Getting a Bid from Someone You Didn't Pref

[tunatartare]

My school is one of those where it's possible to get a bid from someone whom you didn't pref. We don't do any cuts before pref, so even if you have ABC with every fiber of your being and know that you wouldn't want to be an ABC, you still have to go to their rush parties. In order to be eligible for a bid, PNM's have to rank all four sororities. If you only got invited and went to XYZ's pref and loved them, they could be your first choice, then LMN, then OPQ, then finally, ABC. However, if you were on ABC's B list and XYZ, LMN, and OPQ all made quota, it is possible to get a bid from them.

[OleMissGlitter]

I'm pretty sure this happened in 1999 at Ole Miss. I vaguley remember hearing about a few girls who did not even pref a house but they got bids to that house. They were confused and ended up dropping out altogether until Panhellenic fixed the problem. I also think with the new Ranking System Ole Miss uses that it could be possible to get a bid from a house you didn't pref...I think but I could totally be wrong. I know it is possible to attend 1st round of parties and then not attend Skit parties and be invited to Pref parties. That is because of the Regret With Interest system.

[SigK_Bama]

I've kind of been through this, but as an initiate on the other side of rush.

When I was President, we had four girls walk into our suite on bid day who we had cut on the first day. We were all shocked and it was really hard to get over it. We discovered that Panhellenic, at the urging of some random alumnae who had been sent by NHQ to help us with rush, had added those girls to our bid lists because they thought we needed the numbers. None of us in the chapter were told - not me as President and not our VPM. In short, we were pissed. On the other hand, the four girls were thrilled to be in our suite because they had all been dropped during the week. They were expecting not to get bids, but had received calls from the Greek Life office that morning telling them that they did, in fact, get bids.

It was a horrible experience, and after these alums found out how upset we were, they left town that same day and never came back to our chapter again.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by SigK_Bama

I've kind of been through this, but as an initiate on the other side of rush.

When I was President, we had four girls walk into our suite on bid day who we had cut on the first day. We were all shocked and it was really hard to get over it. We discovered that Panhellenic, at the urging of some random alumnae who had been sent by NHQ to help us with rush, had added those girls to our bid lists because they thought we needed the numbers. None of us in the chapter were told - not me as President and not our VPM. In short, we were pissed. On the other hand, the four girls were thrilled to be in our suite because they had all been dropped during the week. They were expecting not to get bids, but had received calls from the Greek Life office that morning telling them that they did, in fact, get bids.

It was a horrible experience, and after these alums found out how upset we were, they left town that same day and never came back to our chapter again.

[IvySpice]

the four girls were thrilled to be in our suite because they had all been dropped during the week.

Wow. How did this work out in the end? Did the sisters come to accept them, and did they become valuable members of the sorority?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by SigK_Bama

I've kind of been through this, but as an initiate on the other side of rush.

When I was President, we had four girls walk into our suite on bid day who we had cut on the first day. We were all shocked and it was really hard to get over it. We discovered that Panhellenic, at the urging of some random alumnae who had been sent by NHQ to help us with rush, had added those girls to our bid lists because they thought we needed the numbers. None of us in the chapter were told - not me as President and not our VPM. In short, we were pissed. On the other hand, the four girls were thrilled to be in our suite because they had all been dropped during the week. They were expecting not to get bids, but had received calls from the Greek Life office that morning telling them that they did, in fact, get bids.

It was a horrible experience, and after these alums found out how upset we were, they left town that same day and never came back to our chapter again.

This is one of the most hideous things I've ever heard, and I sincerely hope those women are no longer involved with Sigma Kappa on a national level. I also hope that your chapter wasn't stuck with these girls.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by SigK_Bama

I've kind of been through this, but as an initiate on the other side of rush.

When I was President, we had four girls walk into our suite on bid day who we had cut on the first day.

I hear you there! When I was an officer in Omicron Delta Kappa, we extended bids and invited the new folks to their first meeting. Some people we didn't invite showed up and they had invitations! There were people far more qualified who hadn't made it!

Our advisor made us sweep it under the table and take them. A lot of students were very unhappy. We thought that the secretary sent out the extra bids but we never found out why.

As to the girls who made Cruddy Phi, my informant said they left--horribly upset--and never rushed again. She knows they were at AB and CD prefs because she was at the same prefs and they were talking there about how irritated they were that CPC kept asking them back, even though they kept cutting them.I don't know if they ever pursued it with Panhellenic or simply faded away, like burned PNMs usually do.

