Question 1

How can I join a chapter?

Accepted Answer

Sorority recruitment varies from campus to campus, so a friend at a different school may have a completely different experience than you. Here at UC Davis, you have choices for the type of recruitment that you can go through to join a chapter:
 
Formal Recruitment Process: Formal recruitment is the only opportunity to meet women from all 9 Panhellenic Chapters (and 1 associate chapter). Through a mutual selection process, you will go to the houses who think you will be a good fit for them and ones that you believe will be a good fit for you. Every day you will return to fewer chapters as you narrow down which chapter has values similar to yours. On the last night of recruitment, you will pick a first and alternate choice.
 
Continuous Open Bidding (COB) Process: COB takes place outside the primary recruitment process. Generally, not all chapters will have COB any given quarter and the ones that do generally do not have it at the same time as one another. Only chapters that are not at house total will partake and hold a COB. For COB, you generally only visit the one chapter you are interested in joining.

Question 2

Do I have to register/apply for recruitment, or should I just show up?

Accepted Answer

You do need to register in order to participate in formal recruitment. Registration
Opens on July 2nd. There is a small fee associated with registering that is non    refundable.

Question 3

Does everyone get a bid?

Accepted Answer

The recruitment process allows Potential New Members (PNMs) and chapters to decide each others best fit. This process is referred to as “mutual selection” because the preferences of both PNMs and chapters are used to match women with their new homes. The truth is, not everyone finds a place to join or a match, but recruitment offers the opportunity for any women interested in joining a sorority the chance to do so.

Question 4

How will I know which chapter is right for me?

Accepted Answer

Every chapter has their own mission statement, standards, and values that all their members strive to live by. In every chapter you will find the opportunity for lifetime friendships, personal growth, leadership experiences, scholarship, fun, philanthropic interests, and much more. Search around our Panhellenic website and that of each individual chapter’s to learn more about each one.

Question 5

What if I discover the chapter I selected is wrong for me?

Accepted Answer

After accepting a bid to one of the chapters, their new member process begins and carries on until their initiation. If, before initiation, you decide you are not ready for the commitment, realize you have other interests, or something else, you can break your pledge from the organization. If you decide you would like to participate in recruitment again, you are only eligible to do so during the next years formal recruitment (in fall). Though, if you did not receive a bid during primary recruitment or decided you wanted to withdraw from the recruitment process, you are eligible to participate in the soonest COB.

Question 6

What is the new member process like?

Accepted Answer

Each sorority has its own new member process but all chapters at UC Davis follow a strict no hazing policy.  Panhellenic specifically prohibits hazing and there are strong consequences for those who breach this rule. The purpose of the new member period is to educate the new Greek women on the particular organization’s values, history, and rituals while helping them to learn how to balance the commitment of being in a sorority with academics. These fun and interesting programs can last anywhere between a couple weeks to a few months, depending on the sorority.

Question 7

How much does it cost to be in a sorority?

Accepted Answer

The cost of being in a sorority varies from chapter to chapter. During recruitment, you will receive the exact price per chapter and learn whether these costs are all inclusive or if they charge for each individual event that they put on (formals, pins, etc). The first quarter of joining a sorority is always the most expensive ($700-900), but consecutive quarters are drastically lowered ($300-500).  However, each chapter offers payment plans and scholarships to help you afford the costs. You can also apply for outside scholarships and ones through Panhellenic to help pay your sorority fees.

Question 8

Is it hard to balance sorority membership and academics?

Accepted Answer

Many Greek women are able to balance, academics, jobs, sorority membership, athletics, and other activities on campus. Though, everyone is different and each chapter and activities requires a different time commitment. Being in a sorority offers a support system for members to study with each other, meet professors, and other resources to succeed in school. Women affiliated with Greek life have some of the most competitive GPA’s on campus and most houses have GPA minimums, higher than the schools, each member must meet (though there is no GPA requirement to go through recruitment).

Question 9

Should I still go through recruitment if I am not a freshman?

Accepted Answer

Recruitment is a great place to start learning more about sorority life, regardless of your year in school. Your year in school does not affect the formal recruitment process or your chances of getting into a particular chapter. It is never too late to get involved in Greek life and participate in recruitment.

Question 10

What about other Greek-letter groups that are not Panhellenic organizations?

Accepted Answer

There are other organizations that women can join that are not Panhellenic sororities. These include cultural, local, professional, and service-based sororities. Sometimes these groups are associated with Panhellenic, but function in different ways. The best way to find out about these organizations is to ask their representative or a fraternity/sorority life advisor.  You can also look at other organizations' social media and websites to find out more about them.

Question 11

If I decide not to participate in Recruitment, is my registration fee refundable?

Accepted Answer

No, unfortunately all registration fees are non-refundable.  So before you register, please take that into consideration.

Question 12

Where can I submit a letter of recommendation for a chapter?

Accepted Answer

Letters of recommendation are not required at UC Davis, nor do they guarantee a bid. But, if you would like to send them please send them to the national organization of each chapter, not the individual chapter here at UC Davis.

Each national organization's website will most likely require the writer to log in to send in a recommendation or fill out their recommendation form. All of that information will be listed on there as well.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us!

Question 13

What happens if I can't make it to Go Greek Day?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate conflicts on Go Greek Day, as you will be visiting all nine chapters. If you can't attend the first day, we suggest looking into COB at a later point or registering for recruitment next year.

Frequently asked questions