UCF 2013 RECRUITMENT QUESTIONS!

[sophiabella]

Hello Everyone, I’m currently waiting for recruitment for the fall at UCF! I feel like at my school, the website and the women in sororities are very helpful when it comes to all questions except money. I honestly don't feel comfortable being the girl who ask the financial questions while going through recruitment because I don't want to be judged based on that! I know I’m not the only one who is wondering what is offered based on help for paying. I have been saving up for a very long time, but I'm still curious about a few question. So if any UCF Pan women can help me, I would appreciate it very much! Also fill free to leave info on how your chapter at UCF dealt with money!

- I know they have the total cost of each sorority online. But of the 11 current sororities on campus, which offers payment plans or division of the cost over months? Which ones want it paid up front?

-How much are extra cost such as socials, events, t-shirts? (On Average)

-Other than fees, how much did you spend on average per semester for anything sorority based?

It would be a great help to get some answers, especially for the first question! I'm excited for recruitment, but i dont want be in over my head and I like to be informed before! Thanks!

[adpiucf]

Costs will be explained to you at recruitment. You can also call the office of Greek Life and talk to the director.

When I was at UCF, every sorority had the option to pay monthly and most members did pay monthly rather than in a lump sum. Doubt much has changed.

Socials are included in your dues. Extra costs would be t-shirts and sorority swag (Bid Day photo packages, sorority memorabilia, art supplies for making craftsy stuff, paddles, etc.). I have no idea what sorority t-shirts cost nowadays, but they varied from $5-$35 back when I was in school. I'd say I spent a couple hundred bucks each year on sorority extras. It's pretty much what you make of it. Fall tends to be more expensive, especially when you take a little sister. You don't have to go nuts and buy every single event t-shirt or extra that is offered, and the seniors usually pass down shirts and sorority swag to the newer girls. So there's that.

Good luck at UCF

[sophiabella]

Thanks! That's really helpful! When you were a new member, do you remember when you had to pay your first payment? Since recruitment is at the beginning of August, is that when its due or would it be towards the end? Unless its different for chapters as well.
Also, say you can afford some of the more expensive sororities. When I go through recruitment should I just rule them out because of inability to afford the high cost?

[Titchou]

First, some groups do not allow new members to sign promissory notes (pay monthly). And some require that all fees/dues be paid by inititiation which is about 8 weeks after recruitment. You would have to ask each group to determine which are which.

Second, it will be really difficult for you to rule out more expensive groups. The reason is you don't have total control over where you go day to day. The groups invite you and based on your rankings, the computer accepts the invitation for you and you are assigned your party list. If you decline going to one because it is more expensive, PH could release you from recruitment as most campuses require you attend all parties on your list. However, I doubt that there is a lot of difference in the overall costs unless a group doesn't have housing....and I don't know how many are in that boat at UCF. And so many groups include badges in the initial cost and some don't. It's really difficult to an apples to apples comparison.

[adpiucf]

Originally Posted by sophiabella

Thanks! That's really helpful! When you were a new member, do you remember when you had to pay your first payment? Since recruitment is at the beginning of August, is that when its due or would it be towards the end? Unless its different for chapters as well.
Also, say you can afford some of the more expensive sororities. When I go through recruitment should I just rule them out because of inability to afford the high cost?

All new members at every UCF sorority will have an initial one-time down payment to be made within the first 24-72 hours of bid day. There will be a day during recruitment when each sorority does a review of fees and dues, and the treasurer will come around in case you have any questions after she gives the explanation of fees and how they are broken down. You can also call the office of Greek Life at UCF and speak to the director of Greek Life. They will be able to get you the stats on dues and initial fees. Any dollar amounts I know of are irrelevant, since I pledged several years ago and fees change yearly.

Yes, if you can't afford a sorority, you should rule them out. You may keep getting invited back though. If you attend a preferentials ceremony at a sorority you know is out of your budget, don't list them on the bid card you sign when you do your final ranking. Each day you rank the sororities in your order of interest and each day the sororities have to release a certain percentage of women. Then your list is matched up against theirs. So you may keep getting invited back to a chapter you ranked lower because the ones you ranked higher may have released you. After prefs, you'll do a final ranking and sign that card. If you absolutely cannot accept a bid from a particular sorority, for whatever the reason, do not list that sorority on that final ranking.

