The Ultimate Sorority Recruitment Guide

PART 01

What You’re Actually Signing Up For

Before worrying about what to wear, what to say, or whether someone following you on Instagram means anything, it helps to understand how formal recruitment actually works.

The Formal Recruitment Schedule

Round 1: Meet All the Houses

This round is held online through Zoom. PNMs can register for Round 1A or Round 1B depending on their schedules.

During Round 1, PNMs speak with members from every participating chapter. Each chapter visit usually lasts approximately 20 minutes, giving you a brief introduction to the organization, its members, and its core values.

At the end of the round, PNMs rank the chapters based on which ones they would most like to visit again. Chapters also complete their own selection process before invitations for the next round are released.

Round 2: Philanthropy and House Tours

This round is by invitation only. Each PNM receives an individual schedule and begins the day at the first chapter listed.

During Round 2, PNMs may visit up to five houses. Each visit is approximately 45 minutes, giving you more time to learn about the chapter’s philanthropic work, membership expectations, financial obligations, and chapter house.

At the end of the round, PNMs typically identify their two preferred chapters and rank the remaining chapters in order.

PNMs do not technically “cut” chapters. They submit preferences, which are then considered alongside the chapters’ invitation lists.

Round 3: Preference

Preference Round is also by invitation only. PNMs receive individual schedules and may visit up to three chapters.

This is usually the most formal and personal round of recruitment. You might wear a dress, skirt, dress pants, or another outfit that makes you feel comfortable and confident.

Conversations during Preference Round are longer and more reflective. Members may speak about what their chapter means to them, why they joined, and how the organization has shaped their university experience. Light snacks or refreshments may also be provided.

Use this final round to ask any remaining questions about membership, friendships, finances, housing, time commitments, or chapter culture.

At the end of the round, PNMs rank the chapters from which they would be willing to accept a bid. You may be asked to indicate whether there is a chapter you would not accept a bid from.

Think carefully before removing an option, as this can affect your placement.

Bid Day

Bid Day is when the formal recruitment process finally turns into an actual membership invitation.

More on that later.

How Recruitment Works Behind the Scenes

Before each round, participating chapters receive information about the PNMs they are scheduled to meet.

The exact timing can vary, but chapters may receive their lists approximately 12 to 24 hours before the round. During an especially hectic recruitment week, the turnaround may be much shorter.

The information available generally comes from what you submitted through the official recruitment platform, such as:

• Your name and photograph
• Your year and program
• Your hometown
• Your interests and biography
• Other information included in your registration profile

The chapter’s Vice-President of Membership, Membership Chair, Recruitment Chair, or another member of the recruitment team then works to pair PNMs with active members.

These pairings are often based on shared qualities, such as attending the same program, coming from the same hometown, participating in similar activities, or having overlapping interests.

Sometimes, chapters may intentionally pair people with complementary personalities. Putting two extremely shy people together, for example, might not produce the easiest conversation.

Essentially, it is a combination of interest matching, personality matching, and logistical problem-solving.

The system is not perfect.

A chapter may be trying to match hundreds of conversations across several days, usually with a student executive team that is volunteering its time.

Do not let one awkward pairing determine your opinion of an entire organization. Try to speak with multiple members and pay attention to how you feel throughout the full experience.

What Is Dirty Rushing?

“Dirty rushing” generally refers to recruitment behaviour that violates Panhellenic or chapter rules by giving a PNM an unfair advantage, applying inappropriate pressure, making unauthorized promises, or interfering with the mutual-selection process.

Examples may include:

• Promising someone a bid before Bid Day
• Telling a PNM that they are guaranteed membership
• Pressuring someone to rank a particular chapter first
• Speaking negatively about another chapter
• Secretly recruiting or extensively contacting PNMs outside approved channels
• Suggesting that membership depends on a friendship, family connection, or favour

Officially, chapters are expected to follow Panhellenic recruitment rules and evaluate PNMs through the formal process.

Unofficially, concerns about pre-recruitment relationships come up every year.

Some PNMs may already know chapter members through siblings, high school, summer programs, mutual friends, social media, or other campus communities.

Members may also interact with incoming students through first-year Instagram pages, high-school graduation accounts, or other local student communities before formal recruitment begins.

Having a prior connection does not automatically mean that rules were broken, nor does it guarantee someone a bid.

However, familiarity can sometimes create an advantage simply because a member already knows how to advocate for that person.

Sibling and family connections can also carry social influence, although chapters are not supposed to guarantee membership based solely on legacy status.

