Recruitment: Information for Parents
What’s a sorority, really?
Sororities are national and international Greek-letter organizations that have been in existence for more than 150 years on accredited college and university campuses. Chapters function as an extended family unit, providing a caring, safe environment that encourages individual development for a lifetime. Sorority programming develops leadership through involvement in chapter offices and committees, as well as involvement on campus. Other opportunities for Greeks include scholarships and philanthropic and social service involvement. Many sorority chapters offer campus housing, and those details vary from campus to campus.
How will my daughter benefit from sorority membership for a lifetime?
As a collegiate member, she will have a support group that truly cares about her, leadership opportunities, academic support and encouragement, and a safe social outlet. The bonds of sisterhood she develops during college will remain with her after graduation. Wherever she goes, even to another country, she will have a support system and opportunity to form beneficial relationships as an alumna member.
How can I support my daughter’s interest in sororities and learn more myself?
Your daughter will look to you for encouragement during this exciting milestone in her life. Show your support by being engaged during the research phase, help connect her to your friends and family who may be able to write letters of recommendation. Of course, during the recruitment process, be a sounding board as she reports back about her experience.
To be a member, my daughter has to go through recruitment?
Membership recruitment is a period of mutual selection. It is a process during which your daughter gets to know about the sororities and members on her campus, and the sorority membership gets to know your daughter. Recruitment activities might include open houses, informal events, and/or formal events. Often the final activities of recruitment are called “Preferentials,” and are formal events. NPC provides guidelines for college Panhellenic organizations to determine the exact dates and rules for recruitment on each campus.
I want my daughter to get a good education. Will being Greek promote that?
Yes. All National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) groups have scholastic standards for their members. As a new member, your daughter will be encouraged to achieve academic success. Sororities offer a variety of tools to support this effort, including group study hours, tutoring, and peer incentives. Additionally, NPC whole-heartedly promotes high academic achievement, and awards individuals for scholastic excellence. Every year, sorority women are awarded thousands of dollars for exceptional academic achievement from NPC and other fraternal organizations. Each Spring, the Atlanta Alumnae Panhellenic Association awards various amounts in scholarships to local high school, collegiate and alumnae members.
What kind of expenses are we talking about?
Financial expectations vary among sororities. You and your daughter can learn more about sorority expenses from the Panhellenic office on her campus. There are one-time fees, as well as regular dues. Each sorority chapter determines dues based on factors including programming for its members. When housing is available, those costs are often competitive or less than campus options.
I’ve heard about alcohol abuse among Greeks…and what is hazing, anyway?
As always, it seems the positive aspects of Greek life are overshadowed by the negative acts of a few. Learning how to be responsible in social situations and online is a very important lesson for young women today. NPC and its member groups understand that, and have developed a program called Something of Value, which addresses this and other issues from a values-based perspective. The NPC member groups have agreed to aggressively educate our members and help teach our women responsible behavior.
NPC defines hazing as “any action or situation, with or without consent, which recklessly, intentionally, or unintentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or creates risk of injury, or causes discomfort, embarrassment, harrassment or ridicule, or which willfully destroys or removes public or private property…” Hazing is not accepted among NPC member groups.