Keep in mind that an "expensive" sorority may offer things that you can take out of your nonsorority budget-- some of them have meal plans, so that's less $ you'd spend on groceries or the university meal plan (especially when it factors out to about $2 a meal!). Some may include a badge; others may require you to pay for one separately. As I said, call the office of Greek Life and speak to the director (not a student), and they can help you with all of your questions as to exact fees, costs, and deadlines.

[Sciencewoman]

Gamma Phi is colonizing at UCF this fall. We do offer a payment plan for new member dues, but everything must be paid in full by the time of initiation, including your badge, although we offer a couple of very reasonably priced badge choices. There are also payment plans for future semesters (you can spread your dues out monthly). This policy applies to all chapters.

My daughter joined Pi Phi this year, and they also offer a payment plan, but it is considered an exception to the rule, not an "automatic option." We received a parent packet 5 days after Bid Day, and this appears to be their national policy. However, we didn't have to pay anything right away...the charges were due a couple weeks before initiation to Pi Phi's GreekBill website.

I am also in favor of cost transparency. We have been trying to get the Panhellenic to be more up front about dues at the campus where I advise, because every chapter has new members drop due to costs. Quite a few women assume there are scholarships, loans, promissary notes, payment plans, etc. for every group, and while some groups may offer these, they're often not for new member dues. The scholarships tend to be for tuition for initiated members...some are "emergency" based, and some are competitive. Freshmen don't tend to have a lot of experience with finances, so I think the more we can do to make it transparent, the better. I think the advice to call the Greek Life office is very good.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

I am also in favor of cost transparency.

Amen! Without it, it can have a vibe of, "if you have to ask, you can't afford it."

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by sophiabella

Thanks! That's really helpful! When you were a new member, do you remember when you had to pay your first payment? Since recruitment is at the beginning of August, is that when its due or would it be towards the end? Unless its different for chapters as well.
Also, say you can afford some of the more expensive sororities. When I go through recruitment should I just rule them out because of inability to afford the high cost?

This was 9 (wow) years ago, but I got my bid and my initial fees were due before my NM ceremony a week later.

Generally speaking, the initial fees are due before your NM ceremony. So, if your bid day is Saturday and the NM ceremony for your class is Monday night, you need those fees in order to participate.

This convo makes me thankful for the fact that my alma mater requires chapters to hand out reasonably detailed cost info during recruitment. I remember that they had to at least have dues, live-in costs/room/board/meals, parlor fees/maintenance costs, social costs (if they were all inclusive or paid separately), and whether the chapter fined for certain things or not (some were not permitted to fine due to HQ policy.) We were all within the same ball park, but it was nice to see that XY may look more expensive but it's because they are all inclusive.

Also, re: payment plans, be aware that not every HQ allows it for NMs (because of so many different initial fees that HAVE to be paid at certain points.)

[Leximarie]

Hi Sophia! Just wanted to say I'm going through recruitment this Fall at UCF too!!

[DubaiSis]

UCF is just such an odd bird in that they have some with houses and some without, and the unhoused ones aren't the dregs of the system (or at least from what I've been able to tell). But be VERY careful to not write off the ones with housing. The cost-benefit analysis will almost certainly result in a better value in the long run.

I know that it's really hard to compare when it seems like it's apples to tomatoes, but I think most of us would agree that once you add in all the bits and pieces they end up virtually the same.

And while I can be very cheap, don't let yourself not take advantage of this opportunity unless you really can't afford it. The fact is, you won't be living in the dorms for 4 years, and apartment living is expensive. And even if you were, it's not like they're giving those rooms away for free. College is really expensive, so don't let a couple hundred dollars right at the beginning keep you from all the benefits later on. I would say you can go without the pictures, the t-shirts, the agendas, the sunglasses, the flipflops, etc. and pay WAY less than your sisters. This isn't sisterhood; it's swag. There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting the required stuff and that's it.

