GreekChat.com Forums - A take on RFM’s effects:

RFM- Release Figure Methodology
*****PLEASE READ*****

Disclaimer- Recruitment is always nuts and this year may be more “normal” (think ‘in person’) but NONE of us know what to expect as it may vary from school to school whether it’s all back in person, hybrid, etc. Let’s just be here for our girls and each other!

There is a process they use now called RFM. “Release Figure Methodology” and this explains part of why many girls drop out at some schools (UT and FSU are big ones) - the girls lose favorite houses early and RFM is why.

An explanation of RFM
Please bear with me—
—A long time ago (think pre 2000s), each sorority could invite as many PNMs as they wanted to for each party round. Oozma Kappa, the house all the girls dreamt of, would keep inviting back girls they had NO intention of extending a bid to in order to fill their party and look popular.
—The result of this was that the least popular houses (newest, smallest) would get fewer and fewer PNMs returning to their parties each round and ultimately accepting a bid.
—What happened to all the girls that had no chance, but kept going back to Oozma Kappa? At one point, their party card would be empty OR Bid Day would come and they would receive the tragic news that they did not receive a Bid.
—So...you had some chapters close down because they could simply never get enough members and a bunch of PNMs who lost their chance at going Greek. All while the Oozma Kappas of the school partied on.

—Enter “RFM”. (Release Figure Methodology)
It is a formula based on the percentage of PNMs that want to return to each house (historically) after each round. The result being that in the first rounds, popular houses with traditionally high return percentages have to make DEEP cuts (think up to 1,000 PNMs at huge recruitment schools like Bama). So a PNM can have a great round at several houses and feel really positive about them but be shocked when see their next round invitation list.

In these rounds, houses MUST cut x number of PNMs, so they will have to look for arbitrary reasons to cut: no rec, GPA, a legacy expected to go to their legacy house, ANYTHING. Unfortunately, it just comes down to numbers.

These cuts are the least personal, but are so shocking they are confidence killers. It’s hard for PNMs (and their parents 💔) to understand why they were cut from half the houses when they’re an awesome girl with an awesome resumé and the parties went well. Then, they will see other girls that have a full schedule and it just won’t make any sense! There simply may be NO reason other than fate.

This is when you are going to die a little inside. This is when you’ll need to be there for your daughter, and we will be here for you!

Traditionally, “Top” houses are considered so for a variety of reasons. They are often full of high-achieving, driven girls who excel socially and know how to present themselves well.

At some schools, “Top” houses are considered so simply for their exclusivity. This comes from a long history of mothers, grandmothers, etc., who have all gone to the same school, are in Junior League together and the PNMs not only attend the most exclusive high schools, but also attended one of two specific summer camps. Cough*Texas*cough. Some of these girls have been prepping for this their entire lives.
Honestly, if you’re not already “in”, why would you want to be?

And then we have the “Top” houses that are interested in appearance, social media (# of followers), popularity with certain fraternities, etc.

ALL of the aforementioned types of houses have wonderful girls in them. My point is, the other houses do, too! They just aren’t as exclusive for some of the reasons above, and some don’t present themselves as well as other houses.

Some houses simply excel at Recruitment. They’ve got it down to a science and know how to make just about any girl feel welcomed and special. It may be smoke and mirrors, or it can be genuine. Time will tell. But if your daughter is blown away that Alpha Beta Delta doesn’t ask her back to Round 2, its most likely an arbitrary cut and the girl(s) she spoke with may have very genuinely enjoyed their conversation. But with cuts the way they are, some PNMs are already taken out of the running before they even walk through the door (think GPA).

This is RFM, and it can hurt.
**But, it sends PNMs back to houses that are still genuinely interested in them and lets the PNM rearrange their list of who they like most. (For lots of PNMs, it changes daily). Then at the end of the process, if a PNM goes to each party on her list and signs her bid card (and does not SIP), she WILL receive a Bid!!!

Your daughter needs to realize her first choice on Day 1 will rarely be her first choice by Pref night.

Opening that invite list each day can be a gut punch, but she needs to be ready to put her game face on and give these houses a chance.

Your PNM needs to ask herself:
***How do you feel when you’re at this house? Home? Excited? Nervous? Invisible?

***Do you feel like you belong there?

***Can you be yourself with these girls?

Tell her: Don’t pick a house full of the girls you wish you were. Pick a house full of friends, sisters, bridesmaids... Pick the girls who will lift you up when you’re down. The ones you will share your secrets with.

Follow your heart!