Are PNMs Judged on Their Appearance?

On paper, recruitment is meant to focus on values, compatibility, involvement, and genuine connections rather than appearance.

In reality, sorority recruitment is still a social process conducted by people, which means personal biases can exist.

These biases may involve appearance, confidence, clothing, social media presence, communication style, or perceived social connections.

That does not mean every chapter operates in the same way or that every member is looking for a particular “type.” Chapters are made up of many individuals, and each organization may prioritize different qualities.

The most useful approach is not to redesign yourself around what you think a chapter wants.

Present a clean, confident, and authentic version of yourself while remembering that you are evaluating them too.

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PART 02

Before Recruitment Starts:Do Your Homework

You do not need to transform yourself into a completely different person for recruitment.

You should, however, think about how you are presenting yourself before hundreds of people potentially meet you for the first time.

Clean Up Your Digital Footprint

Chapter members may not be formally encouraged to search for PNMs online, but some may still look at public social media profiles.

Even private accounts can sometimes be visible through mutual followers, tagged photographs, comments, old usernames, or connected accounts.

Before recruitment, review what is publicly associated with your name.

Consider:

• Making private or “spam” accounts private and removing them from your main bio
• Choosing a profile photograph where your face is clearly visible
• Removing photographs showing underage drinking or smoking
• Archiving photographs featuring red Solo cups or obvious party settings
• Removing content that appears to show illegal or dangerous activity
• Reviewing highly political or religious public posts
• Checking tagged photographs and old usernames
• Removing unnecessary references to a significant other from your bio

This is not about erasing your personality.

It is about making sure that a stranger looking at your profile sees an accurate representation of you rather than one out-of-context post from three years ago.

Posts that can help your personality come through include:

• Sports or hobby photographs
• Travel photographs
• Prom or graduation pictures
• Creative projects
• Volunteer work
• Photographs with pets
• Clubs, performances, competitions, or events you have participated in

Political and religious beliefs are personal, and you should not feel obligated to hide your identity.

However, recruitment is usually not the best setting for heated debates or polarizing content intended to provoke others.

Use your judgment and decide whether your public profile reflects how you want to introduce yourself.

Be Mindful of Social Media During Recruitment

Once recruitment gets closer, you may notice active members following you, requesting to follow you, viewing your stories, or interacting with your account.

Do not panic, and do not automatically assume that every follow or interaction has a hidden meaning.

An active member following you does not mean you are guaranteed an invitation or bid, just as someone not following you does not mean that a chapter is uninterested.

At the same time, be mindful about accepting new follow requests from active members while you are actively going through recruitment.

Recruitment is supposed to be a structured mutual-selection process, and you do not want normal social-media interaction to accidentally turn into private recruitment conversations or put either person in an awkward position.

If you accept someone, keep your interactions normal.

Do not message them asking how the chapter ranked you, whether you are getting invited back, what members are saying about you, or whether they think you will receive a bid.

The same principle applies in reverse: if an active member interacts with you online, do not treat it as secret confirmation that you are joining their chapter.

Social media can make recruitment feel like one enormous detective game.

Try not to play it.

Know Your Answer to the Big Three

You do not need to rehearse recruitment like a job interview, but there are a few questions you should be able to answer thoughtfully without having to invent something on the spot:

• What made you want to go through recruitment?
• Why did you choose UofT?
• What values are important to you?

These questions give members a much better sense of who you are than your program or hometown alone.

For example, your reason for going through recruitment does not need to be profound.

Maybe you moved to Toronto without knowing many people, wanted a stronger sense of community on a large campus, were interested in philanthropy or leadership opportunities, or simply wanted to meet people outside your program.

Whatever your answer is, make it yours.

The same goes for values.

Do not choose words simply because they sound impressive or because you think they match a chapter’s website.

If you say friendship, loyalty, ambition, creativity, kindness, service, independence, or academic growth matters to you, be prepared to explain why.

A short personal example will almost always be more memorable than a perfectly polished answer.

You are not trying to give the “correct” answer.

You are giving the other person something real to connect with.

Recruitment Weekend Is Not the Weekend to Go Out

Recruitment may stretch across a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, which unfortunately overlaps almost perfectly with prime going-out time.

This is one weekend where FOMO should probably lose.

Recruitment rules can vary by year, so follow the instructions given to you by Panhellenic and your Recruitment Counsellors.

If the recruitment period is designated as dry, take that rule seriously.

That means this is not the weekend to be spotted at a fraternity event, party, or nightlife venue while you are participating in recruitment.

