Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Sorority Recruitment
No, many women choose to go through Recruitment to meet people and make new friends. Recruitment is an opportunity for you to visit the sororities, get a glimpse of Greek life, and assess whether or not you would like to be a part of the UGA Greek community.
Potential New Members often experience the greatest disappointment by beginning the Recruitment process only wanting to be in one or a few certain sororities. Sorority membership is more than wearing certain Greek letters. It is giving your time and energy to the sorority, agreeing to abide by all the rules and regulations, and living up to high expectations. Don’t make a decision based on stereotypes and others’ opinions. Keep an open mind and make a decision that is right for you.
Although the Panhellenic Council does not require a minimum GPA to participate in recruitment, each sorority may establish their own minimum GPA required for membership. If you have a question about a particular sorority’s requirement, please directly contact the chapter.
The only opinion of a chapter that should matter is yours. Each chapter is different from campus to campus and from year to year. If you allow someone else’s perceptions to influence you, then you may not feel satisfied with your choices during Recruitment. Remember that each chapter is made up of many different women with different talents and qualities that compose the entire group. It is very important to keep an open mind about each sorority throughout the process and not to dismiss a certain house based on rumor or stereotype.
It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what sorority women are looking for. Remember that membership selection is not an easy task and it varies from sorority to sorority. These differences are based on national policies and chapter bylaws. Therefore, Panhellenic has no input in the membership selection process or the qualifications each sorority considers for members. Sororities strive to put together a well-rounded and balanced group of new members. There is no mold or “perfect” member. It is important to be yourself and let your personality shine.
As your Recruitment schedule is reduced from round to round, so is the number of women each sorority is allowed to invite back. Every Potential New Member has something to offer a sorority, but sororities are required to release some Potential New Members. In deciding which Potential New Members to invite back and which to release, each chapter has a democratic voting process. In other words, one or a few sorority women cannot guarantee that a Potential New Member will receive an invitation to the next round. Also, sororities are not required to pledge their legacies. Most importantly, a sorority woman should never imply or promise a Potential New Member that she will be returning to any subsequent round.
Recommendations are letters or statements from a sorority alumna recommending a Potential New Member for membership. At UGA, some sororities require a recommendation from an alumna member of that sorority before the sorority may extend a bid to that woman. A recommendation simply introduces a woman to the sorority so that the sorority members may become better acquainted with her before recruitment begins. If a sorority requires a potential new member to have a recommendation, it is the responsibility of the individual sorority to obtain a recommendation, not the responsibility of the PNM. Securing your own recommendation does not ensure that a sorority will offer you an invitation or a bid. For your convenience, instructions for submitting recommendations for each chapter are listed online.
Each Potential New Member is considered on an individual basis; a legacy is no more obligated to join a particular sorority than the sorority is obligated to pledge her. The Potential New Member and the sorority should be looking for compatibility, not necessarily a family connection to the group. Panhellenic has no policies regarding legacies because each sorority has its own policy, and Panhellenic has no input in individual sorority membership decisions. More specific questions regarding legacies should be directed to the individual sororities.
After the Preferential Round if you wish to join a sorority, you will fill out and sign an official Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement. Your signature on this card is binding for one year. If you then receive a bid and decide not to accept it, you will not be able to participate in Recruitment or Continuous Open Bidding for the next Primary Recruitment period.
Difficult decisions are a very common dilemma. Potential New Members, however, should not look at this as a problem. Most women can be happy in any of the sororities on campus. Think carefully and look objectively at what each sorority has to offer you. A sorority should be a home away from home; a place where you feel totally comfortable and welcome. Your experiences at each Recruitment event and personal goals and desires should guide your decision making.