What is the difference between Formal and Informal Recruitment?

Informal Recruitment takes place in the fall and is for upperclassmen
and transfer students only. (No first years may participate in 2011 Informal
Recruitment.) Unlike the structured recruitment process in the spring where all
sororities participate and all potential new members visit each sorority at least
once, Informal Recruitment is a much more individualized process. Potential new
members may pursue contact with the individual sororities of their choosing. Not
all sororities may participate in Informal Recruitment in a given year as dictated
by the ISC.

What is the Informal Recruitment process like?

Participating sororities will receive the names of potential new members
and will invite them to events or “rounds” at their discretion. Any follow-up contact
will be between the sorority members and the potential new members, not
through the ISC. Events are typically fun, casual get-togethers such as lunch or
coffee dates and activities in the local community that allow you to get to know
sorority members and get a feel for their sisterhood.

How does the bidding process work? Am I obligated to join if I go through
Informal Recruitment?

Unlike Formal Recruitment, where potential new members can receive a
maximum of one bid, Informal Recruitment affords potential new members the
opportunity to receive multiple bids. The potential new member may decide from
which sorority (if any), she wishes to accept.
There is no obligation by either the chapters or the women to offer/accept
bids. Participating in Informal Recruitment, but not joining a chapter, does not
preclude a woman from participating in Formal Recruitment in the Spring.

Are there any other requirements for participating in Informal Recruitment?

Informal Recruitment is limited to full-time students who have a cumulative
GPA of at least 2.0 from UVA or their previous college. A woman who de-pledges
after accepting a bid (& signing her bid card) may not accept another bid for a full
calendar year.

What sororities will be participating this year?

Participation among sororities changes yearly. Sororities decide by early
Fall whether or not they will be participating.

What are the dates for Informal Recruitment this year?

For Informal Recruitment 2011, all contact will take place between
September 15th and October 2nd, with no contact on September 28th in
observance of Rosh Hashanah. Bid day will be on October 3rd.

Click to return to “Informal Recruitment Overview” for more information or to register.