Even if you are not drinking, putting yourself in a situation that appears inconsistent with recruitment expectations can create unnecessary problems.

There is also a bigger reason to sit this weekend out.

Recruitment is supposed to be about deciding whether sorority membership, sisterhood, community, philanthropy, leadership, and friendship are things you genuinely want, not simply gaining access to another social scene.

Chapters are also trying to determine whether PNMs are interested in membership for reasons that extend beyond parties and fraternity connections.

You will have plenty of weekends to go out during university.

Recruitment weekend happens once.

Use the time between rounds to eat, sleep, recharge, talk with the other PNMs in your group, prepare for the next day, and actually think about how you felt in each chapter.

If someone invites you somewhere that conflicts with recruitment expectations, the safest answer is simply no.

Missing one night out is significantly less consequential than jeopardizing a recruitment process you spent weeks preparing for.

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PART 03

How to Actually Have a Good Recruitment Conversation

Recruitment is not a job interview.

But “I like music, shopping, and hanging out with my friends” is also not giving the other person much to work with.

You Signed Up. What Happens Now?

For Round 1, you will receive a schedule for either the A or B session.

It is usually a long online day, and you may speak with anywhere from one to four members during each chapter visit.

You have limited time, so the goal is not to explain your entire life.

The goal is to give members a few memorable details that make it easy to continue the conversation.

Talking only about your program may not be especially memorable unless you are genuinely passionate about it.

Instead, you might discuss:

• Something interesting you did over the summer
• A recent trip or experience
• What you are most excited about in university
• A sport, instrument, or creative hobby
• Volunteer work or community involvement
• A project, club, event, or organization you helped create
• Fashion, art, performance, photography, or another specific interest
• A funny or meaningful story that reveals something about your personality

“Hanging out with friends, shopping, and listening to music” are perfectly normal interests, but they can be difficult to build a distinctive conversation around.

Add detail.

The second answer gives the member several natural follow-up questions.

At the same time, recruitment is not a job interview.

No one needs your entire résumé.

Share stories rather than listing accomplishments.

Learn How to Expand Your Answers

Avoid giving responses that leave the other person nowhere to go.

A strong answer gives a little detail, shows enthusiasm, and returns the conversation to the other person.

You can prepare a few safe topics in advance, but do not memorize a script so closely that you sound rehearsed.

Prepare:

• One interesting summer story
• One hobby you can discuss in detail
• One thing you are excited about at university
• A few thoughtful questions for members
• A backup topic in case the conversation becomes quiet

Be enthusiastic, even when you are naturally shy.

You do not need to become the loudest person in the Zoom room.

Smile, react, ask follow-up questions, and show that you are engaged.

Compliments can also help create a comfortable conversation when they are genuine.

Compliment someone’s earrings, room décor, hairstyle, nails, or outfit, then use it as a natural starting point.

Asking for a hair, nail, lash, restaurant, or campus recommendation can make the interaction feel less scripted.

Ask Better Questions

You will probably hear the same basic information from every chapter.

Asking thoughtful questions can help you understand what membership actually feels like.

Instead of only asking about dues or leadership opportunities, consider:

• What has been your favourite chapter event?
• What is one memory from this chapter that you think you will still remember in 20 years?
• What surprised you most after joining?
• What does an average week in the chapter look like?
• How did you know this chapter was right for you?
• What is it like living in the chapter house?
• How does the chapter support members who are busy with school or work?
• What is something you wish you had known during recruitment?
• How do friendships in the chapter continue outside official events?
• How does the chapter handle conflict or make members feel supported?

Listen carefully to whether the answers sound specific and sincere or vague and overly polished.

Avoid the Five Bs

Recruitment conversations traditionally avoid the “Five Bs”:

• Boys
• Booze
• Bible
• Bucks
• Ballots

In other words, avoid conversations centred on dating, alcohol, religion, money, and politics.

This does not mean you cannot ask about membership costs.

Financial obligations are important and should be explained clearly.

The guideline is mainly intended to prevent invasive questions, arguments, inappropriate stories, or conversations that could make someone uncomfortable.

Ask direct financial questions during the appropriate round, especially before ranking chapters you may not be able to afford.

How Chapters May Evaluate Conversations

At the end of each round, you rank the chapters, and the chapters complete their own evaluations.

Every chapter has its own internal process.

Members who spoke with you may provide comments, complete a scoring form, or participate in a larger membership discussion.

