University of Alabama Recruitment

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by 33girl

That number originated from my ass, since you asked.

That's what I thought.

The actual number of total PNMs from both recent colonies, who participated in formal recruitment, then joined a colonizing chapter, was 304 of the total 438 new colony members. I think that there was a lot of opportunity for upperclassmen to join these chapters, since colonizing chapters want and need new members outside of freshmen and sophmores.

Originally Posted by 33girl

And yes, they were great opportunities. Those upperclassmen selected were probably also head and shoulders above the average Bama female student and vetted back and forth and upside down. Greekdee's post didn't really convey that.

Yet you didn't attend Bama (or any other competitive SEC school), your GLO doesn't have a chapter there, you don't write recs for PNMs there, and don't know girls who joined either of the most recent colonizing chapters.

I do. And I know that the girls selected were great girls, though to state that this process is 3x more difficult than FR, and that these girls are turned inside-out in such a manner, is tantamount to uninformed tent-talk.

Greekdee's post conveyed exactly what needed to be conveyed. I wish there was such an opportunity upcoming for transferring upperclassmen like bamagirl. I think we still need more chapters to colonize at Bama (just my opinion -- especially considering the continued large size of the pledge classes).

One way or another -- I'm sure bamagirl would be happy in any of the chapters there -- and I hope she pursues the opportunity. There aren't any bad choices at Bama!

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by Hartofsec

I don't know where rumors like ^this originate -- but this is just not true.

Greekdee is correct -- I know the last two colonizations at Bama have been great opportunities for upperclassmen.

Can you supply us with those statistics? Number of upperclass women, by class, who went thru the process vis-a-vis the number who actually were offered bids?

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by Titchou

Can you supply us with those statistics? Number of upperclass women, by class, who went thru the process vis-a-vis the number who actually were offered bids?

Perhaps you can help with that -- do existing chapters pledge more juniors, for instance, than colonizing chapters?

I certainly didn't think so, but perhaps you can provide some stats from your own chapter's recolonization there. I'm willing to be educated.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Hartofsec

I just don't see a disagreement here -- no one said that a colonizing chapter takes any upperclassman. Opportunities for upperclassmen were more abundant during a colonization than in FR with existing chapters at Bama, and I imagine on other SEC campuses as well.

Lane-swerving, but:

You and most others posting here, as women experienced with how NPC recruitment and colonization work, understand that. But the student in college who wants to be Greek and who isn't nearly as familiar with how NPC recruitment and colonization work may not understand that, and may read much more than intended into a statement like this:

Originally Posted by greekdee

Does anyone know if there are any sororities colonizing at Alabama this year? That is often an excellent way for nonfreshmen to find a home.

Hence the hyperbolic responses to that statement from some who have seen that from PNMs on GreekChat all too often.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Lane-swerving, but:

You and most others posting here, as women experienced with how NPC recruitment and colonization work, understand that. But the student in college who wants to be Greek and who isn't nearly as familiar with how NPC recruitment and colonization work may not understand that, and may read much more than intended into a statement like this:
Hence the hyperbolic responses to that statement from some who have seen that from PNMs on GreekChat all too often.

Then for informational purposes -- PNMs considering participating in a colonization -- some (snark- and vulgarity-free) information:

Colonization and PNMs...is it for you?

Yesterday I spent some time describing generally how the colonization process works. There are quite a few campuses across the US that have sororities colonizing on them this fall. So how do you know as a PNM is colonizing a sorority is right for you? Let’s look at colonization from a PNM’s view-point.

First of all, when a sorority colonizes it actually builds an entire sorority…what I mean is that there will be all 4 classes of girls represented, freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. Let’s talk about the upper classmen first, specifically juniors and seniors. Colonization is an idea for those upper classmen women on campus who wanted to join a sorority but for a number of reasons they didn’t. The reasons range from as freshmen they were intimidated by the process (finding recs for each house, LORS), finances (sorority life can be expensive especially for a girl who is paying her own way), or they just didn’t see how sorority life would fit with their college schedule. Many of the young women I have talked to who have gone through the colonization process as juniors and seniors told me they felt that something was “missing” in their college experience and after colonizing their sorority that void was filled. It’s easy to say “why do this when you only have one or two years of sorority life on campus?” The answer is easy..”Because it’s a sisterhood for a lifetime..not just the years you are in college.” A friend who was a senior and colonized on her campus is now working in her sorority’s national office. It is a misconception that these women will be the “leaders” of the new sorority. While age, maturity and life experiences will certainly give them an edge over the younger girls, colonization is a “it takes a village” sort of experience.

Continues at link

and

Sororities and Colonization...a tutorial

I was part of an interesting discussion yesterday….several parents were debating whether sorority and fraternity membership was on the upswing. This conversation came in light of a recent article stating that The University of Alabama had the surpassed the The University of Illinois as the largest greek population in the US.

Here is a link to the blog article for those that are interested, NEW #1, ALABAMA TAKES OVER AS NATION?S LARGEST GREEK COMMUNITY » Phired Up Recruitment Blog.

The subject of colonization came up. Colonization is near and dear to my heart these days since my sorority, Alpha Phi, was just approved (and accepted) to colonize at LSU for the Fall of 2013. In the past 4 years Alpha Phi has colonized on the campuses of Kentucky, FSU, Clemson and Alabama. I am excited to seeing their growing presence on campuses across the US.

[...]

