<p>I can’t believe I am typing this in December but sorority recruitment is beginning to heat back up! Panhellenic has set Preview weekend for the weekend of February 23rd. You will be able to register early January. Keep in mind that even though the actual Preview Event is held on Saturday (it’s an all day event) that Invitation Teas and Parties will be held Friday evening through Sunday afternoon so plan you travel schedule accordingly. FYI…hotel reservations are already filling up and rates are higher than normal (this is typical). I was asked about staying in close proximity to campus due to girls coming and going from a variety of invitation events but the truth is that these events can be held all over Tuscaloosa so while you might have one at Mellow Mushroom another might be held at Cypress Inn and yest another in a tent on campus.</p>
<p>Also some sororities are holding Home Town teas starting December 16th. Typically you find these in the Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Atlanta, Nashville, Huntsville areas. I know a couple are having ones in the Dallas area. Invitations to these will go out very soon and rumor has it some may go by email this year! Invitations for these teas are generated through current sorority members. Members are asked to submit contact info for possible PNMs who then compose a mailing list/invite list for each sorority. Sororities not only invite PNMs to events but they also send cards for Holidays ect.</p>
<p>Ladies…if you know or have connections to women in sororities at Bama this is the best way to secure one of these invites. If you don’t make sure that those women you have set up to write your recs contact their Bama chapter and have you added to the list. they can do this by sending a letter of introduction along with your sorority resume and pic to the Chapter. Most chapters have just elected new officers and are in a slight transition phase so I also suggest that these letters go to the Regional adviser who will then also forward them to eahc sorority’s recruitment team.</p>
<p>As is the case this year there are a few changes to the recruitment schedule (Preview is a whole month early as is Home Town teas). Last year while registering for Preview you could also register to be invited to the invitation pre-recruitment events held that weekend. That registration did not guarantee and invite but from what I know many many girls did!</p>
<p>There are quite a few of us who have daughters who are currently members of sororities at Bama. Please feel free to ask question as you navigate this process</p>
<p>If you are out-of-state I would strongly suggest you attend Preview Weekend. It will explain a lot about the process of formal recruitment at Alabama.</p>
<p>Yes it’s a whole month early!!! The weekend it is normally held is the beginning of Spring Break. With A Day in April and then finals they couldn’t do it later. So…they chose Feb. 23rd. They also reworked Home Town teas which usually were held in January. Last year they did Home Town teas in January, a Pre-recruitment invitation event in Tuscaloosa in February and then Preview in March. I have not heard what if anything will happen in January or if the sororities will be allowed to travel on more time. Also last year Panhellenic traveled doing some workshops in servral places like Dallas and Tampa. I guess I should call Kat and ask if they are going to do that again this year.</p>
<p>Ok just talked to Kat and here’s the skinny on the dates…
*Home town events will all be held during Christmas break.
There are no SORORITY recruitment events in January.<br>
*February 23rd is Preview Weekend for JUST the SORORITIES. If the numbers are large anticipate it being a split event with the girls attending first and the parents attending the second half of the day. If you want to know how the program is set up pm me and I will tell you.
*March 16 will be FRATERNITY Preview Weekend…boys will be able to sign up on line in January.
*March 16th will also be recruitment events for SORORITIES. These events will be invitation only. I am really glad that they are doing this after Preview…that will give PNMs the ability to make some connections and they be invited back again. I have heard that girls will be able to sign up on line again to let sororities know they are interested in invites to the pre-recruitment events during Preview and the March 16th date.
*While FRATERNITIES will have their usual themed events in April there will be no organized SORORITY events for PNMs.<br>
Hope this helps!</p>
<p>On March 16… am I understanding that these events will be on campus (or in Tuscaloosa)? What if a PNM can not make it that day? Will that hurt their chances? </p>
<p>Only asking as that is our Spring Break and we already have plane tickets and all to head to the mountains to ski. I guess I could change DD’s and my reservation to fly from SLC to Birmingham that morning or the night before IF she were to get an invite. </p>
<p>Okay, so I guess DD needs to go ahead and have letters sent then to the chapters to be able to receive invites to the teas over the Christmas break? She received one this week via Facebook for a tea here in Dallas. </p>
<p>Looked at hotels the other day. Time to go ahead and book </p>
<p>Thank you SO much for all of your helpful information. It is GREATLY appreciated :)</p>
<p>Preview was a huge influence on my D’s decision to get involved in Greek Life. She met so many great people and had some wonderful invites to different events…her first crawfish boil among them. One girl she met randomly who was in a sorority actually ended up being her Big!</p>
<p>It was a very busy, but fun and informative weekend for me. I was clueless about this whole process. I highly recommend it and second the need to be close to campus with lodging. I spent an hour in the parking lot of Arby’s waiting to be summoned to drive to the next party. lol At least I had a good book.</p>
<p>The March 16th teas and parties are held in Tuscaloosa. I know some girls won’t be able to go to those March dates. I think you and your DD need to talk about how she feels about it. This is the frustrating thing about Panhellenic…hard to make a plan when things change every year.