[TrueBlueKappa]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

Seven chapters have large houses; four plus the new colony do not. My impression of return rates on that campus is that, in practice, qualified PNMs who prefer an unhoused chapter can generally get one.

Things will be very different this fall, as Chi Omega and Kappa will both be moving into their new houses, leaving 3 unhoused chapters, counting the Gamma Phi colony.

[sophiabella]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

All new members at every UCF sorority will have an initial one-time down payment to be made within the first 24-72 hours of bid day. There will be a day during recruitment when each sorority does a review of fees and dues, and the treasurer will come around in case you have any questions after she gives the explanation of fees and how they are broken down.

Adpiucf, you said that all new members have a one time down payment to be made on bid day. Are you saying the whole cost for being a new member is due then, or just a part of it. (Ex. if new member fee is $1,600 will that all be due within the first 24-72 hours of bid day)

Also, does not having a sorority house when joining make the experience that much different? Would I feel like i'm missing out if I go somewhere with out a house?

Thanks everyone for the replies!! Its very helpful to have feedback!

[TrueBlueKappa]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

Wow, that's great news! Was there new construction, or did fraternities lose their spots in Greek Park?

It is new construction, but will be owned and operated by UCF (like the houses Theta and Theta Chi took over).


Recent article about the houses: http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/...2#.Ud9FoD9ssfk

Here are some pictures of the houses, which are located between the new Greek Life Center and the ZTA house: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...6272046&type=3

[adpiucf]

No, the new member fee isn't the entire semester's worth of dues. It's a one time fee that you must pay upfront. From there, you are assessed monthly dues. As I continue to stress, call the office of Greek Life and they will answer all of your finance questions, just as the chapter treasurers will come around during recruitment to explain fees and answer questions.

There's a perception amongst PNMs that the housed chapters are more prestigious and they are more in demand during recruitment. The unhoused chapters are traditionally newer sororities to campus. I've noticed a tremendous change in chapter recruitment at UCF once a sorority gets a house.

That being said, even the "smaller" chapters are still quite large. Last spring the smallest UCF sorority had about 140 members and the largest had 180... so I think it is a bit ridiculous when someone cries she doesn't feel like she "fits in" with her UCF chapter. With that many girls, you're going to make friends unless you're truly socially inept. None of the UCF sororities are hurting for a packed social calendar, sisterhood, philanthropy, and campus involvement.

Regarding housed versus unhoused chapters: Our Greek Park wasn't built with the current size of our university in mind. The most recent sororities to get housing only got their houses because other chapters left campus. The new Chi O and Kappa houses are the first new Greek houses to be built since Sigma Chi in the mid 90s. Chi O technically had dibs on the old Sig Ep house when the Sig Eps left campus, but their house corp declined to purchase it because they wanted to build their own house. As a result, Theta who was next in line got that house and Chi O has been very patiently waiting since 1998. I'm excited for them.

As for the Chi O and Kappa houses, Pike got kicked off campus a few years back, their house was condemned and the land was cleared. UCF owns the land; the fraternal house corp's own the houses. Once Pike was gone and their house was gone, the lot sat empty for a while.

[adpiucf]

Originally Posted by sophiabella

Also, does not having a sorority house when joining make the experience that much different? Would I feel like i'm missing out if I go somewhere with out a house?

I had a house, and my unhoused chapter friends had house envy. But their dues tended to be cheaper than than the housed chapters. Also, our chapter houses at UCF, which appear to be very large mansions, only sleep up to 30 girls... which is a very small percentage of the membership. In addition, in recent years the chapters have gotten so large that even the housed chapters have to host chapter meetings in classrooms or the student union. It's nice to have a chapter house, and living in was a great experience. But it isn't a make or break, in my opinion. Lots of girls from the chapters will go in together and block apartments together (unofficially) around campus, so everyone still has that flavor of living with sisters if they so choose whether or not there is a house.

UCF is also building a Greek Life center. Greeks have always tended to congregate and hang out in the Student Union, so it will be interesting to see what changes come from this building. I imagine that the center will give the unhoused and off-campus chapters a "home" for events and such until more space is made to accommodate everyone.