Joining Tulane Panhellenic Sororities

The Tulane University Fraternity/Sorority Community participates in deferred recruitment, meaning entering first-time first semester freshmen may not join Tulane fraternities and sororities. Students must have completed at least 12 hours of coursework at Tulane University and earned at least a 2.0 GPA in order to go through recruitment.

The Recruitment Process

Formal Recruitment is the primary process the National Panhellenic Conference sororities at Tulane University use to recruit new members. Formal Recruitment is conducted in January, during the first two weekends following the start of spring semester. The process begins with a Kick-Off event, and concludes with Bid Day.

The two weekends consist of four rounds of events that allow potential new members (PNMs) the opportunity to learn about each sorority at Tulane as well as what it means to join a sorority.  During the recruitment events, women will have the time to ask questions about activities, financial obligations, new member programs, scholarship, community service, and sorority life in general.  Each potential new member will be assigned a recruitment counselor who will serve as a guide and mentor during the entire process.

Recruitment is a mutual selection process, which means that following each round of events the sororities will make decisions about which potential new members they are most interested in and the potential new members will make decisions about which sororities they are most interested in. The PNMs will visit fewer chapters as the rounds progress, allowing them to spend more time getting to know the women in those groups.

Participation in Formal Recruitment DOES NOT guarantee an invitation to join a sorority, nor does it obligate a woman to join.  If a woman accepts the invitation to join a sorority and is not initiated, she may not participate in recruitment or join another sorority until the following year.

Eligibility in Sorority Formal Recruitment is reserved to those female Tulane students who properly register, have at least a 2.0 G.P.A., have completed at least 12 hours of college credit and have never been initiated into a National Panhellenic Conference Sorority. Please note that many sororities choose to raise these standards to 2.5 gpa as a minimum to receive a bid.

Most of all, Sorority formal Recruitment is an excellent time to meet new people. Please keep an open mind and enjoy yourself. The Panhellenic Council Executive Officers and Recruitment Counselors are here to assist you and answer any questions. If there are any special needs or accommodations,  please do not hesitate to let us know.

Further information is available at www.panhellenicfacebook.com.

Registration

In order to participate in Formal Recruitment, students must register online. There is a $50 registration fee, which covers administrative costs, a recruitment t-shirt, and supplies. The early registration deadline is Friday, December 4, the last day of fall classes. Registrations completed after this date will incur a $20 late fee.

Click here to register for Formal Recruitment.

Recruitment 2010 Schedule

Recruitment Kick-Off: Thursday, January 14

Meet your recruitment counselor and other potential new members and review the schedule for the weekends.

Open House Events: Saturday, January 16

9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

PNMs will visit each of the seven sororities. This round will introduce PNMs to each organization's values and how those values are reflected at Tulane.

First Series Events: Sunday, January 17

12 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

PNMs will visit six sororities. This round will highlight the sororities' community involvement and philanthropy work. PNMs will work with sorority members on some type of craft project that will be donated to a local community agency each chapter supports.

Second Series Events: Saturday, January 23

12 p.m. - 4 p.m.

PNMs will visit four sororities. This round will feature slide shows created by each chapter to highlight their activities and events.

Preference Events: Sunday, January 24

9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

PNMs will visit two sororities. This final round of recruitment is the most serious. Chapter members will explain more to PNMs about what is so special to them about their sorority membership.

Bid Distribution and Bid Day Events: Sunday, January 24

7 p.m. - 10 p.m.

PNMs will meet with their recruitment counselors to learn if they have received an invitation to sorority membership. Following Bid Distribution, each sorority will host bid day activities to welcome their new members.

If you have specific questions about joining a Panhellenic Sorority, please feel free to contact one of the people below via e-mail.

Allison Pletzer, Vice Panhellenic President of Recruitment

Allison Lieber, Panhellenic President

Liz Schafer, Director of Fraternity and Sorority Programs

Previous Recruitment Publications

Spring 2005 Panhellenic Recruitment Guide (Adobe PDF Version)

Spring 2007 Panhellenic Recruitment Guide (Adobe PDF Version)