As far as invited for the Home Town teas…I had heard that they were doing some of it over Facebook and email…The sororities weren’t given a lot of lead time for these. I believe they are only the week of Dec. 16th so I wouldn’t move heaven and hell for this. Focus on getting her info out there for the Feb 23 events. If you need help let me know!</p>
<p>How important is it for guys to go to spring recruitment on March 16? That is our spring break as well. Has the date for A game date been set yet? Is that a big fraternity weekend also? Does signing up through Panhellenic get you invites to the April events? </p>
<p>Spring recruitment was very helpful for my daughter last year. She met her sweet roommate and made many friends in February and March. I don’t know if I would change spring break plans to go. Just really try to go in February. Some of her pledge sisters did not attend spring recruitment and did great in August. Don’t stress if you don’t get invited to every party. It is virtually impossible to make it to every party over the weekends. Enjoy the invites you get and focus on those sororities while you are there! Talk to your friends. You will be surprised how many people know of someone’s daughter, niece, son’s girlfriend etc. in a sorority at Alabama- especially in Dallas!</p>
<p>ok, so I posted previously about a girl who attends the high school where I work. She had applied to Auburn and was convinced that it was the place for her. I talked to her about UA and she applied on a whim. Fast forward a few months and she’s getting ready to do a big SE college road trip and was going to skip UA because she couldn’t get a tour. What??!! I asked the CCers for help and based on their advice, she contacted admissions, had a day-long private tour, saw everything, loved it, and enrolled by the end of the trip! Roll Tide! </p>
<p>Now, she wants to rush, but knows nothing and I can’t help her because I also know nothing except how to find people who DO know something : ) (yes, ahpimommy, I;m talking about you!) She read the blog and is overwhelmed and scared because she had no connections to write letters, can’t attend any teas or other things since she’s in IL and does not have the money to go back down. She’s also heard that being from the north might be an issue. </p>
<p>I was wondering if there was a FAQ or something that might lay it out step by step including things like a sample resume?
Sent from my iPad</p>
<p>This change is so disappointing for my daughter! She cannot go to the Preview Weekend now since she will have Competitive Cheer Regionals on Saturday - impossible to miss! Is there any way she could still be invited to the March event if she does not go to Preview? Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>Yes I believe she could be invited to some of the March events. It’s important to get her resume and letters of introduction to the different sororities. In addition if there is the possibility to register on line for invitations to teas and events she should do that. the first invitations will be for the Feb 23rd events. If she receives invites then make sure she RSVPs and explains that she would have loved to attend but she has the Cheer Regionals. She should indicate that she would be able to attend any events held on the March 16th weekend.</p>
<p>I’ll definitely be attending the preview weekend, and have given my address/info to three sororities already, and have emailed my rec writers asking them to contact their chapters at Alabama. However, there are some chapters that I have zero connections to, and I haven’t been put in contact with my rec writers that nationals has found for me. How can I go about getting on their lists? Also, I have friends that are in those sororities at Alabama, should I trust that my name has been put on a list or should I ask my rec writers from those sororities to email their chapters as well? Thanks so much for all of your help, and especially ahpimommy, your blog has been such an amazing resource!</p>
<p>Collegeboom…if you are OOS then going to the March 16 Preview Day for guys is important in my opinion. Fraternity Rush is different than Sorority recruitment. Your son should sign up through IFC that he is interested in Rush. There are several parents on here who have sons in Fraternities…hopefully they would PM you so that your son can make connections with their sons. My DD’s boyfriend is in a fraternity and if you are interested pm me and I can pass your sons interest and info onto him. Bids will not be given at Preview Weekend for guys but YES there will be events in April and yes bids will slowly be given at that time. There will be summer rush events and more bids will be given. If you r son is interested he should make himself available for those events. There is a formal fraternity rush in the fall but sadly many bids have already been given by then and so many of the fraternities don’t participate.
A Day is usually around the second week in April so that would April 13th this year…and YES there will be Band Parties and events that weekend but probably not a lot of bids will be given out but your son should let fraternities know he would be able to attend events if he is able.</p>
<p>YSP2013…I am glad you are going to Preview and also am glad the blog is helpful! I’m a little confused about your question…the houses that you know girls in…are those houses you do not have recs for and are relying on Nationals for recs? Am surprised that nationals would agree to even find you recs at this early date…they tend to not want to do this unless you have exhausted every resource. Have you contacted the Alumnae Associations in your area for recs? Another suggestion is to get friendly with the Alabama Alumni Association in your Area if there’s one…you can usually find sororit alums there as well.
I you know girls and are in contact with then and you know that they have your contact info it’s safe to say they have passed it onto the recruitment team. I f you just know of these girls and are not in contact with them then it is most likely they have not put you on the list because they wouldn’t have your contact info…make sense. So if the latter is the case then …yes…you will need to have an alum reach out to the chapter and given them your contact info.
I know last year the girls were able to register on line if they wanted to be invited to parties and I think many of them did get invites. If you have more questions or if this isn’t clear I would be happy to send you my email and my cell number and we can talk…</p>
<p>YSP2013…you can’t pm yet because you don’t have enough posts…if you go to the sororitygirl101.com site …where it says Contact Us at the top it will take you to where my email is…email me and I will send you my cell number and I’ll help :).</p>
<p>Alphimommy - Shucks! April 13 is prom here. Double whammy for my son. I’ll have to think about changing our spring break plans by one day. He says he’ll skip prom for A game. I thought fraternities would be less stressful than sorority rush! I will e-mail you his information! Thanks for your help (again) and if anyone can help with fraternity recruitment I would love it! Hopefully his sister can help him out a little.</p>
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