First, let’s talk about how sorority recruitment works. Have you ever seen The Bachelor or The Bachelorette? Sorority recruitment is similar. Round 1 is comparable to the first episode of The Bachelor. During this round, you will meet all of the sororities on your campus.
After you meet all of the sororities, you pick the 13 sororities you want to go back to for Round 2 (Philanthropy Round). Also, The members are voting on the potential new members. They decide which potential new members to invite to Round 2.
Then, at the beginning of Round 2, you will receive your invitation schedule. This schedule has the sororities you will be meeting for that round. Most potential new members assume their invitation schedule will have all of the sororities they voted to keep. That is not the case. During sorority recruitment, the sororities have the upper hand. They invite potential new members to each round just like the bachelor picks women to stay. Also, most potential new members are not getting invited to the maximum number of sororities. Most will get invited to 30% to 70% of the maximum invites. For example, if Sam is an average potential new member and could be invited back to 13 sororities, she will be invited to 4 to 9 — depending on how well her Round 1 score was.
During Round 2, you will have conversations with the members. At the end of Round 2, you will pick which sororities you want to go back to for Round 3. The members will vote on which potential new members they want to invite back.
The same process will continue until Bid Day.
Let’s take a deeper look at sorority recruitment at the University of Georgia.
Have you looked at your college’s Panhellenic website?
Did it give you a plan for getting a bid?
Did it tell you how to answer the members’ questions?
Did it tell you what the members are looking for in a new member?
Many of these websites give FACTUAL information. This lack of information leaves many potential new members feeling behind on preparing for sorority recruitment, missing important information, having a disadvantage. Can you relate?
If you feel overwhelmed or behind, you want to watch this video. In the video, I give you 3 secrets to stand out, have options, and run home to your dream sorority.
To watch the video, please click the button below.
Why is campaigning important?
Imagine you want to run for President of the United States. Here is the catch you announce that you are running the day of the election. Do you think you will get elected?
Probably not.
Many potential new members show up at Round 1 and think that is their first impression.
Here is what is actually happening
Each sorority has a recruitment team. One of its main jobs is pre-screening every potential new member before Round 1. Pre-screening includes looking at GPA, recommendation letters, social resumes, Instagram, etc.
Do you know what this means? Everyone is not placed on an equal playing field for Round 1. Is it fair that everyone is not placed on an equal playing field for Round 1?
NO! It is not fair!
Do you know what is fair? Use this information to your advantage
How do you get your name out there?
All of the sororities will have to drop a percentage of potential new members after Round 1. This percentage is different for each sorority. The most competitive sororities will drop the largest percentage (typically 65%+ of all potential new members).
You cannot rely on a 4.0 GPA to get a bid. GPAs are important, but many times a 3.7 is just as good as a 4.0 during sorority recruitment.
You cannot rely on legacy status. For many sororities, you are not guaranteed a bid as a legacy.
When you use a strategy, the members are excited to meet you. They will be telling the other members about how amazing you are and how you are a good fit in the sorority. That is what you want, right?
Since the sororities are vetting potential new members before sorority recruitment starts, you need to get on the sororities ’ radar. (You have to get your name out there.) Your prepping strategy should answer, “What actions do I need to take for members to know my name?”
Here is an overview of the prepping strategy we use in CRUSH [sorority recruitment coaching].
#1. Get recommendation letters
You walk into your first sorority. You are excited and nervous to meet the members. A member walks up to you and says, “Hi! Welcome to XYZ! We are so excited you are here! What is your name?” While talking to the member, you realize you have so much in common with her. You have the same major and are from the same hometown. The next morning you get your Round 2 schedule. You got invited back to XYZ! Again, when you talk to the members, you feel like you are talking to your friends.
This situation could be your reality throughout sorority recruitment. You can find your new best friends and your home. Your first step to your campaign and finding your home is to get recommendation letters.
You might be wondering, “Why do I need recommendation letters?” While most sororities are not requiring recommendation letters to become a member, many use them to pair members to talk to potential new members. In the story above, these conversations were not random. They were planned. The potential new member was paired to talk to a member during Round 1 that was from her hometown and had the same major.
What is pairing?
Pairing is when the recruitment team plans you to talk to a specific member (or specific members) during sorority recruitment. This member has something in common with you — from the same hometown or area, involved in similar activities, has the same major, etc. This pairing can lead to you connecting with the members and getting invited back to sororities you like.
Why do sororities pair potential new members?
Reason 1. You will likely have a better conversation.
Since you have something in common, you will be more likely to relate to the member and have deeper conversations.
Reason 2. Since you connected to the members, you will most likely vote to keep the sorority.
