Help for Mocs: How to get Involved in a

Sorority on Campus

Sorority recruitment at any university can be a nerve-

wracking experience. There are many explanations as to why so
many girls are deterred from the process. Many girls are scared to
get out of their comfort zones, and put themselves out there for fear
of rejection. Other girls are worried about the money and time
involved in sororities. However, the one thing all of these girls
going through recruitment have in common is that they are all
looking for a home away from home. The majority of girls are also
seeking a sense of belonging on a big college campus. It is easy to
find these things during recruitment at the University of Tennessee
at Chattanooga.
When girls get over their fears of the recruitment process,
they find that it is not so scary after all. The initial process of applying for sorority recruitment is not difficult either.
The girls in the sororities are the ones that have do most of the dirty work. It is important to know how the process
of recruitment works.
This reference guide provides step-by-step instructions on the process of recruitment, what materials are
required, a glossary of terms to help define the slang used during recruitment, and tips and advice.

How to Get in Touch with UTC Panhellenic

Panhellenic Association Advisor

Aubrey Duman Mailing Address/Office Location
Assistant Dean of Students Dean of Students Office
Aubrey-Duman@utc.edu 399 University Center
Department 1951
(423) 425-2321
615 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37403

Glossary
Common words used during the recruitment process:
1. Potential New Members (PNMs)
2. Woman who is going through the recruitment process.
3. These are girls that could possibly join a sorority.

1. Preference
2. Listing only one sorority during ranking.
3. This is the last round during recruitment when women make their decision on the sorority they wish to
join. When girls pref a sorority, this is the one they are choosing to join.

1. Bid
2. Formal invitation to join a sorority.
3. Formal piece of paper extending membership to a particular sorority containing the sororitys seal. This
is given to a girl on bid day. Girls can either accept or decline this invitation to join.

1. Recruitment
2. Process to join a sorority.
3. Includes many parties and rounds to eventually choose one sorority. The end result is getting a bid
from a sorority.

1. Parties
2. Events at a sorority house.
3. These events are included in the rounds of recruitment. Girls going through recruitment are matched
with one to two girls in the sorority to talk to at the parties. These parties also include watching
informational videos about the particular sorority, and what they stand for. In addition, the parties give
information about the sororitys philanthropy.

1. Chapter
2. Division of a particular sorority.
3. The group affiliated with a national sorority on a college campus. While the sorority name is located at
many universities, the chapter is original to that universitys campus. Each of the chapters of the
sorority contains different personality types. The chapter is also given its own Greek letters separate
from the sorority name.

1. Philanthropy
2. Charitable organization.
3. Every national sorority has one or many philanthropies in which they represent and give money to.
These philanthropies are highlighted during recruitment. Every sororitys philanthropies are different.

1. Matching
2. Joining girls with sororities.
3. Girls are matched with sororities based on how they rank them after each day of recruitment.

1. Pi Chi
 2. A girl who has disaffiliated with her sorority.
3. These Greek letters are given to several girls who have disaffiliated with their sororities for the
duration of recruitment. Their purpose is to provide girls going through recruitment with unbiased
advice. They are given a group of girls to mentor to during the recruitment process as well.

Instructions for Sorority Recruitment

1. Register for recruitment at UTC by going to:
http://www.utcpanhellenic.org/recruitment.html
The best time to start this process is early summer because it is cheaper the earlier one
applies. The early bird fee is only $85 as opposed to the regular fee of $95. It is also best
to start this process early because gathering sorority recommendations takes time. Below
is a screenshot of the website for registering.

2. The next thing to do after registration is moving in a week early for recruitment. Many
people view moving in early as one of the many benefits of recruitment. Once settled into
the dorm, the next step is to attend all the info sessions set up by the Pi Chis. These
sessions are important because they answer any and all questions regarding the
recruitment process. The Pi Chis also do an activity where they combine girls values
with the values of the campus sororities to help join girls with the sororities that have the
same values. Where the girls are matched to determines the schedules for the party on the
first day.
3. After receiving a schedule on day one, girls are required to go to all seven sorority
houses. This is when they attend multiple parties in one day. Recruitment lasts three days,
and each day girls attend different parties. The parties are where girls make an emotional
decision whether or not they like the sorority, and whether they want to come back the
next day.

4. One of the most important steps of the recruitment process is ranking. This is when girls
physically make the decision on which houses they want to return to. After each day of
parties, girls are taken to a room to rank the sororities they went to that day. All of the
ranking is based solely on whether girls see themselves returning to these houses the next
day. The actual sororities rank as well. They take into consideration the comments left by
the members of the sororities recruiting regarding the girls they talked to that day. The
sororities then make a decision and rank the girls. Both rankings are then matched into a
computer system, and this determines girls schedules for the next day.
5. The most exciting step of recruitment is Bid Day. This the day that girls receive a bid
from one sorority only. Girls are expected to either accept or decline the formal invitation
extended by the sorority. If they choose to accept, they get to attend Bid Day. Girls run
into the arms of their new sisters on this day.
 Required Materials for Recruitment
An outfit for each day of recruitment. Most girls wear church clothes, but everyone is
encouraged to express themselves however they please.
Recommendation letters from former sorority women that belong to the sororities on
campus. These letters enhance girls chances of getting into the sororities.
On Bid Day girls change into the tank tops that their sorority gives them. Therefore, it
is encouraged to wear a tank top that day because girls change tops immediately upon
receiving their sorority tank top.
Examples of Outfits for Recruitment:
 Tips & Advice
It is extremely important to keep an open mind throughout the process of
recruitment. Many girls go into recruitment with a mindset that they already
know what sorority they will choose. Girls may end of being surprised when
they see who they click with. However, this outcome can only come from an
open mind about the process.
It is easy to get nervous going through recruitment because everything and
everyone can come across as
intimidating. However, it is
important to remember that the
majority of the time the girls in the
sororities are ten times more
nervous than the girls going through
recruitment. The girls in the
sororities have to talk to potential
new members all day, and
constantly think of engaging
questions to ask. This is a difficult
task especially when some girls are
more quiet than others, or do not
want to be at the party at all.
One thing that not everyone knows
going through recruitment is to be mindful of conversation topics. It best to
avoid topics of boys and parties because it does not leave a good impression
of character for the girls who have to rank the potential new members. The
best thing to talk about are the sororitys values and philanthropies.
Because the sorority houses at UTC are spread out around campus, the
potential new members are taken to each house on school buses. This means
that a lot of times girls on the buses will try to talk to each other about what
sorority houses they liked or did not like. It is important to not engage in these
conversations because it can sway peoples opinions of the sorority houses.
Again, keep an open mind throughout this process.
For more information on how to prepare for recruitment visit:
http://www.utcpanhellenic.org/how-to-prepare.html
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Go Greek Picture:
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