Deferred recruitment questions

[Jen]

I have some questions.


How common is deferred recruitment? It seems more concentrated in the northeast and maybe some of the central part of the country. Are there any southern campuses that do deferred?



Is this is more recent innovation? How long have schools been doing deferred?



Any info on which campus has had deferred recruitment the longest?

[FSUZeta]

I would say that it is less common for deferred recruitment in the south. U of Miami(Fl) has deferred but it is merely located in the south. Same with Elon College in NS. I believe Furman U in SC and Emory in Atlanta have deferred rush as well as Duke and Vanderbilt.

[33girl]

Deferred was around when I was in school 30+ years ago in the Northeast, and I would say it was fairly common.

[Jen]

It's always struck me as odd the coldest parts of the country seemed to have more deferred recruitment, since it seems like the least desirable time of year for rush there. I'm just picturing a metric ton of puffy coats and boots piled at the door lol.

[33girl]

It’s not so much that, as much as the Greek tradition isn’t what it is in the South and getting freshmen who don’t know much about it to show up before classes even start is a lot harder. (Or to get parents to agree to it)

[ChioLu]

Baylor has deferred Recruitment

[PhilTau]

So does SMU.

[Titchou]

In the south it would be the private schools that are more inclined to it. Public ones usually aren't.

[Jen]

That's interesting - any particular reason why (or are the bigger recruitments at non-private schools)?

[carnation]

I can't even imagine how a big school handles recruitment once school has started. At the universities I attended, there are so many parties that they go all day for several days.

[3DGator]

Stanford has recruitment in April...nearly at end of the school year .Initiation usually takes place the last weekend in May right before dead week.

[KSUViolet06]

As far as Ohio goes, it's not common but two of the largest Greek systems in Ohio are deferred (Miami of Ohio and Ohio State.)

Also deferred but not large: Case Western Reserve. I can't think of any others.

Once upon a time, Miami OH had 23-25ish NPCs and a winter recruitment.

Made for very long and cold days!

[GoldenAnchor]

I wouldn’t say Case is a small Greek system. While the campus is small (~5000 undergrads) the greek community makes up 35-40% of that population. There are 10 sororities that participate in deferred recruitment.

[Iota_JWH]

The one great thing about deferred recruitment is that PNMs have had one entire semester to adjust to University life. Since nearly all NPC groups initiate within 8-10 weeks, the New members don't fully understand the time and financial commitments. I have been on Alumnae Advisory teams, and seen way too many new members want to quit after the start of the new semester because, they did not make grades, cannot handle the time commitment with jobs, commuting, studying etc. (many times their parents are making them quit.)

Having endured a few summers in the southeast and mid-Atlantic, I cannot imagine trying to look and feel my best in 90+ degree heat with dew point in the 80s. it is so much easier to add a few layers (and yes have to shed them when you enter the houses.)

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Iota_JWH

The one great thing about deferred recruitment is that PNMs have had one entire semester to adjust to University life. Since nearly all NPC groups initiate within 8-10 weeks, the New members don't fully understand the time and financial commitments. I have been on Alumnae Advisory teams, and seen way too many new members want to quit after the start of the new semester because, they did not make grades, cannot handle the time commitment with jobs, commuting, studying etc. (many times their parents are making them quit.)

Not to mention the women who transfer out of school completely after initiating, and then end up on a campus where their GLO is a terrible fit, or isn’t there at all, and they lose out on 3 1/2 years of collegiate Greek life because of one semester.

Although I think the less demanding pledge programs are probably as much to blame for the things you mentioned as first semester freshman eligibility.