A member might evaluate a conversation using a numerical scale, written notes, or categories connected to the chapter’s values.

The exact method is usually confidential and can vary significantly between organizations.

Members may consider factors such as:

• Whether the conversation felt natural
• Whether you showed interest in the chapter
• Whether you asked thoughtful questions
• Whether your interests align with the organization
• Whether you appeared respectful and engaged
• Whether the member could imagine building a friendship with you
• Whether you demonstrated qualities connected to the chapter’s stated values

One conversation can affect whether you are invited back, but it is rarely the only factor.

Chapters may combine several members’ feedback with capacity limits and the formal recruitment matching system.

This is why it helps to talk to more than one person whenever possible.

A single awkward interaction does not necessarily mean that the chapter disliked you.

Rank Honestly

At the end of each day, you will submit your chapter preferences.

Be honest.

Do not rank a chapter highly simply because you think it is popular, selective, or socially prestigious.

Rank it according to whether you felt comfortable, respected, and genuinely interested in returning.

If you strongly disliked a chapter, place it lower.

The active members do not receive a list showing exactly where you ranked their organization. Your preferences are handled through the formal recruitment process.

However, think carefully before completely removing a chapter from consideration.

First impressions can be influenced by one awkward conversation, a technical problem, exhaustion, or an imperfect member pairing.

Consider the overall pattern:

• Did the members seem interested in what you had to say?
• Could you imagine spending time with them outside recruitment?
• Did the chapter’s values appear genuine?
• Did you feel like yourself during the conversation?
• Were financial and time expectations communicated clearly?
• Did you leave feeling energized, neutral, or drained?

Most importantly, remember that recruitment is mutual.

Chapters are evaluating you, but you are also evaluating them.

The goal is not to convince every chapter to want you.

The goal is to find the chapter where the interest, comfort, and connection go both ways.

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PART 04

Surviving the Actual Recruitment Weekend

By Round 2, recruitment stops being several short Zoom conversations and starts feeling much more like an endurance event.

Plan accordingly.

Round 2: Prepare for a Long Day

Round 2 is usually longer, more physical, and more demanding than Round 1.

You may be walking between several chapter houses, so comfortable shoes are essential.

Even the cutest heels will stop feeling cute after several hours on uneven sidewalks.

Check the weather before leaving.

If it is hot, consider wearing a lightweight or flowy dress, skirt, or another breathable outfit.

Bring anything you may need to remain comfortable throughout the day, such as:

• Comfortable walking shoes
• Water
• A snack
• Sunscreen
• A hat or sunglasses
• Gum or mints
• Deodorant
• Makeup or products for quick touch-ups
• Hair ties, clips, or a small brush
• Blister bandages
• A portable phone charger

Be considerate when using perfume or body spray.

Recruitment rooms can become crowded, and some members or PNMs may have allergies or scent sensitivities.

You do not need to look perfectly polished at every moment, especially after walking outside in September heat.

However, basic personal hygiene matters.

Arrive with clean and tidy hair, clothing, shoes, nails, and makeup, if you choose to wear it.

Aim to look put together without becoming unrecognizable.

Express your own style and give people something memorable to compliment, whether that is an interesting pair of earrings, colourful shoes, a unique pattern, or a hairstyle that feels like you.

Round 2 is one of the most important stages of recruitment because it may be the first time you enter a house that could eventually become your second home.

Pay attention to more than the decorations.

Notice how the members interact with one another, how they speak about their philanthropy, and how comfortable you feel in the space.

It can be difficult to maintain the same energy during every conversation, especially toward the end of a long day.

Eat beforehand, stay hydrated, and use breaks to reset.

Try not to let fatigue make one chapter receive a completely different version of you than another.

Use the same conversational strategies from Round 1: expand on your answers, ask thoughtful questions, remain engaged, and show genuine curiosity.

Financial and housing information is important, but chapters typically provide formal presentations about these topics during this round.

Listen carefully, take notes when permitted, and save detailed logistical questions for the presentation or an appropriate question period.

During individual conversations, focus on getting to know the members and understanding what everyday chapter life actually feels like.

Protect Your Reputation and Build Panhellenic Connections

We strongly advise against speaking negatively about any chapter you did not like.

You are allowed to have preferences, and not every house will feel like the right fit, but recruitment is not the time to publicly criticize members, houses, or organizations.

Be especially careful around Recruitment Counsellors.

RCs are there to support PNMs, but they are also expected to uphold recruitment standards.

Cruel, disrespectful, or inappropriate comments may be reported and could affect your experience in the process.

