how long is your pledge period?

[HeavenslilAngel]

Alpha Sigma Alpha's is 8 weeks long.

[g41965]

I pledged in August and was initiated in January , 1 full semester pledgeship.

[murraygrl1]

Our member canidate period is usually about 8 weeks long. However, if a new member doesn't have a college GPA, we don't activate her until she does, meaning if she is a freshman she cannot become a full member until after grades come out fall semester.

[xonikki]

Last semester when I was a pledge, we first pledged at the beginning of February and were initiated at the end of April, so almost 3 months for us. However, we were the first to get initiated before the school year got out. Usually, fall pledges get initated right when we get back from winter break and spring pledges normally get initiated when we get back from summer break.

[Glitter650]

Phi Sig's NM period is supposed to be 4 -6 weeks... this semester our new member Ed. decided to plan it out at 4 weeks.... we all thought it was too short.... so next semester's class will be a 6 week long period.

[Sister Havana]

When I pledged Alpha Phi Omega, I think my pledge period was eight weeks, maybe ten. This was ten years ago so it could have changed since then.

[emb021]

Originally posted by Sister Havana
When I pledged Alpha Phi Omega, I think my pledge period was eight weeks, maybe ten. This was ten years ago so it could have changed since then.

APO National Policy (National Pledge Standards) is that is should be between 6 to 10 weeks. It's up to each chapter to determine its own length, within those guidelines. Some chapters, due to university policy, have to make theirs shorter.

The chapter I work with (and used to be pledgemaster for) has an 8 week pledge period of 8 pledge training classes, bookended by the pledge and initiation ceremonies, which bring the pledge period to 10 weeks. Trying to go shorter doesn't work, as we have to pile too much info on each class.

[FAUNikki]

As stated before, Phi Sig's policy is 4 weeks, and no longer than 6 weeks if needed. We initiated a class in the beginning of October (the ladies that went through formal recruitment) and in 2 weeks we are going to be initiating another groups of ladies. I personally like the shorter time period becuase it is less stressful on the ladies and we have room for 3 classes a semester if they are held right after one another!
I know that one sorority at my school tkaes all semester and it just doesnt seem fair.

[ZTAngel]

Our's is 8 weeks. I think our Panhellenic has said that it can't be longer than 8 weeks. I think the only other sorority on our campus that initiates at 8 weeks is Pi Phi (but I could be wrong). All the rest have a 6 week program.

[absolutuscchick]

Kappa Delta's new member program is six weeks long!!

[Gammawolf]

Greetings.

Gamma Beta Lambda's 'Pledge' Period
is 4 weeks.

Ours is probably a bit shorter than most, but this is because we seldom do 'formal' Rush and prefer year-round recruiting.
As such we are a lot more selective of potential pledges from the beginning.


Mike Wolf
Gamma Beta Lambda Fraternity

[PrincessHeather]

my chapter of phi sig uses 5 weeks. Since we are allowed anywhere between 4-6 according to national policy. 4 was too short for us and we felt 6 wasn't needed.

But it looks like 5 is really short compared to others on here. oh well its all good.

[jmuphigam]

some of these pledge periods im seeing were as short as two or three weeks?!?! how can you possibly know enough about the organization after 2 or 3 weeks to know if you want to be a part of it for life? conversely, how do the members of the organization know after 2 or 3 weeks that you are the quality of person that they want to represent them?
i pledge for 10 weeks, our campus is cracking down on fraternity pledging and now only allows us to have pledges for 8 weeks. in my term as pledge educator i instituted a 6 week, project and knowledge intensive period for a few reasons.
a) thought it would help grades to get them done with pledging faster
b) itll help spring rush to have them in letters for longer than other chapters did
c) it lets them get to know the brothers on a stronger basis than they would if they were pledging

[ISUKappa]

Ours is 6 weeks. The shortened pledge program was put into effect nationally about 5 years ago, and it's been interesting to see how different chapters deal with it. For the most part, the feedback has been mixed. Most feel 6 weeks is not long enough for the girls to really learn everything about and get a good feel for the fraternity. It can be stretched out to 8 weeks, if necessary, but I don't think many chapters take advantage of that. It might be currently going under fine-tuning process at our Headquarters.

We have recruitment right away in the fall. My pledge class was the last one to have the semester-long program.

[Gammawolf]

Greetings.

Well, I suspect that many of our organizations have various different reasons for their initiation periods.

While I respect the rationale given for the longer Pledge period, I also understand why some are shorter than others. In some cases the shorter Pledge periods are mandated and enforced by a College or University Board.

In the case of my fraternity, the four-week Candidacy period has been in place since we were founded in 1963. As we are what some might term a 'non-traditional' fraternity, our Candidacy period is fairly intensive and serves to educate our future brothers quite sufficiently. We are very selective of Candidates in the first place and this serves to 'streamline' the actual Candidacy process once potential members are chosen.

Regards.

Mike Wolf
Gamma Beta Lambda Fraternity