Ideas on Recruitment?

KappaSigISU · #1 01-21-2009, 02:22 AM

We pledge in Feb. 2nd and our quota is five guys, its like pulling teeth to get people to join fraternities up here and I don't know why, any suggestions?

Elephant Walk · #2 01-21-2009, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KappaSigISU

We pledge in Feb. 2nd and our quota is five guys, its like pulling teeth to get people to join fraternities up here and I don't know why, any suggestions?

If you make yourselves respectable first, the pledges will come.

Oh and not attending ISU

ISUKappa · #3 01-21-2009, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KappaSigISU

We pledge in Feb. 2nd and our quota is five guys, its like pulling teeth to get people to join fraternities up here and I don't know why, any suggestions?

I know there's an Iowa State DU who posts on here semi-regularly. I've been out of school 8 years now, and have mainly sorority experience.

Bottom line, you have to be able to offer guys something different than all the other chapters on campus. Not everyone wants to be a Delt or AGR or Pi Kapp or FarmHouser. You have to show guys the benefit of being a Kappa Sig. You can (and should be) rushing guys all year long. It's very rare that guys will seek you out, so you have to do what you can to promote yourself. Despite trying a few different times, IFC formal rush will never fly at Iowa State, but does IFC have a list of interested guys that they give to chapters? I know Panhel has a continually updated list of girls who are interested in informal rush, but I can't remember if IFC did the same.

You guys have a pretty sweet house. Has your House Corp done any updates lately? Even small things (new paint, cosmetic redo in some common areas) can help.

There's a huge range of fraternity sizes at Iowa State, and, IMO, that's a good thing. You don't want to take anyone just to build up your size. Make sure you're getting quality guys. It's better to have 5 good pledges than 25 idiots who will just bring the chapter down.

pi kapp drew · #4 01-21-2009, 02:40 PM

Here at St. Johns University, we get group of sorority girls and do the "dorm storm" to get our name out. Basically, they just bang every dorm room's door, and talk to them. It was a really good turn out, last semester, we got like 40 interested men.

KappaSigISU · #5 01-22-2009, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

If you make yourselves respectable first, the pledges will come.

Oh and not attending ISU

...yea..where are you from..because pledges don't just come at ISU

And to Kappa.. DU shut down this past semester they had like 4 guys in house...

lucgreek · #6 01-22-2009, 01:42 AM

I'll chime in because my school is sorta the same. Spring usually has more people who are friends of the new guys that join rather than random people. It also might have people who got a bid in the fall but decided not to join. I would turn to your new guys first and have them get their friends out at your rush events as a start.

Edit: All though if your reputation on campus is bad/shady, that could be affecting people that join as well. Which in that case there's not much you can do about that.

SAEBrad · #7 01-22-2009, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KappaSigISU

...yea..where are you from..because pledges don't just come at ISU...

EW just doesn't want to say exactly where he is..full of advice, but who knows where?

Elephant Walk · #8 01-22-2009, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAEBrad

EW just doesn't want to say exactly where he is..full of advice, but who knows where?

Who are you? I go to Arkansas.

8 of our chapters bring in over 50 man pledge classes each fall. Some push 60's. It's not a matter of getting people to rush, but a matter of getting the ones you want.

ISUKappa · #9 01-22-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KappaSigISU

...yea..where are you from..because pledges don't just come at ISU

And to Kappa.. DU shut down this past semester they had like 4 guys in house...

Damn, that sucks. They were never a huge house on campus, but they usually had some solid guys. Plus their house is awesome. I hope their house corp holds on to it.

There are chapters at Iowa State that have 70+ members, so there are guys who want to be in fraternities. You just have to do the work to show rushees that Kappa Sig can be a great place for them. What can you offer them that no other fraternity on campus can?

KappaSigISU · #10 01-22-2009, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

Who are you? I go to Arkansas.

8 of our chapters bring in over 50 man pledge classes each fall. Some push 60's. It's not a matter of getting people to rush, but a matter of getting the ones you want.

