RFM question now that bid day is here

[amillionlights]

Originally Posted by AZ-AlphaXi

Its not that simple. Think of the first bid list like a box. The number of PMs that is quota goes into the box. You don't come out of the box until you match somewhere.

So if you are in sorority #1's top 87 you get a bid there. However, you don't move to looking at your 2nd choice until your first choice reaches quota. So, for example, you are #90 on your first choice's list. You might not match during first pass, but if/when 3 pnms that are in their first 87 get bids elsewhere, you at #90, get moved onto the bid list ie go into the box. The next time through the pms you match at your first choice.

So it doesn't matter where you are on your second or third chapter's bid lists, you continue to attempt to match to your first choice, until they make quota. Then, and only then, does the process move to looking at your second choice. The process then starts over with the second choice.

I apologize for the dumb question, and I apologize because this probably makes no sense, but let me take a stab at it.

Is it possible for no chapter to make quota in their top bid list? So, for example, sorority #1, #2, and #3 all have a top 87, but none of them make quota in their top 87. So, they are kind of at a standstill because no PNM's in their top 87 are matching elsewhere, making room for PNMs to move up and match with them. Do they keep going down their bid lists to reach those PNMs that weren't in their top 87, but ranked them first, until they reach quota? Or do they meet quota by matching the PNMs that ranked them 2nd or 3rd? Or - does this usually not happen because most chapters make quota from their top bid list?

[AZ-AlphaXi]

Originally Posted by amillionlights

I apologize for the dumb question, and I apologize because this probably makes no sense, but let me take a stab at it.

Is it possible for no chapter to make quota in their top bid list? So, for example, sorority #1, #2, and #3 all have a top 87, but none of them make quota in their top 87. So, they are kind of at a standstill because no PNM's in their top 87 are matching elsewhere, making room for PNMs to move up and match with them. Do they keep going down their bid lists to reach those PNMs that weren't in their top 87, but ranked them first, until they reach quota? Or do they meet quota by matching the PNMs that ranked them 2nd or 3rd? Or - does this usually not happen because most chapters make quota from their top bid list?

Its very seldom that chapters make quota within their first bid list. What happens is that as PNMs that are on their first bid list match to their other preference at their first choice selection(ie this chapter is their #2 choice), then that PNM is removed from the chapter's list and the next PNM moves onto the list. Once the chapter has matched quota, then they start looking at the 2nd choice of the remaining PNMs that attended the chapter's preference and are somewhere on their bid list.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by amillionlights

I apologize for the dumb question, and I apologize because this probably makes no sense, but let me take a stab at it.

Is it possible for no chapter to make quota in their top bid list? So, for example, sorority #1, #2, and #3 all have a top 87, but none of them make quota in their top 87. So, they are kind of at a standstill because no PNM's in their top 87 are matching elsewhere, making room for PNMs to move up and match with them. Do they keep going down their bid lists to reach those PNMs that weren't in their top 87, but ranked them first, until they reach quota? Or do they meet quota by matching the PNMs that ranked them 2nd or 3rd? Or - does this usually not happen because most chapters make quota from their top bid list?

Yes! It is absolutely possible to reach a standstill. In fact, the basic programming of the program is easy, it's the error handling that gets complicated. I don't know exactly how it works, but I know I've heard of this happening in the hand-matching days and the advisors would do some horse trading to get it worked out.

[AnchorSouth]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Yes! It is absolutely possible to reach a standstill. In fact, the basic programming of the program is easy, it's the error handling that gets complicated. I don't know exactly how it works, but I know I've heard of this happening in the hand-matching days and the advisors would do some horse trading to get it worked out.

Or "house" trading!

[LAblondeGPhi]

Originally Posted by Loyally Kappa

Oh, honey! You did exactly what I had in mind, only I was gonna use 52 PNMs, 4 sororities, 2 pref parties, and a quota of 10. I may have done mine differently, but never better. I salute you for beating me to the punch! (And if I inspired you, I salute me too!!!)

You WERE the inspiration for this! Thank you! But I still think there needs to be a proper video done with more PNMs, quota additions, and more explanation (voice over) of what's going on.

