How to Recruit more girls?
 

I've only been in my chapter a year, and while I love it I have definitely noticed that we have the smallest sorority on campus. This year during recruitment we only got 8 girls while the other groups got around 15-20 girls. From what I've been told it has always been like this for our chapter, and the fact that we are the only group without our own house on campus make recruiting more difficult. Now we are going into open recruitment and I just need advice on what to do. So many girls have told us we were their second choice, but I want to help make my chapter one where most girls see us as their first choice. How do you successfully recruit new girls, or how do you make sure you're the first choice and not the second?

The chapter I advise was the only chapter without a house on campus for a while. Don't let not having a house become an issue within the chapter. Yes there are some PNM's that will make you second choice because of the housing issue. But concentrate on letting the PNM's know/better yet show them that they will have a strong sisterhood with your chapter too. Our chapter grow every year by being positive and not letting the fact we don't have a house be an obstacle. Be creative and get the whole chapter to have the same vision and direction.

Some quick ideas:

1) Build a names list. Have every one of your sisters create a list of every woman they know on campus that isn't Greek. Combine the lists. Here are all of your potential members you should be aiming for.

2) Recruit in small groups rather than large parties. For each potential member, have two sisters hang out with her. Go to the movies, or grab lunch, or get coffee, or study together. Keep it simple (and cheaper than a big, fancy party!)

3) Get involved. Encourage each of your sisters to join at least one other organization on campus. Put together an intramural team. Attend meet-and-greet type events - I'm sure there are dozens on your campus each semester.

4) Do something nice for other students. During the week of finals, my chapter would hand out candy - Smarties and Dum-Dums. Get it? :D This creates an easy way to strike up a conversation with people.

5) Have mixers with organizations that aren't fraternities. Sports teams. Clubs. If you can plan one with a group that has both men AND women, there's your in!


P.S. - in case you didn't notice, in #4, I mentioned that my chapter handed out candy during finals week. As in, at the end of the semester. In other words, recruitment should be happening all year, not just at the beginning of each semester.

I know your school and the situation there. If I were you, I would have your group reach out to COB from other groups on campus that they are part of. Can you bring in a bunch of musicians? a bunch of artists? Find a niche that isn't well covered by the other groups on campus and appeal to them. Find women who didn't initially consider joining greek life and show them what's special about AGD. There must be a good number of women who are lonely, feeling like they don't have a place on campus. Find them and give them a home away from home!

As an individual member, the best thing you can do is be a "shining example" of a sister.

By that I mean:
-Wear your letters as much as possible, makes sure people know that you're in "that small chapter".
-When wearing letters, any time really, be sure your dressed appropriately and well groomed. This will vary depending on the activity of course, doesn't mean "full makeup and stilettos all the time".
-Be kind, treat others well, speak well of others. Don't talk trash, people will assume the entire chapter is "like that".
-Be involved! Whatever your interests on campus, be out there and every where.
-Remember that Formal Recruitment is a once of year thing but COB is all day every day. Chatting up class mates, grab a coffee, studying together, etc. All these activities will allow you to get to know girls and they to get to know you and your sisters. When it comes time to ask yourself "who do I know that I want as a sister?" you'll have some names in mind. When they ask "why would I want to join a sorority?" they'll think of you and think "hey, maybe I do!"

Re #3 above, I would go beyond encouragement and make it a requirement. (And no, working at Wendy's or other off campus jobs doesn't count.)

If getting a house is not in the forserable future, try to have sisters live near each other as much as possible, whether it's all in the same wing of a dorm or off-campus apartments.

COB provides a great opportunity to get members that otherwise would never join a sorority.

Focus on successful sophomores and juniors. Maybe target juniors that have transferred from junior college and who've likely been told that they had no chance at a sorority because they are juniors. (Keep in mind that these women may have been superstars at their junior college who will quickly become leading members of your organization. Get them quick while they are still under the radar.) It wouldn't hurt to ask the university administration for a list of women who have transferred in as juniors. Then go out and meet them.

I'd also look for women who may be science or pre-med majors who didn't think they had the time when they were freshman - then treat them like they are the head cheerleader.

Alert members to always get the names and numbers of anyone (repeat anyone) who may casually ask about your sorority and then be sure to have someone follow up and actually go meet with them. (You know - like Campus Crusade for Christ does.) If your members have boyfriends or just guy friends, ask them the names of girls they know that may be interested. Then go and get to know them.

Lastly, if your sorority has expensive dues, be sure to discreetly take this into consideration on who you try to recruit.

You can also turn the lack of a chapter house into a positive. Your dues are likely cheaper than the other sororities and that money goes toward enriching the member experience, rather than house maintenance costs.

So many great ideas to put into place that really illustrate that COB is every day all year long.

Also you might want to consider meeting once a week to discuss your outreach efforts - review who you've met, do they meet the standards you have, are they interested. Then discuss how to follow up with them. And talk about new girls who've come onto the radar.

The idea of living in an apartment house together (as many as possible) or in a close area is a great one. Also, do you have any weekly activities that you do (beyond chapter meetings) that would help offset not having a house? I'm talking casual things since so much bonding takes place just hanging out in the house. I think that would help in case you aren't already doing things.

One last thing: whatever major event you can do on campus - your philanthropy, for example - make it so successful that it garners attention, via your campus newspaper or write-ups online or even the local newspaper. That will help your chapter shine on a bigger platform. Good luck!

We're talking about a super small school here. Definitely good ideas here, but I know we aren't talking about a large student population at all. I think NYCMS is the closest to reasonable efforts.

I'm not sure there are many transfers in a upperclassmen at all. The school has had a declining enrollment for years. Good Luck AGD_Cutie and PM me if you want specifics!