The same rule applies to other PNMs.

Do not comment negatively on someone’s appearance, personality, invitations, rankings, or chances of receiving a bid.

You do not know who may already be friends, roommates, classmates, relatives, or future sisters.

Recruitment is a very small world, and careless comments can travel quickly.

Instead, use the experience to begin building Panhellenic relationships.

Talk to the other PNMs in your RC group, make friends while walking between houses, and exchange social media handles when it feels natural.

Congratulate people when they are excited, support them when they are disappointed, and avoid turning recruitment into a competition.

Some of the people you meet may join a different chapter from you, but they can still become close friends, classmates, collaborators, roommates, or familiar faces at Panhellenic events.

Your sorority experience should extend beyond the letters you eventually wear.

Recruitment is your first opportunity to build those relationships, so start early.

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PART 05

No, Everything Is Not a Secret Recruitment Code:Recruitment Myths

Recruitment is already stressful enough without TikTok, Reddit, older students, and rumours convincing you that every seating arrangement contains a secret message about whether a chapter likes you.

A lot of recruitment lore dramatically oversimplifies what is actually a complicated logistical process.

Debunking Recruitment Myths

The Row does not speak on behalf of every chapter or every person involved in recruitment.

Internal practices vary, and recruitment is an intense, emotional, and sometimes disorganized process for both PNMs and active members.

Because much of recruitment happens privately, rumours can spread quickly.

You may hear claims about who gets paired with whom, what certain assignments mean, or how chapters secretly categorize their members.

Many of these claims oversimplify a complicated process.

Myth: “Basement Girls” Are Less Important Members

Some houses use different floors, rooms, entrances, or waiting areas to organize hundreds of conversations.

A member being assigned to the basement, hallway, kitchen, or another less visible area does not automatically indicate their social status within the chapter.

Members may be placed in different areas because of timing, accessibility, room capacity, recruitment responsibilities, conversation assignments, or the physical layout of the house.

Could internal hierarchies exist in some organizations?

Of course. Any large social group can develop cliques or unequal dynamics.

However, the location where a member is stationed during recruitment does not provide enough information to determine their standing within the chapter.

Myth: Recruitment Counsellors Are Bad Recruiters

Recruitment Counsellors, often called RCs, temporarily step away from publicly representing their chapters so they can support PNMs without appearing biased.

You may hear the rumour that chapters only select members who are poor recruiters to become RCs.

This is not necessarily true.

RCs are often chosen because they are approachable, responsible, trustworthy, and capable of helping PNMs through an emotional process.

Some may be excellent conversationalists and experienced recruiters.

Others may be selected because they remain calm under pressure, understand recruitment rules, or can offer fair guidance.

Becoming an RC is a separate responsibility, not automatically a judgment of someone’s value or social ability.

Myth: Only the “Prettiest” Members Speak to the Most PNMs

Some members may speak to more PNMs because they are experienced recruiters, energetic conversationalists, comfortable handling transitions, or particularly good at representing the chapter’s values.

Appearance bias can exist in social environments, and it would be unrealistic to claim that recruitment is completely immune from it.

However, speaking to many PNMs does not necessarily mean that a member was chosen because they are considered the most attractive.

Recruitment teams must also consider personality, reliability, availability, conversation skills, shared interests, and the ability to remember and evaluate multiple interactions accurately.

A quieter member may speak to fewer PNMs because they are assigned to longer conversations, paired with people who share specific interests, responsible for behind-the-scenes tasks, or simply unavailable for every round.

Myth: Every Pairing Has a Hidden Meaning

Being paired with a particular member does not necessarily reveal how highly a chapter has ranked you.

The pairing might be based on your program, hometown, hobby, personality, year of study, or a detail from your registration profile.

It could also be based on scheduling, last-minute changes, room capacity, or which members are available.

Sometimes a pairing is carefully planned.

Sometimes someone becomes sick, a conversation runs late, or an executive member has to reorganize the entire schedule within minutes.

Do not overanalyze every interaction.

Focus instead on the overall experience and how several members make you feel across the round.

Myth: One Awkward Conversation Means the Chapter Hates You

Recruitment conversations can feel unnatural.

Members and PNMs are tired, repeating similar introductions, trying to remember names, and speaking in crowded or noisy environments.

An awkward pause does not automatically mean you are being rejected.

It may simply mean that both people are nervous or exhausted.

Try to recover by asking a question, introducing a new topic, or returning to something the member mentioned earlier.

