how long is your pledge period?

[Zetagymnast]

My pledge period was 6 weeks but one of those weeks were spring break so that week(even though we had assignments) doesn't count. We have decided to that pledge for our next line will be 6 weeks. My brother fraternities line has been going on for I think 7 or 8 weeks now, they saw we got off easy when we were pledged. So our is a minimum of 4 weeks not exceeding 8.

I also wanted to say that I don't agree with 3 week pledge periods. Our 6 week program is really intense with activities almost everyday and every weekend. We are starting in January so that they will cross in February before mid-terms. We did all our selections this semester (we didn't pledge anyone due to personal problems within the sorority). I think our next couple of lines will be big.
I also wanted to know how many nms do you take in a pledge class, that could really determine how long the process will be? or at least one deciding factor.

[AEPhiSierra]

Our chapter uses the maximum eight weeks simply because its so hard to get everyone together. Since most of our sisters and new members work 20-35 hours a week it is very difficult to get them together more than once a week. If we had a four week program we might only have them all together 4-6 times through the whole program for ribboning, pinning, big/littles, new member meetings etc. Plus we're a commuter school so if a sisters has a different schedule than a new member she may never run into her on campus. We need the time to have enough activities to get to know one another!

[GeekyPenguin]

My chapter currently has a 7 week nm program, but one of those weeks is basically a "Get ready" week after Bid Day, where they have time to scavenge for white dresses and arrange their schedules to have Sunday nights free.

Gamma Phi Beta as an international organization is transitioning to a new program, called the Complete Sister Program, which has 8, 10, and 12-week lengths. I think my chapter is planning on using the 8-week one because otherwise we'd be waiting a semester to initiate.

[jharb]

My chapter's pledge period is generally 6 weeks but last semester for special circumstances it was stretched to 8 weeks. I really liked the 6 weeks b/c then I was initiated by spring break when I was a pledge.

[mattpike]

eight weeks, with 1 week of "hell". its not that bad though.

[DeltaSigStan]

6 Weeks, Including Happy Fun Week.

[KSUViolet06]

Bid Day is in early Sept., and initiation is before winter break. So our NM period is anywhere from 8-10 weeks.

[Peaches-n-Cream]

I pledged for 8 weeks, but that was a long time ago.

[bluefish81]

Theta's is 4-6 weeks. On my campus, we always did the 6 week option - two times a semester at my campus.

[sairose]

Ours, nationally, must be a minimum of 4 weeks but a maximum of 10. Honestly, there is so much material to learn for the national membership exam that I believe most chapters take the full 10 weeks.

[sammysfa]

pledgeship should be long, hard and tough to pull out.

Go Sammy

[sammysfa]

Our pledge period is eight weeks from the time the bid is accepted and then you get initiated immediately after submiting your materials to IHQ and that is at the conclusion of eight weeks which is plenty. Most members unfortunately don't know as much as the people that are being initiated sometimes so why make them wait beyond eight weeks.

Go Sammy House!!!!!!!!!

[Kevin]

It's a full semester and then you are initiated early the next semester when grades come out (assuming you made grades).

[BabyP]

I am assuming the pledges meet everyday and they have lots of assignments if they are to be done at four to six weeks...... That doesnt sound like enough time. I notice in our univ. its usually two to three months........

[CarolinaCutie]

Our New Member Program is designed to be between six and eight weeks long. I did eight weeks last semester with my COB crop, and I'm going to do eight weeks again for the girls in formal recruitment. Technically, it is eight weeks plus a "zero week", which is the week after Bid Day. With Labor Day and Fall Break, it amounts to seven meetings. There are eight chapters in the Phi manual, so it makes it so much easier to do eight weeks. Six weeks is doable, but I feel like the girls (Phis AND sisters) feel somewhat overprogrammed, because Phi retreat, revealing, etc. all come one weekend after another.

However, I don't think that any group, no matter how long the pledge period, needs to have their new members meeting every day! We have our meetings on Sundays, just like our regular business meeting. What's the point of stressing them out by having them meet every day? What type of "assignments" could possibly require that much work, even pushed into a four to six week period? Just curious.