If the return rates are high (potential new members want to visit the sorority again), the sorority can drop more potential new members.
What is a recommendation letter? How does the recruitment team use recommendation letters?
A recommendation letter is very similar to a job application. It is a form that an alumna (some sororities allow current members) fill out about you. This form has specific sections (contact information, GPA, activities, volunteer work, hobbies and interests, legacy information, etc.) It is very similar to the form you fill out when you register for sorority recruitment.
The recruitment team for each sorority looks at your recommendation letters and collects information on you. Then, they use this information to pick whom you should talk to during sorority recruitment.
How to get recommendation letters
When you are reaching out to women to write your recommendation letters, start with women you know -- your family, friends, teachers, neighbors, etc. They will write you the best recommendation letter because they know you on a personal level.
Then, if you still need recommendation letters, you can use Facebook or your town’s Alumnae Panhellenic Association.
How many recommendation letters should you get?
You want to get at least one recommendation letter per sorority on your campus.
When should you start getting recommendation letters?
You want to start this process sooner rather than later. Many times the process takes much longer than expected.
Before you ask women to write your recommendation letters, you need to create a social resume. Your social resume will serve as the answer key to your recommendation letter. The Ultimate Guide to Sorority Recruitment has a template for creating your social resume and explains the process of how to get recommendation letters in detail.
#2. Go PUBLIC on Instagram
Why do to go public on Instagram?
I will let you in on a secret. Most sororities are looking at potential new members’ Instagrams to learn about them. If your Instagram is private, they learn NOTHING about you. It does not help you get your name out there. Now, if your Instagram is PUBLIC, they can learn about who you are, what you like to do, etc. It is like an interactive social resume. Your Instagram could lead to you getting paired to talk to a member who is very similar to you. She may fall in love with you and give you the great score you deserve. This score helps you get invited back to the next round.
That is what you want, right? You want to have options and get invited back to sororities you love. Strategies give you a plan that allows you to get a bid to your dream sorority.
#3. Register for sorority recruitment
When you register, the sororities have your name. That is why you want to go public first.
You want to register at least one month before sorority recruitment starts. With registering early, each sorority has time to learn about you and see if you would be a good member.
Do not rush your registration! You want to make sure you are including information that you want to talk about during sorority recruitment — involvement, club, volunteer work, etc.
For 2022, you will also need to create a video for your registration application. This video will replace your Round 1 score. You want to use it as an opportunity to stand out and allow the members to get to know you. If you need help creating your video, CRUSH [sorority recruitment coaching] helps create your script and gives you tips for your video.
Imagine you are interviewing two women to be your roommate. You have prepared three questions to ask both women. Based on their answers, you are going to pick a roommate.
First, you interview Sam. You ask her, “Where are you from?”
Sam says, “Atlanta.”
Then, you ask her your second scripted question, “What do you like to do on the weekends?”
She says, “Hang out with friends.”
Finally, you ask her, “What are some of your passions?”
She responds with, “Yoga.”
Next, you interview Brooke.
Again, you ask her your first scripted question, “Where are you from?”
Brooke says, “I am from Atlanta. I love it there, but I am so excited to be living in Athens! There are so many good restaurants and places to shop. Have you tried any of the restaurants in Athens?”
You say, “YES! I love insert restaurant name. Have you been?”
Brooke says, “That is one of my favorite restaurants too! I had the shrimp and grits.”
You respond with, “That is what I had too!”
Before you know it, time is up. You only asked Brooke ONE of the scripted questions because you got off topic and talked about Athens, your goals with college, and things you are excited to do.
Which woman are you going to pick to be your roommate? Sam or Brooke?
Most likely, you picked Brooke.
Why did you pick Brooke?
You could see her as a friend. You could see yourself hanging out with her on the weekends and going to that restaurant. You were able to connect to her. That is what you want to do during sorority recruitment!
The members spend weeks practicing for sorority recruitment. During this time, they learn how sorority recruitment works, practice conversations, and more. Since they are practicing so much, they have created a script of questions to ask each potential new member. They will not break the script unless you force them to break it.
Why will the members not break the script?
Having conversations with strangers can be difficult. The members know they have to keep the conversation going. They do not want to create awkward silences in the conversation.
Why do most potential new members not break the script?
Most potential new members do not prepare for their conversations and do not realize most of their score is dependent on their conversations. When the members ask them questions, they answer with a fact or one word. Here is what the average potential new member’s conversation looks like during sorority recruitment.
Member: Hi! Welcome to XYZ! We are so excited you are here! My name is Katie! What is your name?
