By Isabelle Ruff | Intern
Baylor recruitment week, also known as rush week, occurs the week before the spring semester starts. It is a mutual selection process, meaning once each woman has visited each sorority, both she and the chapter rank whether or not they would be a good fit at the end of each day.
At the end of the week, the potential new members (PNMs) may receive a bid from a chapter they ranked and then join that sorority. Because an invite is required to return to a chapter, some women will not be invited back to any sororities.
According to Baylor Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment, just because a woman registers and participates in rush week does not guarantee that she will receive a bid and be able to join a sorority.
McAllen sophomore Marissa Muniz rushed her freshman year and dropped midweek. She then decided to participate in the recruitment process again her sophomore year.
“I had my heart set on a certain chapter, and when I hadn’t received them on Pref Day, I was extremely sad,” Muniz said. “I still attended each party, trusting that maybe it was God steering me in a different direction, but it didn’t feel like home. I didn’t want to decline a bid or waste any of the chapters’ time, so I decided to withdraw.”
Because Baylor rush takes place in the spring, women can struggle to receive invites back to chapters if they have not prepared throughout the fall. Muniz said she was certain she wanted to be part of Baylor’s Greek Life, but she did not anticipate how much time in the fall is dedicated to laying a foundation with chapters.
“This year, I dedicated more time to preparation — attending Panhellenic previews, going on rush dates and seeking letters of recommendation from alumni,” Muniz said.
Some women also struggle with the commitment of being an active member in a sorority, only realizing later how much of their time they are dedicating.
Houston sophomore Lillian Featherstone said she tried to be open-minded, even though she was at the disadvantage of having no family members who rushed or the finances to participate in a sorority.
“The financial cost is really disproportionate to the pros of Greek Life for me,” Featherstone said. “It’s a huge time commitment, so if you are wanting to study abroad or be involved in other organizations, it’s possible, but something to consider you might have to give up.”
Although there can be difficulties throughout the recruitment process, Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment also offers informal recruitment in the form of Continuous Open Bidding.
Women are able to speak directly with the sorority they desire, if that chapter is participating in Continuous Open Bidding, and receive a bid without participating in rush week.
Dallas junior Ashley Ries dropped recruitment her freshman year. She then joined Alpha Phi by Continuous Open Bidding.
“I learned about Continuous Open Bidding, and that was definitely more my speed,” Ries said. “I was able to get to know girls more personally because there were girls going through it at the same time as me.”