Originally Posted by amillionlights

I apologize for the dumb question, and I apologize because this probably makes no sense, but let me take a stab at it.

Is it possible for no chapter to make quota in their top bid list? So, for example, sorority #1, #2, and #3 all have a top 87, but none of them make quota in their top 87. So, they are kind of at a standstill because no PNM's in their top 87 are matching elsewhere, making room for PNMs to move up and match with them. Do they keep going down their bid lists to reach those PNMs that weren't in their top 87, but ranked them first, until they reach quota? Or do they meet quota by matching the PNMs that ranked them 2nd or 3rd? Or - does this usually not happen because most chapters make quota from their top bid list?

When I was setting up the example for the GIF, I actually came to a standstill a couple of times. I would have girls "stuck" taking a place on one chapter's first bid list, but she was just out of the money (not quite to the first bid list) of her #1 chapter. With my very small example of 12 PNMs and 3 chapters, I easily got all three chapters stuck. I imagine this is a more common problem in small systems than in larger ones, but that's just a guess.

As to the question of chapters making quota in their first bid list - RFM is designed so that each chapter invites* ONLY the number of women to preference that will allow them to take quota. Now, in practice, there's usually a buffer since the RFM specialist is estimating that number based on the chapter's past performance. So, theoretically, each chapter should close their quota somewhat close to the end of their total list of PNMs who attended preference.

The RFM specialist will look at where each chapter "closes" it's bid list. If Chapter A always has 100% of their pref PNMs rank them first, then they typically close their bid list at 1x quota and only need to invite* about a quota's worth of women to preference.

If Chapter B is weaker, they may close at 2x quota, and will thus need to invite* at least 2x the estimated quota to preference.

*And my "invite", I mean the actual number of women who attend preference for that chapter, not necessarily the number they extend a preference invitation to, which will be larger.

OK - double checking all of this with everyone else. If you see any errors, lemme know.

[TSteven]

I've read about Strong Recruiting Chapters (SRC) and Weak Recruiting Chapters (WRC). But I don’t believe I’ve read about Middle Recruiting Chapters? Is there such a thing (term)? Or is there more or less a 50/50 breakdown? Simply put, that for every SRC there is a WRC.

[Loyally Kappa]

Originally Posted by LAblondeGPhi

You WERE the inspiration for this! Thank you! But I still think there needs to be a proper video done with more PNMs, quota additions, and more explanation (voice over) of what's going on.

Okdin ... I'll work on a video.

[ladybug12]

And Lagniappe, best wishes for your DD when she opens her bid!

Like you, I would love for Phi Mu to be in the running should TAMU open for extension.

[Lagniappe]

Ladybug12, thanks for your wishes. It's been a long week, for certain. I'm glad she's my only daughter so I only have to go through this once

[sigmagirl2000]

How do you know what quota is if bids haven't been distributed yet?

[Lagniappe]

Quoting the number that was mentioned on another thread. If not actually 87, it should be pretty close to that because that's what Panhellenic said they were anticipating it to be at the parent convocation on Sunday.

[AZ-AlphaXi]

With RFM, a quota range is established and chapters put all the PNMs that attend their preference in numerical order, 1 through the last PNM to attend preference. First bid list used to be in alphabetical order and number what quota had been set at, usually number of PNMs that accepted preference invitations divided by number of chapters.

With RFM, a quota range is established and bid matching is done with using various quota numbers. It may be that more women are placed with a smaller quota and lots of QAs. But the RFM specialist works with the bid range to establish a quota that will place the most women in a chapter. So quota isn't actually set until the bid matching ends.

[sigmagirl2000]

Agreed, AZ-AlphaXi. I was just curious how a mom of a PNM would be stating quota before time

[AZ-AlphaXi]

Originally Posted by sigmagirl2000

Agreed, AZ-AlphaXi. I was just curious how a mom of a PNM would be stating quota before time

Ahhh ... I guess I was in the explaining mode and that's how I read the question.

[ladybug12]

As a chapter adviser, the FSA told us the quota numbers 6 hours before bids were distributed. Bid Day was this past Tuesday. Our chapter women got the actual list about 2 hours before bids were opened.

I think someone "in the know" shared their numbers and Lagniappe read that on another thread....