Yea your in the south, I'm not sure if you know this or not but as you go farther south the recruitment goes way up. I don't exactly know the reason but if you don't believe me you can look for yourself its all in the numbers.

Kappa
Well I'm kinda new at this and I don't know exactly how to show them this, we don't really have the funding which might be kind of a big problem. The problem is these kids love the dorms and the ones that don't are already lining up apartments...its hard to find those middle lyers

ISUKappa · #11 01-24-2009, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KappaSigISU

Kappa
Well I'm kinda new at this and I don't know exactly how to show them this, we don't really have the funding which might be kind of a big problem. The problem is these kids love the dorms and the ones that don't are already lining up apartments...its hard to find those middle lyers

Ugh. I think it's completely ridiculous that apartment housing in Ames is only at, like, 65 percent capacity, yet the city continues to grant approvals to build more. It was just starting to get bad when I was in school and, from my understanding, it's only gotten worse.

I think that's why summer rush is so important - you have to get the guys even before they get their dorm assignments. I know the suite-style dorms like Eaton is what more freshman are drawn to, but there are still benefits to living in a chapter facility. Do any of your new pledges or new initiates have friends that are seniors in high school? Invite them to go to Greek Getaway. Get their names on the list for summer rush events. It's not going to be easy, but if you don't want the chapter to die like DU or D-Chi you have to put some effort into it.

Why do you think the Delts or AGRs are such big chapters? Friends bring their friends in. Granted, AGRs are slightly different because they only/mostly take Ag majors and most guys know if they're in Ag and want to be in a fraternity, they'll be AGRs - they have a huge legacy and hometown pull. But that doesn't mean that type of networking won't work for other chapters. And maybe you guys are doing those sorts of things, I don't know.

I know sorority rush is totally different, I'm just going on my experience of talking to the guys on IFC when I was on Panhel and having friends in different fraternities.

PHISIGPSITRITON · #12 01-27-2009, 07:33 PM

If its not a big frat school then you have to sell your organization as a new wave in fraternities that doesn't cling to the old meathead ways of old fraternal recruitment.

KappaSigISU · #13 01-28-2009, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ISUKappa

Do any of your new pledges or new initiates have friends that are seniors in high school?

I know the sounds like an awesome Idea but college is a way for people to start a new life and most people don't want to drag their past back into their new life. I would be happier if I did not see any other kids from my high school here. I only brought in two other guys from my high school into the frat, and they are like my really good buddies.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHISIGPSITRITON

If its not a big frat school then you have to sell your organization as a new wave in fraternities

Thats the whole reason I posted on here haha..I need some ideas!

CrackerBarrel · #14 01-28-2009, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KappaSigISU

I know the sounds like an awesome Idea but college is a way for people to start a new life and most people don't want to drag their past back into their new life. I would be happier if I did not see any other kids from my high school here. I only brought in two other guys from my high school into the frat, and they are like my really good buddies.

See that seems weird to me. What the hell is in anyone's past that they just want to start over completely in college? It's higher education, not witness protection. I'm not like great friends with a whole lot of people from my high school anymore aside from some guys I played football with, but that is how fraternities get the regional pull and stock up on guys is that people who have already pledged bring their buddies by for rush. You're always going to have trouble with numbers (and finding normal kids since they will all have friends trying to get them to other houses) if you are just hoping enough guys that no one knows but seem cool show up for rush.

ISUKappa · #15 01-28-2009, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KappaSigISU

I know the sounds like an awesome Idea but college is a way for people to start a new life and most people don't want to drag their past back into their new life. I would be happier if I did not see any other kids from my high school here. I only brought in two other guys from my high school into the frat, and they are like my really good buddies.

Dude. I'm not saying pledge your entire high school, but if every guy in your pledge class brought in one guy that they knew from high school or class or work or whatever, you would basically double your pledge class. You said you brought in two good friends, that's what I'm talking about.