple of flaws in your logic.

It assumes that those women will accept a bid if given one by the WRC.We know from experience that so many PNMs will sign a bid card that ranks a choice they won't consider because they believe it will give them a better chance at their first choice. (Whether Panhellenic gives them that impression is a whole other discussion.)

It assumes that a much larger percentage of PNMs are especially strong and especially weak. My experience has been that perhaps 10% on either end at the maximum. Almost all the PNMs will be somewhere in that 80%, although a good number of them will believe they are in the top 10%.

It assumes that all similarly ranked PNMs have the same strengths, weaknesses and interests and the chapters (with the exception of the WRC) are homogeneous. In actuality many PNMs will naturally gravitate to chapters with familiar feels (eg: the extra studious chapter, the sporty chapter etc.)

That said, I have no idea what an effective strategy would be. I have to think that it would vary significantly with the campus culture and the attitudes of the incoming PNMs.

To be sure, I'm not saying "oh, the WRC should cut all the so-so PNM's so they can have better ones". I also know that, in the real world, there is nothing even close to a simple ranking of PNM's or chapters.

My line of thinking is more along the lines of what the WRC should do when women come through who really don't fit well, for one reason or another. The conventional wisdom, I think, is that the WRC should be maxing out their RFM with anyone who meets their minimum criteria, and I'm saying that mathematically, that may or may not be true.