Alpha Chi Omega and Phi Mu - Arkansas

[irishpipes]

I think it's important to remember that a colony recruitment is the only recruitment a chapter will ever have where the new members are not chosen by the chapter. In an established chapter, especially on a competitive campus, it is vitally important for a PNM to have a connection to someone in the chapter to pull for her during recruitment. This situation is nonexistent in a colony recruitment since members are chosen by women who seldom have any connection to the campus in question. So, a PNM who is glorious but has no greek connections has equal footing in a colony recruitment, where in regular recruitment she would be at a severe disadvantage.

When AOII colonized at Arkansas, we came across so many wonderful young women who were the first to go to college in their families. This is VERY common at Arkansas. These young women tended to have little greek knowledge or pedigree, and therefore didn't know how to prepare for formal recruitment at such a competitive campus. They included Razorback cheerleaders, the Homecoming Queen (and future wife of American Idol winner Kris Allen), student government president, and on and on. We're not talking sub-par PNMs - just people who didn't plan for recruitment for a year in advance, or came from a smaller town and didn't have connections, or transferred in as a sophomore, etc. The established chapters, for the most part, could hit their 100+ quota without tapping into these unknown PNMs.

I think the situation in Arkansas has gotten even more dire, because even more of these types of students are coming into the university. Arkansas has a program that accepts bordering state students as in-state if they meet a very reasonable ACT requirement, so the university has grown a ton very rapidly. (Not to mention Walmart has some requirement that its vendors have an office in NW Arkansas so the area boomed as Walmart grew.)

[als463]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

I think it's important to remember that a colony recruitment is the only recruitment a chapter will ever have where the new members are not chosen by the chapter. In an established chapter, especially on a competitive campus, it is vitally important for a PNM to have a connection to someone in the chapter to pull for her during recruitment. This situation is nonexistent in a colony recruitment since members are chosen by women who seldom have any connection to the campus in question. So, a PNM who is glorious but has no greek connections has equal footing in a colony recruitment, where in regular recruitment she would be at a severe disadvantage.

When AOII colonized at Arkansas, we came across so many wonderful young women who were the first to go to college in their families. This is VERY common at Arkansas. These young women tended to have little greek knowledge or pedigree, and therefore didn't know how to prepare for formal recruitment at such a competitive campus. They included Razorback cheerleaders, the Homecoming Queen (and future wife of American Idol winner Kris Allen), student government president, and on and on. We're not talking sub-par PNMs - just people who didn't plan for recruitment for a year in advance, or came from a smaller town and didn't have connections, or transferred in as a sophomore, etc. The established chapters, for the most part, could hit their 100+ quota without tapping into these unknown PNMs.

I think the situation in Arkansas has gotten even more dire, because even more of these types of students are coming into the university. Arkansas has a program that accepts bordering state students as in-state if they meet a very reasonable ACT requirement, so the university has grown a ton very rapidly. (Not to mention Walmart has some requirement that its vendors have an office in NW Arkansas so the area boomed as Walmart grew.)

irishpipes,
You make a really good point! I am so excited to see the incredible women that Phi Mu chooses to be members of the sisterhood! Good luck to all the ladies going through Recruitment (and colonization) at Arkansas!

[28StGreek]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

When AOII colonized at Arkansas, we came across so many wonderful young women who were the first to go to college in their families. This is VERY common at Arkansas. These young women tended to have little greek knowledge or pedigree, and therefore didn't know how to prepare for formal recruitment at such a competitive campus.

Not to stereotype these women, but I get the feeling on campuses like Arkansas (and Alabama, LSU, etc) there are so many PNMs who are a great fit for Greek life (especially in the South) but as you said that one crucial factor of lacking an inside connection to an established chapter is a big hurdle.

Like in the North (and just making a generalized un-expert opinion) I get the feeling that even if chapters decided to take anyone who walked in through the door a greater proportion of the student body still just wouldn't be interested in greek life.

All that being said, it just makes me more excited for AGD's return to USC!

[BAckbOwlsgIrl]

Based on what has been said there are so many great woman at Arkansas and other SEC schools;

When AOII colonized at Arkansas, we came across so many wonderful young women who were the first to go to college in their families. This is VERY common at Arkansas. These young women tended to have little greek knowledge or pedigree, and therefore didn't know how to prepare for formal recruitment at such a competitive campus. They included Razorback cheerleaders, the Homecoming Queen (and future wife of American Idol winner Kris Allen),

I wonder if that makes it the case of the old adage "too many chiefs and not enough indians."?

Granted I can see where the Student Body President may not want to be Chapter President let alone president of the dining committee.

[gee_ess]

Originally Posted by BAckbOwlsgIrl

Based on what has been said there are so many great woman at Arkansas and other SEC schools;



I wonder if that makes it the case of the old adage "too many chiefs and not enough indians."?

Granted I can see where the Student Body President may not want to be Chapter President let alone president of the dining committee.

I'm not really following your thinking here....

[BAckbOwlsgIrl]

My thought was that if we define "great women" as leaders.

Well in order to have leaders, we need to have followers.

My concern is that if we have all of these leaders going through colonization process, what about followers? We need those too.