One imperfect conversation usually says less about your compatibility than the internet would have you believe.

Recruitment is already stressful enough without treating every seating arrangement, room assignment, pause, or facial expression like a secret code.

Stay observant, but avoid allowing rumours to control your experience.

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PART 06

Preference Round:Where the Strategy Actually Matters

By Preference Round, your decisions become much more consequential.

This is the time to stop worrying about which chapter appears the most popular and start thinking seriously about where you could actually see yourself belonging.

Preference Round and Recruitment Strategies

Preference Round is the final and most consequential stage before Bid Day.

Although receiving an invitation to Preference Round is a positive sign, it does not guarantee that you will receive a bid.

Chapters and PNMs still submit their final preferences, and the matching process considers both sides.

If you attend Preference Round at two houses and slightly prefer one, a subtle styling detail can show that you paid attention.

For example, you might wear a dress, accessory, or nail colour that reflects the chapter’s colours.

Do not arrive looking like you are already wearing the chapter’s letters, but a thoughtful detail can be memorable.

More importantly, remain engaged at every house you attend.

Even when you have a favourite, do not mentally check out during your other visit.

Ask your final questions, listen carefully, and consider whether you would genuinely accept a bid from each chapter on your schedule.

Before submitting your final ranking, understand the different recruitment strategies and the risks associated with each one.

Single Intentional Preference

A Single Intentional Preference, sometimes informally called a “suicide bid,” occurs when a PNM attends Preference Round at more than one chapter but lists only one chapter on their final preference card.

We strongly advise against this strategy in most circumstances.

Listing only one chapter does not show greater loyalty or improve your chances of receiving a bid from that chapter.

Instead, it removes every other possible match.

If your preferred chapter cannot place you on its final bid list, you may receive no bid at all, even if another chapter would have welcomed you.

The matching process already considers your ranked preferences.

Ranking a second chapter does not take away your chance of matching with your first choice.

It simply gives you another possible outcome if the first match cannot be made.

Only remove a chapter if you are completely certain that you would rather receive no bid than accept a bid from that organization.

Do not make this decision because of prestige, rumours, pressure from friends, or the belief that you can easily join another chapter through COB later.

Depending on the year, chapter sizes, quota, and local recruitment procedures, a PNM who maximizes their options may have access to additional placement possibilities.

These procedures vary, so ask your Recruitment Counsellor to explain the current rules before submitting your final preferences.

Continuous Open Bidding

Continuous Open Bidding, commonly called COB, is an informal recruitment process that may take place after primary recruitment.

A chapter can typically participate in COB when it has space to welcome additional members under the applicable Panhellenic membership limits.

Chapters that are already at capacity may not be eligible to participate, and eligible chapters are not necessarily required to hold COB events.

COB is usually less structured than formal recruitment.

Instead of completing several scheduled rounds, a PNM may be invited to smaller activities such as:

• Coffee dates
• Lunches or casual meals
• Study sessions
• Craft nights
• Movie nights
• Chapter events
• Informal house tours
• One-on-one or small-group conversations

A “coffee date” is generally an informal meeting between a potential member and one or more active members.

It gives both sides an opportunity to talk in a relaxed setting without the strict schedule and atmosphere of formal recruitment.

Despite the name, you do not have to order coffee.

Some chapters may eventually extend a bid after one or several COB conversations.

However, being invited to a coffee date does not guarantee a bid.

Do Not Rely on COB as a Backup Plan

COB can be a great option for someone who missed formal recruitment or did not find the right match.

However, it should not be treated as a guaranteed second chance.

In some years, most or all chapters may fill their available spaces during primary recruitment.

There may be few fall COB opportunities, or none at all.

A PNM may then have to wait until winter, the following semester, or the next formal recruitment period.

By that point, new-member classes may already have completed important bonding activities, and friendships and routines may be forming within the chapters.

Joining later does not prevent you from developing meaningful relationships, but the experience can be different from joining alongside the full fall new-member class.

Do not decline a chapter you genuinely liked simply because you assume your first-choice chapter will recruit through COB.

There is no guarantee that the chapter will have space, participate in COB, invite you to an event, or offer you a bid.

The safest strategy is to rank every chapter from which you would honestly accept a bid, place them in your true order of preference, and allow the matching process to work with the greatest number of options.

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PART 07

What Happens After You Press Submit?

You attended Preference.

You ranked your chapters.

Now what?

This is the part of recruitment that PNMs usually cannot see.

What Happens After the Final Rankings Are Submitted?