That's what seems to happen with burned PNMs, at least the ones I've heard about--PH acts like, "Oh well, it's too late, everyone has their pledge classes and we're so sorry, but....." I wish that NPC would send every local Panhellenic a booklet of possible crazy scenarios and details about how they could solve the problems.

[SoCalGirl]

Originally Posted by SigK_Bama

I've kind of been through this, but as an initiate on the other side of rush.

When I was President, we had four girls walk into our suite on bid day who we had cut on the first day. We were all shocked and it was really hard to get over it. We discovered that Panhellenic, at the urging of some random alumnae who had been sent by NHQ to help us with rush, had added those girls to our bid lists because they thought we needed the numbers. None of us in the chapter were told - not me as President and not our VPM. In short, we were pissed. On the other hand, the four girls were thrilled to be in our suite because they had all been dropped during the week. They were expecting not to get bids, but had received calls from the Greek Life office that morning telling them that they did, in fact, get bids.

It was a horrible experience, and after these alums found out how upset we were, they left town that same day and never came back to our chapter again.

Recruitment Supervisor = More Power than GOD!

[MBurden]

Originally Posted by SigK_Bama

I've kind of been through this, but as an initiate on the other side of rush.

When I was President, we had four girls walk into our suite on bid day who we had cut on the first day. We were all shocked and it was really hard to get over it. We discovered that Panhellenic, at the urging of some random alumnae who had been sent by NHQ to help us with rush, had added those girls to our bid lists because they thought we needed the numbers. None of us in the chapter were told - not me as President and not our VPM. In short, we were pissed. On the other hand, the four girls were thrilled to be in our suite because they had all been dropped during the week. They were expecting not to get bids, but had received calls from the Greek Life office that morning telling them that they did, in fact, get bids.

It was a horrible experience, and after these alums found out how upset we were, they left town that same day and never came back to our chapter again.

Just out of curiosity, how were these ladies as members?

[CougarGrad]

It's been a year since I've heard this story, so I'll try to get it right.

I know of a young lady who went through recruitment in fall of 2007. Pref was on the 4th day. She only preffed ABC because all week, she felt like the ladies of ABC were telling her that she was an ABC and was going to get into ABC. She was absolutely certain that she was becoming an ABC.

Morning of Bid Day, she hadn't been called and told that she didn't have a bid, so she joyfully went to get her bid card. The embarrassed Rho Chi took her aside and told her that there had been a snafu and she should have gotten a phone call because ABC did not give her a bid. She cried and cried until the Rho Chi told her that there was another group who had liked her very much and she hadn't disliked- would she accept a bid from them? She wiped her eyes and accepted the bid- which was from XYZ, who she hadn't visited since day 3. She'd liked them well enough but they just hadn't been in her top 2.

This young lady went on to enjoy her experience, living in the house and holding offices for two years. In fall of 2008, her younger (bio) sister joined her as a sister of XYZ.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by CougarGrad

It's been a year since I've heard this story, so I'll try to get it right.

I know of a young lady who went through recruitment in fall of 2007. Pref was on the 4th day. She only preffed ABC because all week, she felt like the ladies of ABC were telling her that she was an ABC and was going to get into ABC. She was absolutely certain that she was becoming an ABC.

Morning of Bid Day, she hadn't been called and told that she didn't have a bid, so she joyfully went to get her bid card. The embarrassed Rho Chi took her aside and told her that there had been a snafu and she should have gotten a phone call because ABC did not give her a bid. She cried and cried until the Rho Chi told her that there was another group who had liked her very much and she hadn't disliked- would she accept a bid from them? She wiped her eyes and accepted the bid- which was from XYZ, who she hadn't visited since day 3. She'd liked them well enough but they just hadn't been in her top 2.

This young lady went on to enjoy her experience, living in the house and holding offices for two years. In fall of 2008, her younger (bio) sister joined her as a sister of XYZ.

It's not exactly the same thing, but my third little sis had a similar experience. She went to pref at AOII and YZ. She was close friends with lots of YZs and really thought she would get a bid to YZ so she SIP'd YZ. I was her Rho Chi and had to knock on her door to give her the bad news. She was honestly less upset than I was. She'd just made a bad decision to think that she had a guaranteed in into YZ.
Jump to two days later, one of our NMs decided to drop out. She decided that sorority life was "evil" because she was very religious and didn't know that we had parties. I don't know if she wasn't paying attention during recruitment or what. Anyway, the first person I suggested was this girl. The chapter questioned me, but I assured them she liked us but thought that all her friends were going to get her into the other chapter. They let me offer her a bid, and she accepted it and went on to be a great member.