Potential new member: Hi! My name is Sam!
Member: Where are you from?
Potential new member: Atlanta
Member: What did you do this summer?
Potential new member: I worked and hung out with friends Member: Where did you work?
Potential new member: At a restaurant
Now, give Sam a score -- 1 (I cannot see her in my sorority) to 10 (Wow! She is amazing! I want her to be a member). What score did you give her?
Most likely a 3 to 5.
When the member is voting on Sam, she is thinking, “Can I see Sam in my sorority? Maybe? I don’t know? I guess I will give her an average score. If she gets invited back, great. If she does not, that is okay too.” This situation is what is happening to most potential new members. They are getting average scores. When you get an average score, it is like rolling the dice. Maybe you will get invited back. Maybe you will not.
How do you get an above-average score?
Let’s look closer at Sam’s first answer. She said, “Atlanta”. That is a fact. When you answer questions with facts, it makes it hard to keep a conversation going.
This type of answer leads to a potential new member study in the Average Conversation Cycle. If you stay in this cycle, the member goes on autopilot. When a member is on autopilot, you are asked 10 scripted questions.
The main takeaway is that the member will not break the cycle. You have to force them to break it. If the member does not break the cycle, you will most likely get an average score. Your average score may get you dropped from some sororities.
How do you force them to break it?
That is where your small talk strategy comes into play.
The 3 parts of your small talk strategy are:
#1. Body language
#3. Make connections with guaranteed questions
When you use this strategy, the members will see you as a friend. If they can see you as a friend, they can see you in the sorority and will give you an above-average score.
Let’s look at an example of how you force the member to break the script.
Member: Where are you from?
Potential new member: I am from Atlanta. I love it there, but I am so so excited to be here. When I was touring the campus, the tour guide mentioned all of the incredible opportunities at the University of Georgia.
Will the member as another scripted question? Will you get stuck in the Average Conversation Cycle?
She will ask you about the opportunities and how you want to get involved. This conversation leads to her getting to know you and connecting with you. When she goes to vote, she sees you in the sorority. AKA. You are getting an above-average score and increasing your chances of getting invited back.
Which potential new member do you want to be? Sam (who gets stuck in the script and is never allowed to stand out) or Brooke (who stands out gets the amazing score she deserves)?
You want to be Brooke, right?
Since most of your score is derived from your conversations, you need to go into your conversations strategically. You have to force the members to break the script. They will not break it on their own.
A misconception is that joining a sorority is like joining a club.
Sororities are more than just a club. They give women a home, community, inspiration, accountability, forever friends, and a sense of belonging.
Soon after joining my sorority, I saw how my life was about to change. I had a community of over 200 women who were there to support me in my transition as a first-year college student. I had sisters to go to the dining halls with and try all of the different foods. I had sisters to text when I needed to spend twelve hours in the library studying for a calculus test. I had women to get ready with before events and the UGA football games. I had a way to volunteer for the local community. I was inspired by the upperclassmen getting internships, graduating with jobs at KPMG, or moving to NYC to accomplish their dreams. I had a community to support me. I had a sense of belonging on a campus of 30,000 students.
Joining a sorority can be an experience that changes your life.
To have an experience that changes your life, you need to get a bid to the sorority that aligns with your values, beliefs, and experience you want for college. For example, if one of your goals is to get good grades or go to graduate school, you want to join a sorority that has a high chapter GPA. You want to surround yourself with women who push you academically. Women who inspire you to get an internship. Women who inspire you to go into research. If one of your goals for college is to make lifelong friends, you need to find the sororities that have the best retention rates. The sororities that have the most members stay year after year.
The main takeaway is every sorority has a different dynamic and different members. Many of the sororities on your campus are great, but not every sorority is the right fit for you. To get a bid to your dream sorority, you need to have options at each round. To have options, you want to use a plan. This step-by-step plan helps you communicate that you are a good fit BEFORE and DURING sorority recruitment. That way, you are not picking the better of your last two options. You choose the best option from the start.
If you need help getting a bid to your dream sorority, I encourage you to apply for CRUSH [sorority recruitment coaching]. In this program, we build a campaign around you. This campaign helps members know your name and be rooting for you before sorority recruitment starts. Also, you will create your answers to the most commonly asked questions and practice your conversations. That way, you know how to break the script and feel confident connecting with the members. Most importantly, the members walk away from your conversations seeing you in the sorority and giving you an amazing score.
Registration dates
Opens May 1st, 2023
Dates and structure of sorority recruitment
What to wear for each round
Sororities at the University of Georgia
Smallest chapter size for 2020 was 158
Largest chapter size for 2020 was 308