After Preference Round, two separate sets of rankings are entered into the recruitment system.

First, each PNM completes the Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement, commonly called the MRABA, and ranks the chapters from which they would be willing to accept a bid.

At the same time, each chapter converts the results of its internal membership-selection process into a final ranked bid list.

Chapters are generally expected to include every PNM who attended their Preference event, arranged in the chapter’s preferred order.

Once the PNM preferences and chapter bid lists have been submitted, CampusDirector or another recruitment system is used to complete the bid-matching process.

The exact screens and permissions may differ depending on the campus, software settings, and chapter policies.

However, there is an important difference between what authorized Panhellenic administrators can see and what individual chapters can see.

What Chapter Leadership Can See

During recruitment, chapter members may participate in private discussions, evaluations, or voting according to their organization’s membership-selection procedures.

After those results are finalized, only certain authorized individuals, such as the Vice-President of Membership, Recruitment Chair, chapter adviser, or another designated officer, may be responsible for entering and verifying the chapter’s bid list in CampusDirector.

Authorized chapter leadership may be able to see:

• The chapter’s own ranked bid list
• The PNMs who attended the chapter’s Preference event
• Whether the bid list was successfully submitted
• Whether the chapter matched quota
• The chapter’s final matched new-member list
• Whether the chapter may participate in snap bidding
• Instructions or deadlines provided by Panhellenic

A chapter does not receive another chapter’s bid list, voting results, or internal recruitment notes.

Chapter members also are not normally given a screen showing exactly how each PNM ranked them.

For example, a chapter would not generally be told that a particular PNM ranked them second.

After matching is complete, chapter leadership typically receives the names of the PNMs who matched with the chapter, not a full explanation of each PNM’s rankings or why someone matched elsewhere.

Do not rank a chapter dishonestly because you are worried its members will see that you placed it second or third.

Submit your genuine order of preference.

What Panhellenic and Authorized Administrators Can See

The Panhellenic recruitment team, fraternity and sorority adviser, RFM specialist, alumna advisers, or other authorized software administrators require access to more information because they oversee bid matching and check the results for errors.

Depending on their role and system permissions, they may be able to see:

• Each PNM’s submitted MRABA and ranked preferences
• Every chapter’s submitted bid list
• The order of PNMs on each chapter’s list
• The number of PNMs remaining in the process
• The quota estimate or possible quota range
• PNMs who withdrew and when they withdrew
• PNMs who submitted no preferences
• PNMs who had no remaining options
• PNMs who submitted a Single Intentional Preference
• Preliminary and final matching results
• PNMs who remain unmatched
• PNMs who may qualify as quota additions
• Chapters that did not match quota
• Chapters that may participate in snap bidding
• System changes, corrections, or information recorded in the audit trail

NPC guidance recommends verifying chapter bid lists, maintaining a master record of withdrawals and preferences, and using an audit trail to identify and correct errors during software-based bid matching.

This information is confidential and should only be used to administer recruitment accurately.

General chapter members do not conduct the final software matching process themselves.

How the Software Creates the Match

The system does not simply give every chapter the PNMs it ranked highest, nor does it automatically give every PNM their first-choice chapter.

Instead, it compares both sides.

The software attempts to match a PNM with the highest chapter on their preference list where they can be placed based on:

• The PNM’s submitted preferences
• The PNM’s position on the chapter’s bid list
• The chapter’s available quota spaces
• Quota-addition rules
• The applicable Panhellenic and recruitment procedures

A PNM will not be matched with their second-choice chapter while they can still be matched with their first choice.

The system considers the next preference when the first-choice chapter fills quota before reaching that PNM’s position on its bid list.

For example, imagine that a PNM ranks:

• Chapter A
• Chapter B

Both chapters place the PNM on their bid lists.

If the system reaches the PNM’s name on Chapter A’s list before Chapter A fills quota, the PNM matches with Chapter A.

If Chapter A fills quota before reaching the PNM’s name, the system checks whether the PNM can be matched with Chapter B.

Ranking Chapter B second does not reduce the PNM’s chance of receiving Chapter A.

It simply keeps another possible match available.

Quota Additions

After the initial match, some PNMs who did not match within quota may be considered for quota additions.

Quota additions are intended to help place PNMs who completed recruitment in good faith and maximized their available options.

To qualify, a PNM generally must have:

• Participated in every event they were invited to and accepted
• Ranked every chapter they attended during Preference Round
• Listed the receiving chapter on their MRABA
• Been included on that chapter’s bid list

The chapter receiving the quota addition must already have matched quota.