[IrishLake]

A personal experience... my junior year, we extended a bid to a girl who dropped us after open house and first round. A lot of people loved her (I didn't) because she was an RA in an upperclass dorm (she was a sophomore). She bad mouthed other specific Theta's and I know for a fact she didn't think we were good enough for her (we both had a mutual friend who would not have lied to me). She preffed 2 different groups, and didn't get a bid from either. Sigh... so we gave her a bid. I was shocked that she accepted. She was assigned the alumni relations officer position later on. My senior year, she put together a slideshow for us graduating seniors to be played during our "Senior night." She contacted all of the parents and asked them to write letters to their soon-to-be-alum daughters (to be read out loud) and send in any pictures (childhood, college, etc). Oh, except she forgot to contact my parents. The night of senior night, I sat in my chair and cried my damn eyes out, because there was no letter for me, no pictures of me from my parents in the slideshow (Thankfully I was surrounded by my pledge class sisters, one whom penned a letter to me to be read aloud once she realized what was going on). I'm still a little bitter. That's my only experience with this kind of thing.

[AOpilicious]

Where I was a collegian, "snap" bids were offered to women who had accepted at least one prior invitation and went unmatched during bid matching. But it was done either in person or by phone before bids were distributed.

We had a situation where a PNM released us because her best friend wanted to go XYZ, but then regretted her decision. So she dropped herself out of rush entirely so that she wouldn't be bound by the preference/bid rules.

Just one of those crazy years where our chapter - that never misses quota - missed by one. and freak of nature situation, there were no more girls left on lists to place, so no snap bids available.

So we COB'd her to make quota. It was the craziest thing and at the time totally checked out according to the area NPC adviser, etc. When we called her to offer her the bid - she was crying and we were crying.

She made it back to campus just in time to "run" to the house with all of her pledge class sisters.

Now - another situation entirely - I was sent off to help monitor/manage an alum-less collegiate chapter in another part of the country. The panhellenic office kept deciding who would be on our invitation lists. Right up to preference and our bid lists.

It was so infuriating. We kept releasing certain women, and they kept showing back up on our lists. It didn't matter how angry I got, or who I called, this girl ended up at our house on bid day.

I know it's impossible to do bid matching and invitations by hand at big schools, but it is really the only way to make sure that random invitation screw ups don't happen.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AOpilicious

Now - another situation entirely - I was sent off to help monitor/manage an alum-less collegiate chapter in another part of the country. The panhellenic office kept deciding who would be on our invitation lists. Right up to preference and our bid lists.

It was so infuriating. We kept releasing certain women, and they kept showing back up on our lists. It didn't matter how angry I got, or who I called, this girl ended up at our house on bid day.

Was the chapter stuck with her as a member or did she drop out?

I hope you reported the Greek advisor/panhel office to NPC and your national office.

[littleowl33]

I heard of this kind of situation occuring with a PNM I knew personally. She went through recruitment and ended up getting cut after the first round by every chapter but "chapter A", a smaller, newer group that was considered lower tier. She was a fun, sweet, pretty girl but had made the mistake of ticking off some greeks by not keeping her nose clean during her first semester (they have deferred rush).

To her credit she was consistently polite to chapter A's rushers, but obviously felt that she was "above" them. She dropped out after pref but was snap bid the next day by the higher-tier chapter B, who had cut too heavily early on and missed quota by a few (which is rare for them). She accepted and the you-know-what hit the fan. Usually no one knows or cares if someone was a snap bid, but earlier in recruitment there were girls in that chapter that did not want her there and fought hard to have her cut, so when she showed up on bid day everyone was shocked. The advisor knew this, but had snap bid her anyway without consulting the chapter so they wouldn't miss quota. The really sad thing is that this PNM knew all of this (she shouldn't have, but she did) and STILL decided to join and stick it out. She had a pretty rough new member period because of all the drama and still has few friends in the chapter outside of her big & little. But she gets to wear the letters!

It was just so disappointing to me that a PNM would drop of out recruitment to avoid getting a bid from a lower-tier group that obviously wanted her, and then take a snap bid from a higher-tier group that just needed a warm body and had a sizeable contingent of girls who made it clear to her that she was not welcome.