FAQ’s
When is Primary Recruitment?
Primary recruitment will be held in the Fall of 2024. Registration will open on May 31st.
What is a PNM?
PNM stands for potential new member. This is any woman who is going through the recruitment process to join a Panhellenic chapter.
Where can I find the link to register for Primary Recruitment?
Please see our page on Recruitment! The link is available on all social media platforms as well!
Do I need letters of recommendation?
No!
A letter of recommendation letter is written from someone who is an alumni of a Panhellenic sorority who are no longer in college, but wish to write PNMs a recommendation for their chapter.
While you may hear that other SEC schools require letters of recommendation, the University of South Florida does not require them for recruitment. We find that our sorority women care more about the one-on-one conversations they have with PNMs during recruitment functions, rather than what a letter from an alumni says about them. Our women want to know all of the unique personality traits and values that make you who you are, and no letter can tell them that. If you do or do not have a recommendation letter, it will not be held that against you in any way!
If you do decide to submit recommendation letters, it's important to remember that the only people who can write them are Panhellenic members (either an alumni or a current member of the organization). The alumni/current member should know if their National Headquarters requires letters to be sent electronically or through paper mail.
In summary, letters are not required or needed to join a sorority by any means. Spend your summer relaxing, hanging out with friends. Do not worry about getting a letter of recommendation!
I'm a legacy. Does this mean I will receive a bid from my legacy chapter?
Each PNM is considered on an individual basis. A legacy is no more obligated to join a particular chapter than the chapter is obligated to offer her a bid. The PNM and the chapter should be looking for compatibility—not necessarily a family connection to the group. Panhellenic has no policies regarding legacies because each chapter has its own policy, and Panhellenic has no input in individual chapter membership decisions. Because we have so many young women go through recruitment, it is not guaranteed that every legacy will join her legacy chapter.
However, we do want to make sure that your legacy chapter knows that you are coming through recruitment! Make sure that on your registration form, you indicate if you have any connections to the chapters on our campus.
How much does registration cost and what does it pay for?
Registration for Primary Recruitment is $100! This includes a PNM Spirit Day shirt and a PNM gift bag.
How much does it cost to be in a chapter?
Dues for each sorority vary from chapter to chapter! The 2019 Panhellenic Recruitment Booklet includes past years dues, and here is the link if you'd like to check it out! https://issuu.com/usfpha/docs/recruitmentbooklet__jjwilson1_usf.e
This upcoming Recruitment, each chapter will be distributing Financial Transparency Papers. These papers will outline a breakdown of fees for their specific chapter, new members, members residing in and out of the house, as well as campus fees.
If I'm a sophomore/junior/senior, does that affect my chances during Recruitment?
At the University of South Florida as a Panhellenic Community we do not discriminate against age or classification, race, or religion. Every woman that enters the Recruitment process is given an equal opportunity to make connections with Panhellenic women.
What do I wear during recruitment?
It’s important to wear what makes you feel confident and comfortable. We are putting together Pinterest boards for each day of Recruitment! Feel free to use these boards for inspiration.
What makes the sorority experience worth it?
The opportunity to belong to a community of empowering women who uplift and push each other to become the best versions of themselves!
Do I get to pick the chapter I run home to?
It is a mutual selection process where both the PNM and the chapters get a say!
The Mutual Selection Process is the method by which a chapter evaluates potential new members and potential new members evaluate chapters as they are narrowing down their desired invitations during the Primary Recruitment process. As Potential New Members evaluate the chapters they are most interested in joining, the chapters evaluate the women whom they believe best align with that organization’s values and the active members of their chapter. After each round of Recruitment, Potential New Members prioritize which chapters they would like to visit the next round of events based on the conversations they had with chapter members, how their values align with those of the chapters, and where they feel most comfortable. Invitations to further events result from this Mutual Selection Process. It is important to note that the Mutual Selection Process may mean not going back to a chapter you prioritized highly as you may receive an invitation to a chapter you have indicated as a low priority; reasons you may receive an invitation to a sorority you indicated as a low priority include (but are not limited to) how many Potential New Members a sorority can invite back and not meeting membership requirements like GPA. The Mutual Selection Process is designed to give Potential New Members an opportunity to better get to know as may chapters as possible; those chapters who have invited Potential New Members back have identified them as someone who fits the values and expectations of their organization and want to get to know deeper.
Do I choose the chapters I visit each day?
The Mutual Selection Process is the method by which a chapter evaluates potential new members and potential new members evaluate chapters as they are narrowing down their desired invitations during the Primary Recruitment process. As Potential New Members evaluate the chapters they are most interested in joining, the chapters evaluate the women whom they believe best align with that organization’s values and the active members of their chapter. After each round of Recruitment, Potential New Members prioritize which chapters they would like to visit the next round of events based on the conversations they had with chapter members, how their values align with those of the chapters, and where they feel most comfortable. Invitations to further events result from this Mutual Selection Process. It is important to note that the Mutual Selection Process may mean not going back to a chapter you prioritized highly as you may receive an invitation to a chapter you have indicated as a low priority; reasons you may receive an invitation to a sorority you indicated as a low priority include (but are not limited to) how many Potential New Members a sorority can invite back and not meeting membership requirements like GPA. The Mutual Selection Process is designed to give Potential New Members an opportunity to better get to know as may chapters as possible; those chapters who have invited Potential New Members back have identified them as someone who fits the values and expectations of their organization and want to get to know deeper.
Are there GPA requirements to join?
Each chapter has a GPA requirement to stay in their chapter, you will find each chapters requirement in our 2021 recruitment booklet.
We will have an updated 2024 guidebook on the website soon!