A Joint Information Session will then follow on August 22nd. Usually during the marketing phase sign ups are held to attend this session. In some cases sign ups are not required and PNm’s just choose to attend. In Alabama’s case there were two separate info sessions and a PNM could simply choose which one to attend. During the info session information will be shared about how the colonization process works, how much membership in each sorority costs, housing and meal plans…lot and lots of info!!

There are 2 one hour parties planned on this day as well. Usually during this time a series of “interviews” takes place, sometimes concurrently with the parties. In the case of Delta Gamma at Alabama PNMs were asked to sign up for a particular time slot on one of 4 days. The interviews lasted approximately 15 minutes. Think of these interviews as a mini recruitment conversation of sorts. The PNM will be asked the same type of questions that she would be asked during recruitment….why are you going through colonization, what can you bring to this sorority…..tell us about yourself ect.

After the interview and party process then the PNM’s are asked to asked to rank their personal choices on September 7th. Bid matching will occur and a Bid List will be constructed with Bids being issued on September 9th. Bid Day activities will be planned for PNMs for both houses…jerseys given out as they are welcomed into their new sisiterhoods.

Continues at link

[Old_Row]

Some may consider you as a junior and some may not. It just depends especially if you are friends with members already or maybe you had a not so great reputation in high school or your home town. If you know sorority members start letting them know you're coming now but not in a creepy way like if you haven't talked or facebooked in like two years and really don't know them, don't all of a sudden friend all of them and start talking recruitment recruitment recruitment all the time!

[FSUZeta]

I hope that you will register tonight for the Bama Panhellenic preview coming up in a few weeks. Here is a link for you:

http://www.uapanhellenic.com/index.p...d=57&Itemid=42

[bamagirl24]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

I hope that you will register tonight for the Bama Panhellenic preview coming up in a few weeks. Here is a link for you:

http://www.uapanhellenic.com/index.p...d=57&Itemid=42

I have signed up already

[AnchorAlumna]

A junior is definitely more difficult.
Start looking around now among your high school friends at UA - did any of them pledge a sorority? Try to connect with them when they come home. Same with friends at your junior college. Juniors who rush successfully often already know someone in the house.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by bamagirl24

I have signed up already

Good luck, Bamagirl. It will probably be more difficult to go through rush as a junior, but you won't know what opportunities may exist unless you try.

Like others have said -- keep your options open, and work on rounding up those recs. And remember (as others here have also said) to treat every invite as an opportunity -- it only takes one.

All the best!

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

I hope that you will register tonight for the Bama Panhellenic preview coming up in a few weeks. Here is a link for you:

http://www.uapanhellenic.com/index.p...d=57&Itemid=42

Of possible interest:

More Questions and Alabama Preview

For those of you attending the University of Alabama’s Panhellenic Preview Weekend next Saturday I wanted to pass onto you that just as the brochure states…dress is casual. In fact, the sororities are all wearing jeans. So ladies if you want to wear jeans and a really cute top go right ahead. I will tell you that I think that you will also see girls in skirts and tops and maybe even a few dresses.

Okay so if you are heading to Preview this next weekend what kinds of questions can you ask the sorority members you are talking with? Here’s a few questions as well as some good points to make.

Continues at link

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Look, we're all just trying to make the point that "colonies seek out women of all grade levels, but they are by no means taking everyone", right? That's the important part for PNM's.

[Titchou]

Your numbers are off. The question wasn't how many total were pledged. The issue is how many upperclassmen were pledged - and are generally pledged - in a colonization. You are trying to extrapolate something for which you do not have enough information.

Once again, do you know the class breakdowns? Yes or no would be appropriate answers for the discussion you joined. The rest is not germaine to the issue at hand. Thanks though for the math tutorial.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by Titchou

Your numbers are off.

How/where are my numbers off?

How do you interpret the numbers? What happened to the 62 girls pledged but no longer included in the membership total -- within a year? My take is that many graduated (hence they were upper-upperclassmen when joining during the colonization).

Originally Posted by Titchou

The question wasn't how many total were pledged. The issue is how many upperclassmen were pledged - and are generally pledged - in a colonization.

That was the point of my extrapolating, so to speak, using the data that is available.

Since you were involved in a recolonization, wouldn't you have some idea of these numbers? Or at least a general idea of class proportions desired in a colonization pledge class?

Originally Posted by Titchou

You are trying to extrapolate something for which you do not have enough information.

That is kinda the point of extrapolating.

Extrapolate

a: to project, extend, or expand (known data or experience) into an area not known or experienced so as to arrive at a usually conjectural knowledge of the unknown area

Originally Posted by Titchou

Once again, do you know the class breakdowns?

No, do you? I was extrapolating from the numbers available in the reports I linked. Neither of the more recently colonized chapters at Bama are mine.

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by Hartofsec

What happened to the 62 girls pledged but no longer included in the membership total -- within a year? My take is that many graduated (hence they were upper-upperclassmen when joining during the colonization).

One figure was how many were originally issued bids, not how many accepted them. A few decline, a few just don't show up, a few get through some of the NM period and decide it's not for them.

Then some transfer, flunk out, drop out, get married. And a few graduate.
You'd really need all the numbers to come up with a accurate picture, and that's private info. But feel free to extrapolate all you want from the published figures.

One way or another, there will be no colonizations at the University of Alabama this year. Maybe next year, but not this year.

Personally, I think that once the three sorority houses are vacated by the groups moving into new houses, a new group might be interested. The cost would be much less than building.