Advice for PNMs: Not getting a bid to your 1st choice.

[AZ-AlphaXi]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

I do not have to understand any of this. I have AZ-AlphaXi to understand it for me. That is yet another benefit of our friendship!

Glad to help out anytime. And since I'm retiring in 17 days, I'll be glad to be an on-call consultant.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Thanks! It makes total sense when I stopped to think about it. You can't make a chapter take back women they don't want, but if they're smart, they'll build it into their MS system.

Because of limited number of invitations, though, the likelihood of a woman wanting your group enters into the decision to some degree, in addition to how much you think the woman would be an asset to your chapter.

When I was in school, a woman came through who everyone knew was a direct descendant of a founder of another org. Do you really want to use up an invitation on her, even if she is super-awesome? Or would you rather invite back someone who is pretty-awesome, and really work to get the latter in your chapter?

Obviously, this doesn't apply to groups who get to invite everyone, but in general, I don't think that "on the flex list" necessarily means "less desirable".

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Because of limited number of invitations, though, the likelihood of a woman wanting your group enters into the decision to some degree, in addition to how much you think the woman would be an asset to your chapter.

When I was in school, a woman came through who everyone knew was a direct descendant of a founder of another org. Do you really want to use up an invitation on her, even if she is super-awesome? Or would you rather invite back someone who is pretty-awesome, and really work to get the latter in your chapter?

Obviously, this doesn't apply to groups who get to invite everyone, but in general, I don't think that "on the flex list" necessarily means "less desirable".

Oh definitely, but in those earlier rounds, there is likely to be lots of middle ground.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Really? That wasn't explained to the chapter in question...or at least the adviser didn't want them to know. That led to problems later. Good to know.

I know people on here have talked about their GA/Panhellenic "forcing" them to provide flex lists or invite a certain number of PNMs back. If your school has a history of this, that's when you get your national peeps in on things before rush and tell them "the GA wants us to invite Paris Hilton's brain on Jabba the Hutt's body. Please tell them to go pound sand."

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I know people on here have talked about their GA/Panhellenic "forcing" them to provide flex lists or invite a certain number of PNMs back. If your school has a history of this, that's when you get your national peeps in on things before rush and tell them "the GA wants us to invite Paris Hilton's brain on Jabba the Hutt's body. Please tell them to go pound sand."

Yeah, but I don't doubt that's also been used by a chapter advisor as a convenient excuse. I'm not saying that a chapter should invite anyone and everyone to make quota, but I know that I may not have made the best decisions as an 18-year-old collegiate.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Yeah, but I don't doubt that's also been used by a chapter advisor as a convenient excuse. I'm not saying that a chapter should invite anyone and everyone to make quota, but I know that I may not have made the best decisions as an 18-year-old collegiate.

IMO the chapter advisor shouldn't be making those decisions either. She is not the one who has to live with the person day in and day out. No collegians don't always make the best decisions, but especially in this day and age, they get less and less chance to do so for themselves. If they screw up and don't make quota because the only girls they wanted wanted other groups and got them, they'll learn a lesson in openmindedness a lot more quickly than they will if a chapter advisor or anyone else tries to push people down their throat.

[aephi alum]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I know people on here have talked about their GA/Panhellenic "forcing" them to provide flex lists or invite a certain number of PNMs back. If your school has a history of this, that's when you get your national peeps in on things before rush and tell them "the GA wants us to invite Paris Hilton's brain on Jabba the Hutt's body. Please tell them to go pound sand."

You owe me a new monitor. There is now water all over this one.

I don't understand this whole flex list thing, but I can't believe a chapter would be forced to invite back Lizzie Borden the Ax Murderer with the 0.1 GPA, even if this means they don't make quota.

[carnation]

Remember when a GCer from one of the Bama chapters told us that on Bid Day, 4 girls they'd cut walked through their door? They had cut them but some "well-meaning" alum had sneaked these awful girls back on the list because she was afraid that the chapter wouldn't make quota.

Seems that sometimes, either alums OR Panhellenic can do a number on you.

[KD4Me]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Because first bid lists are matched to Choice #1 first. DEF could be filled by the time second choices are matched.

Computerized matching is a huge time saver but I think the methodology of bid matching was best learned by being there during hand matching. Essentially, they went through each PNM and called out the first choice. If she was on that group's first bid list, the person would say "Match" and everybody else would cross her off of their list. If she was on someone else's first list, then the first person on their second bid list would bump up to the first bid list.

After all first choices were read off one time, they went through them again, to see if anybody had been bumped up to the first bid list for their first choice. This continued until there were no matches for first choices. Then second choices would start. So, DEF may have filled up with women who put them first before Suzy PNM's second choice came up.

I've always wondered whether the names are listed on the bid lists alphabetically or randomly. Would it benefit a PNM to have a last name starting with an "A"?

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by KD4Me

I've always wondered whether the names are listed on the bid lists alphabetically or randomly. Would it benefit a PNM to have a last name starting with an "A"?

No, it would not.

The first bid list is usually alphabetical, but Suzie Zimmerman is as much on the first bid list as Polly Aaron.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by KD4Me

I've always wondered whether the names are listed on the bid lists alphabetically or randomly. Would it benefit a PNM to have a last name starting with an "A"?

It doesn't really matter for the first bid list. It's alphabetical for ease of bid matching. These women are guaranteed a spot in the group if they want one since they are on the first list. It doesn't matter where they are on the first list. They are in. The first list includes only as many PNMs are there are spots for quota.

The second bid list is in order of preference. #1 is the first girl the chapter wants if they get all of the the PNMs on their first bid list except for one. #2 is the second PNM they want if they don't get two PNMs on their first bid list or don't get #1 on the second bid list and so on. That is why the second bid list is NOT in alphabetical order.

[KD4Me]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

It doesn't really matter for the first bid list. It's alphabetical for ease of bid matching. These women are guaranteed a spot in the group if they want one since they are on the first list. It doesn't matter where they are on the first list. They are in. The first list includes only as many PNMs are there are spots for quota.

The second bid list is in order of preference. #1 is the first girl the chapter wants if they get all of the the PNMs on their first bid list except for one. #2 is the second PNM they want if they don't get two PNMs on their first bid list or don't get #1 on the second bid list and so on. That is why the second bid list is NOT in alphabetical order.

Thank you for the explanation. I was asking about the second list, because where a PNM is placed on that list could certainly make a difference in where she is placed.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by KD4Me

Thank you for the explanation. I was asking about the second list, because where a PNM is placed on that list could certainly make a difference in where she is placed.

Definitely. Once you understand how it works, it's not too hard. Quota ranges make things more difficult, but that's why we have computers!

[SWTXBelle]

Originally Posted by carnation

Remember when a GCer from one of the Bama chapters told us that on Bid Day, 4 girls they'd cut walked through their door? They had cut them but some "well-meaning" alum had sneaked these awful girls back on the list because she was afraid that the chapter wouldn't make quota.

Seems that sometimes, either alums OR Panhellenic can do a number on you.

Were they at pref? Because if so, they wouldn't have been "cut" - only put on the second bid list. If they weren't at pref - WTH? That would warrant a call to HQ.

[KDMafia]

Were they at pref? Because if so, they wouldn't have been "cut" - only put on the second bid list. If they weren't at pref - WTH? That would warrant a call to HQ.

Not necessarily if they were snap bids. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't make quota and their advisor/recruitment chair made the decision to snap bid if necessary. After working with a chapter for four years the lack of knowledge most of them have about how bid matching and everything works can be shocking, especially when they want to have a certain belief about their recruitment chair, the panhellenic board etc.