A PNM who attended two Preference events but listed only one chapter is not eligible for a quota addition.

This is one of the major risks associated with Single Intentional Preferencing.

What Is Snap Bidding?

Snap bidding takes place after regular matching and quota additions but before bids are officially distributed.

It is available only to chapters that did not match quota.

It allows those chapters to offer bids to eligible unmatched PNMs in an attempt to fill their remaining quota spaces.

It is not used by chapters that already matched quota simply to increase their overall chapter size.

For example, suppose quota is 25 new members, but a chapter matches only 22 PNMs.

That chapter may have up to three snap-bid spaces available.

The chapter’s Recruitment Chair, membership officer, or adviser may be asked to prepare a confidential list of eligible PNMs the chapter would be willing to invite.

Eligible PNMs generally include people who:

• Participated in at least one primary-recruitment event
• Were not matched with a chapter
• Withdrew or were released during recruitment
• Completed an MRABA but did not receive a match
• Submitted a Single Intentional Preference but did not match

A PNM does not need to have completed every round or submitted final preferences to be eligible for a snap bid, provided they participated in at least one recruitment event and remained unaffiliated.

How Snap Bidding Works

After chapters are told whether they matched quota, a short snap-bidding window opens for eligible chapters.

This window may last only one or two hours.

During that period:

• Chapters that did not match quota identify the eligible PNMs they would like to invite.
• The chapter submits or confirms its snap-bid list with the fraternity and sorority adviser or Panhellenic recruitment team.
• An authorized adviser, Panhellenic officer, Recruitment Counsellor, or chapter representative contacts the selected PNM.
• The PNM is told that they are being offered a snap bid and is given a deadline to accept or decline.
• If more than one chapter offers the PNM a snap bid, the PNM may be informed of each available invitation and choose which one, if any, to accept.
• Once a PNM accepts, the offer counts toward the chapter’s available quota spaces.
• The final new-member lists are updated before bids are distributed.

NPC recommends that snap bidding be centrally coordinated by Panhellenic or the fraternity and sorority adviser whenever possible.

Will People Know Someone Received a Snap Bid?

A snap bid is not announced publicly as a different type of membership.

Someone who accepts a snap bid can generally participate in Bid Day with the rest of the chapter’s new-member class.

The broader chapter may simply see that person’s name added to the final new-member list.

The PNM is not required to tell other new members that they received a snap bid.

It is still a valid invitation to membership.

Snap Bidding Is Not the Same as COB

Snap bidding and Continuous Open Bidding are two separate processes.

The snap-bidding window must close before COB begins.

What the Chapter Does Not Know

When Bid Day arrives, chapter leadership may know which PNMs matched with the chapter, but the general membership will not normally know:

• Where each PNM ranked the chapter
• Which other Preference events a PNM attended
• How another chapter ranked a PNM
• Whether a PNM nearly matched somewhere else
• The exact reason the matching system produced a particular result
• Whether someone was placed through a quota addition, unless leadership shares that confidential information
• Whether someone received a snap bid, unless the person or an authorized officer shares it

There is no need to announce that a chapter was your second choice or explain every detail of your rankings.

Recruitment rankings are private.

Bid lists, voting discussions, and matching results are not meant to become chapter gossip.

Once you accept a bid, focus on the organization you joined and give yourself a genuine opportunity to form your own opinion.

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FINALLY

Bid Day

You survived the Zoom calls, the walks between houses, the rankings, Preference, and probably far too much overthinking.

On Bid Day, PNMs meet with their Recruitment Counsellor groups and receive their bid envelopes.

Do not open your envelope until instructed to do so.

After bids are opened, new members are directed to the chapter that offered them a bid, often alongside other PNMs joining the same organization.

Each chapter plans its own Bid Day celebration, so activities and timelines vary.

Chapters generally provide new members with a Bid Day T-shirt.

Wear a comfortable top underneath it and bottoms that you will be happy wearing for several hours.

The duration of Bid Day varies because each chapter organizes its own activities.

And remember: wherever you end up, give the chapter a genuine chance.

The people you met during one carefully choreographed recruitment conversation are only a tiny fraction of what membership can actually become.

Some of your closest friendships may come from your own chapter. Others may come from another sorority, a fraternity, your classes, your RC group, or someone you happened to meet while walking between houses during recruitment.

The letters matter, but the people behind them matter more.

Lastly, good luck and fingers crossed.

Welcome home to the next four years of your life.

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