University of Mississippi - Ole Miss Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment 2013

[newtoolemiss]

How much of an impact on bid lists do sorority advisors and alumnae have on bid lists? How do they get to know the girls?

[thetalady]

Originally Posted by newtoolemiss

How much of an impact on bid lists do sorority advisors and alumnae have on bid lists?

Sorry, but that really delves into membership selection more than most of us are going to answer. Let's just say that it varies.

Originally Posted by newtoolemiss

How do they get to know the girls?

Sorority alumnae do not live in bubbles and come out only at rush They are teachers, advisors, active in their communities and churches. They are parents who know their daughters' friends. They have friends with daughters. There are many, many ways that sorority alumnae get to know PNMs. We are everywhere!!!

[Hearttoheart]

Newtoolemiss: My daughter is a freshman PNM this year, and we are new to Ole Miss as well. From what I have been led to believe, from several alumnae advisors, it that they do in fact have a little pull in deciding who gets a bid, but even more pull in deciding who does NOTget a bid. A negative recommendation is the kiss of death.

My daughter has been advised by more than one alumnae from several different sororities. They all say the same things.

I also know that these same alumnae stalk my daughter on Facebook, twitter and instagram. We see them "liking" and commenting on posts almost everyday. I have heard them tell my daughter to stay away from so and so, and also to hang out with so and so. These ladies all took the time over the summer to meet with my daughter for lunch or dinner. I would say the advisors took the time to seriously get to know my daughter, probably better than any of the active girls in the houses.

While the active girls actually get the final say so, the top sororities listen very closely to their advisors.

At least this is what we are being led to believe from active alumnae advisors who all attended Ole Miss. I can't believe so many ladies would all be saying the same things if things were different.

On another note: We moved my daughter into the dorms last week and all I can say is WOW! Each and every girl we met was beautiful and polished. From the so called top sororities to the so called bottom sororities, they will all get an amazing pledge class this year!

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by newtoolemiss

How much of an impact on bid lists do sorority advisors and alumnae have on bid lists? How do they get to know the girls?

I can't speak for other sororities other than my own, and we don't have a chapter at Ole Miss, but alumnae have no involvement in membership selection in Gamma Phi Beta, other than writing recs. Membership selection is the responsibility of the collegiate members, and alumnae and advisors do not influence this process beyond providing rec forms.

Judging by many rec forms I've seen, I think this is generally true for most NPC groups. The forms tend to be pretty clear that the alumna rec writer shouldn't expect any information during recruitment, shouldn't contact the chapter to give added input or attempt to influence the process, shouldn't expect to be told what happened to the PNM during the process, etc.