Quota Additions at Super Competitive Schools - Page 2

FSUZeta · #1 02-12-2011, 10:16 PM

probably not. i would wager that the majority of recruitment counselors don't understand it(or the sip situation) either.

Drolefille · #2 02-12-2011, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

probably not. i would wager that the majority of recruitment counselors don't understand it(or the sip situation) either.

Yeah we were using RFM throughout my time at school and we had the "OMG DO NOT SUICIDE" stuff and the general "maximize your options" stuff, but nothing more complex. Most actives didn't get it either.

Drolefille · #3 02-12-2011, 10:24 PM

Is it really formal recruitment or the attitude of HQs though?

dukedg · #4 02-12-2011, 10:33 PM

Oh, I certainly agree that the attitude of getting to quota and total at all costs is not necessarily the best path to success. I don't know why you can't build a strong sisterhood outside of formal recruitment, with women who actually want to be in the chapter. On the other hand, I feel like that requires acceptance that the chapter will likely be smaller indefinitely...

Has anyone ever seen a chapter that stopped participating in FR, but eventually built up the number of members and then started successfully participating in FR later? I'd be interested to hear how it worked.

FSUZeta · #5 02-12-2011, 10:35 PM

i have not heard of any.

KSUViolet06 · #6 02-12-2011, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

i have not heard of any.

^^^Me either.

I think that in order for a "non-FR participating chapter" to be successful and thrive, there has to be an understanding from HQ that said chapter doesn't benefit from participating in FR and can still be a viable chapter without it.

When HQ understands that you don't participate and is ok with that, you can focus on your own open recruitment efforts and other aspects of sorority life.

It's hard to thrive as a chapter when the goal of your HQ peeps is to get you participating in FR and making quota and that's their only focus with you. That doesn't make for happy members or NMs.

southbymidwest · #7 02-12-2011, 10:59 PM

There are certain websites that nowadays make it very difficult for a typical 18 year old PNM to be enthusiastic about the smaller/less popular sorority that she got the bid from-the whole world can see some really negative, soul crushing comments about the sorority and the members, even on a campus where there is some fluidity in popularity within greekdom. Unfortunate for everyone all around.

33girl · #8 02-13-2011, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Yep, and whether they do so exhausted and worn down by years of expectations from HQ or energized and feeling awesome depends on them.

How nice to know that you and your chapter have been in this situation and know exactly how to make everyone feel superrific 200% of the time. Please share how you accomplished this feat, because it's knowledge that a lot of people would like to have.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OleMissGlitter

Do you all think that those chapters who do struggle to "keep" their new members after Bid Day need to step up their NM Education programs? If you are "awkward alpha" shouldn’t you have the best NM Program on campus?

I think that can depend on how regimented your national NM program is and how it compares to other groups' NM programs on your campus. Obviously there are instances where two chapters can run the exact same program in the exact same way and one has been at total plus for forever and the other one can't ever make quota or has women dropping left and right. That's when you need to say to your advisors and national rush poobahs "so and so component isn't having the effect it's supposed to have to instill pride in our NMs. How can we change it up and stay within the guidelines?"

AGDee · #9 02-13-2011, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

I think that can depend on how regimented your national NM program is and how it compares to other groups' NM programs on your campus. Obviously there are instances where two chapters can run the exact same program in the exact same way and one has been at total plus for forever and the other one can't ever make quota or has women dropping left and right. That's when you need to say to your advisors and national rush poobahs "so and so component isn't having the effect it's supposed to have to instill pride in our NMs. How can we change it up and stay within the guidelines?"

I agree. Back in the old (terminology) days, we had a catch phrase KROP.. Keep Rushing Our Pledges. I think a lot of chapters make PNMs feel very special during Recruitment and then, when they become new members, they focus on other aspects of running the chapter and forget to reach out to the new members to keep them engaged.

I think it's very useful to have an advisor meet with new members who choose to terminate to find out why they are leaving. I'm talking about a sisterly type of conversation rather than an interrogation. "We're sorry to see you go, is there anything that we can do to change your mind?" type of talk. Even if the talk doesn't lead to keeping that young woman, it may give some insight as to why the new member is leaving. You may find out that it is all about campus status, but you may also find out that the real reason has to do with sisterhood, poor decision making on the part of the members during member selection, inadequate information about finances from the start, etc. There can be a myriad of reasons. It's important to find out what these are. This goes for chapters who are losing initiated members as well. Is it finances? Would it make sense to have less expensive/ornate formals and mixers or get fewer t-shirts if a number of members are having difficulties with costs? You can really only know this information if someone talks to the women who are leaving.

Drolefille · #10 02-13-2011, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

How nice to know that you and your chapter have been in this situation and know exactly how to make everyone feel superrific 200% of the time. Please share how you accomplished this feat, because it's knowledge that a lot of people would like to have.

*whoosh*

Not sure where you got that from what I said at all. The attitude of the chapter is, ultimately, up to them. I never claimed to have unlocked the secret, except perhaps with those pills that Jessie took on Saved by the Bell.

It's in the best interest if the chapter to try and have the upbeat attitude because worn down, worn out, tired of COB-ing chapters struggle to COB because they're - shocker - worn down, worn out and tired of it. Is it easy to shake off that feeling? No, I speak from experience there. Is it a good idea to try? Hell yes. Did I claim to have the magic spell to cause that? Not at all. It requires leadership from within the chapter and HQ support, not just pressure to meet numbers.

Blah blah blah, it's all nice to say here, but it has to be taken to heart and implemented at the chapter level. Only each chapter knows what it takes to get its members motivated - unless the officers are so lost or burnt out that HQ really does know better.

But not trying at all will lead to that downward spiral that we've seen happen to so many chapters.

33girl · #11 02-13-2011, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Is it easy to shake off that feeling? No, I speak from experience there.

You came across the complete opposite way - like a Teen magazine article that says all you have to do to get boys interested in you is be interested in them. Just saying.

But you are right in that people have to be inspired to rush for the right reason - because what they have is awesome and it's too awesome to keep all the awesomeness to themselves and they want to invite others to share it. Not for money, numbers or campus reputation.

carnation · #12 02-13-2011, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

like a Teen magazine article that says all you have to do to get boys interested in you is be interested in them. Just saying.

ROTFL! And they said that in the sixties too.

Okay, back to the thread!

Drolefille · #13 02-13-2011, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

You came across the complete opposite way - like a Teen magazine article that says all you have to do to get boys interested in you is be interested in them. Just saying.

But you are right in that people have to be inspired to rush for the right reason - because what they have is awesome and it's too awesome to keep all the awesomeness to themselves and they want to invite others to share it. Not for money, numbers or campus reputation.

Yeah, I still don't know where you got that from what I said.

KSUViolet06 · #14 02-12-2011, 11:08 PM

^^^Biggest myth ever.

Second only to "IF YOU SUICIDE THE COMPUTER SPITS YOUR NAME OUT1!!!"

You have no idea how many sorority members (even those with Panhellenic experience) do not understand that someone who ISPs has the same chance to get a bid to their only choice as someone does who has listed all 3.

The only difference is that they can't get a snap bid or be a QA.

I wish I could sticky that.

FSUZeta · #15 02-12-2011, 11:08 PM

i believe it is either "you stand a better chance of getting a bid if you list all three" or "the computer will kick out your card it you don't list all three", more often told than not.

i made sure that my daughter realized that while i did not encourage her to do so, if she only wanted to list one choice on her card, that the computer would not kick her card out. sure enough, her recruitment counselor told her group that if they didn't want the computer to kick out their cards, they had to list all groups where they had attended prefs.