Sorority initiation...what the??

[PiPhiERDoc]

As far as pledge tests and fraternity heritage requirements go -- as a pledge, why in the world would you WANT to make a LIFELONG commitment to an organization that you didn't know anything about? Would you buy a car before even starting the engine????
I am a FIRM BELIEVER in fraternity heritage and pledge tests. As the chapter advisor I have proctored the pledge tests for the last several years -- I can tell you that it is not a mystery what is on the tests, but we do expect our new members to understand basic facts about Pi Phi before they wear their letters and call themselves members of our sisterhood. And this DOES NOT end with pledging -- we have fraternity heritage trivia at every chapter meeting, we read from the constitution, we go over local history at founder's day and at alum meetings.
What separates us from just pure social groups if we refuse to respect those who have come before us and remind ourselves what our organizations stand for???

(I'll step off my soapbox now...)
As for the shorter pledge periods, we have delayed formal rush until the beginning of spring semester. When Pi Phi had a 12 week minimum pledge period, that meant that we couldn't pledge and initiate in the same semester....so I pledged in January 1993, and didn't get initiated until after summer vacation in September of 1993 -- a SIX MONTH pledgeship!!!! Boy, was I ready to finally wear those letters! I personally think a shorter pledgeship is a good thing for us -- it was really sad when someone transferred over the summer, so they never got to be initiated, and in some instances had to go through rush all over again on another campus or didn't rush, even though they wanted to be initiated. The grades are less of an issue because of delayed rush -- we already have their first semester college grades, which weeds out a lot of people before rush even starts.
I know for a fact that our pledges get an EXCELLENT fraternity orientation, because I (and the other members of our alumnae advisory committee) meet with EVERY pledge one on one before they are initiated to make sure that they understand that they are making a lifelong commitment to our sisterhood.
Length of pledgeship does not necessarily denote quality of activities or new member orientation. It all depends what you put into it on a national level, as a local chapter, and as alumnae.
But I would NEVER criticize any other GLO, fraternity or sororities, new member orientation process, because lets face it -- I have no idea what actually goes on, or what it means to be a member of that group.

[Glitter650]

OK I just HAVE to add my two cents to this thread.. =) I pledged a local soror. Fall semester.. (it didn't work out.. and now I"m a pledge for Phi Sigma Sigma) The local I pledged ended up having a 6 month pledge period.. but they never even told you how long it was going to be.. they determined when you crossed.. They said the class would cross when they were "unified". I DEF. think NOT knowing how long you're going to have to pledge is a form of hazing.. althogh.. just the fact that it is a long Pledge period isn't necessarily hazing which seems to be the reason that at least NPC has mandated shorter periods. As for grades my GLO now doens't wait for them because they use high school grades.. or your last semester grades to determine if you even get a bid.. then if you don't make the cut after your init.. you go to J board and they make a study plan or whatever. I totally think that NM periods should be used to learn about your ORG. and one final pledge test is a good thing and NOT Hazing. However.. in the local I pledged before we were tested EVERY week... while standing on line in military stance in front of about 8 active girls.. sometimes more.. and the tester would come get in our face and we had consequences if we messed up testing.. THAT is hazing. =) having been through both types I have to say short pledge terms get the job done... longer ones.. just don't seem necessary to me.

[AchtungBaby80]

Our pledge period was the standard 8 weeks. I do think it's a little short, but I think it can work really well if everything is done right. What I mean by that is, if new members are taught everything they need to know with no fannying about and wasting time. My pledge class wasn't taught anywhere near enough (although I don't blame the sorority, because we were just getting started and our new member educator didn't really know what she was doing), and sadly we were one of those groups walking around with letters on who didn't really know what was behind them. Seriously. We spent our 8 weeks' worth of new member meetings filling out forms and writing checks, while our new member handbooks were never opened. Since my class went through things have gotten a lot better as we've sort of got on our feet now, but I'm sort of sad that I missed doing all the stuff we should have done.

[ROWDYsister]

The pledge period is basically just a formality. It's our chance to figure out if we really want to be in the house or not, and also to get to know each other. In general, sororities are very strict about anything hazing related, and so the pledging period is uncomfortable b/c there are certain rules, and you have these people you grow close to that you can't share secrets with. It drives everyone crazy, and once Initiation comes, it's a relief. It is a shame, though, that we don't know nearly as much about our houses as fraternity guys, do...but we learn it all eventually. I've heard you're not "really" a sister until you've been on the other side of initiation because it's such a bonding time and also that's when you finally learn some stuff...but hey, the gifts are nice!

[Delta_theta]

On my campus, we have 3 terms of aproxamatly 10 weeks long. The sororities on our campus rush a rush(one informal, 2 formal) per year, each starting a week into the term, and ending a couple weeks before.

The fraternities(we have 5) each have differnet length pledge periods. We start the second week in january. I know our Candidate Education program(LEAD) lasts for a min. of 10 weeks, depending on how you break up the sessions. Adding in a few other things that we must give time for(not hazing, but large group projects involving the entire house, worry not), the period lasts on average, for us, 12 weeks, sometimes a small bit more. WE also have a one week spring break in the middle, that isn't counted.

As for tests, a number of years ago, we used to have to take a large test of about 100 or 200 questions, before we could activate. Now, our HQ has aboloshed the test(as of about 8 years ago I belive). we still do, on top of our other things, weekly tests, but they are about 5 questions long, and usualy filled with interesting or funny questions rather than serous ones. We talk to them, and test their knowledge in other ways, without putting them on the spot, as well as using the tests.

Sigma Nu
Knox College
M.

[GPhiSweetiePie]

As a Gamma Phi, I can tell you that we went through a different process at my school than at yours. We had to take weekly quizzes on information about our chapter history, officers, songs, etc. Then, we had to take a test summing up all of this information before we could be initiated, and we all had to pass it at the same time, so we took it over and over for about 5 hours straight...believe me, we know our history! New members have to do study hours and philanthropies and earn points just like the actives, before and after initiation. So. There ya go

[wkusweetheart]

I'm a member of Omega Phi Alpha sorority and we don't even let our new sisters wear letters until after they have completed test, learned songs, and completed projects. (Unless it's a rush shirt of it's a gift from their Big Sister.) This is never until the week before Thanksgiving. I think that it's great. I earned my letters and that gives me that much more pride in them. Pledging for a full semester gives you more pride in your sorority, and gives you time to develop bonds with your sisters.

[Lady Pi Phi]

The Pi Phi's have an 8 week pledge period Well they do on my campus.
We're the only sorority on campus, so I think if the pledge period was longer, I think we would have a problem with finding new memembers.
Greek life isn't big on campus, and we're not recognized by the university. So if girls were to go through months and months of pledgeship, I think we'd have a lot of girls breaking pledge. In my pledge class, we had 2 girls that broke pledge, and one girl that didn't initiate yet, and my class had only 9 girls.
We want to try and expand greek life on our campus, so I think dragging out the pledge period isn't a good idea. We just as serious about community service, grades, philanthropy, etc. We just do things a little different. If grades are bad, then the sisters will help you get them back up. We are a family of course.

Pi Phi love and Mine,

Emily

[Delta_theta]

Good luck with expansion on that campus! I hope it goes well.

Sigma Nu
Knox College
M.