Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment

Find a family away from home and lifelong friendships through sorority recruitment for 13 National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) organizations.

Fall 2019 Sorority Recruitment

Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment Registration for the 2019 Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment process opens May 1 and closes July 31.

The registration link will open May 1.

Things to know before you register

We recommend reviewing all the information below prior to registering for recruitment but have highlighted this info as “must know” prior to your decision to go through recruitment. If you have questions about recruitment or the sorority membership experience, including financial, time and academic requirements, contact the recruitment team at uscsororityrecruitment@gmail.com.

May 1: Registration Opens
July 31: Registration closes at 11:59 p.m.
Aug. 4: Mandatory online workshops must be completed (11:59 p.m.)
Aug. 14: Mandatory Orientation Session
Aug. 15-16: Round 1 (Go Greek) & Sorority 101
Aug. 17-18: Round 2 (Philanthropy)
Aug. 19-21: Round 3 (Leading Women)
Aug. 24: Round 4 (Preference)
Aug. 25: Bid Day
Aug. 26 - 27: New Member Events

If you are looking to join a different group, we would encourage you to review the membership intake process for our NPHC and multicultural Greek organizations. If you have any questions, call 803-777-3506 or email us at uscsororityrecruitment@gmail.com.

Registration will open May 1! In order to participate in sorority recruitment as well as guarantee on-campus housing, registration must have be received by July 31. Unfortunately, we will not be able to make exceptions to this deadline.

Additionally, we are not able to refund fees associated with registration. Once registration is submitted, a cancellation or reimbursement cannot be processed.

If you aren't able to attend the formal recruitment process but are interested in joining a Panhellenic organization later, please email uscsororityrecruitment@gmail.com with your contact information.

Early Registration (May 1 - May 31 at 5 p.m.) - $160

Regular Registration (June 1 - June 30 at 5 p.m.) - $185

Late Registration (July 1 - July 31 at 11:59 p.m.) - $210

Includes two t-shirts, a backpack, and several meals during recruitment

Info you'll need when sitting down to register:

General Resume Information (GPA, activities, community service, etc).
Guardian Contact Information (for emergency contact and family orientation).
Legacy Information (names, chapters and schools for family members who have been in sororities).
A way to pay electronically.
Approximately 30 minutes to complete the form. Accounts are not saved and registration is not complete until payment is accepted.

Unfortunately, we are not able to refund fees associated with registration. Once registration is submitted, a cancellation or reimbursement cannot be processed.

Women participating in sorority recruitment will move into their on-campus housing room early on August 14. You will move into your assigned on-campus housing room.
You do not need to contact University Housing to set up early move-in, as it will be set up for you once you register for recruitment.
For more information about your move to campus, visit the University Housing website. The website contains information including what you can and cannot bring to campus, dimensions and a floor plan of a typical room in your assigned residence hall, directions and more.
Later in the summer, you will receive communication from University Housing prompting you to sign up for a move-in time.
Please direct all questions regarding housing to University Housing at 803-777-4283.

Fees

An early move-in fee of $100 will be charged to your USC bill.

Immunizations

You will not be allowed to move in if the university hasn't received your immunization record.

Students Living Off-Campus

You will need to make your own arrangements and coordinate your early move-in with your landlord or leasing company. The university does not make arrangements for students living off-campus. For more information about off-campus housing, contact the Office of Off-Campus Living and Neighborhood Relations.

You should be prepared to be occupied from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day during the recruitment process. Your schedule will be unique to you.

Schedule Conflicts

Conflicts can be excused, but schedules can't be changed except for academic commitments. It's important to remember that excused absences may affect your next round schedule. Recruitment is an opportunity for a potential member to meet active members in organizations and for those active members to get to know potential members. Missing these opportunities may affect invitations made for the next round of events. Missing recruitment events for an unexcused reason is cause for removal from the recruitment process completely. Speak with your "Pi Chi" recruitment counselor or contact Recruitment Staff at uscsororityrecruitment@gmail.com.

There is no specific GPA required to participate in recruitment, but each sorority chapter has its own GPA requirements. If your GPA is below a 3.0, you may be considered a "grade risk" and get fewer invitations during recruitment than those with higher GPAs.

GPAs are verified through the university once your registration is complete.

Sorority Membership Expectations

Academic success is greatly valued in all fraternities and sororities. Each chapter has a minimum GPA requirement to join and maintain membership in their organization. In addition, each chapter has an elected/appointed officer dedicated to connecting women in the chapter with campus resources to ensure they excel academically.

In order to operate, chapters charge membership dues once a semester. First semester dues are more expensive due to initiation fees and new member fees. These fees strictly cover chapter dues and do not include chapter apparel, philanthropic donations, housing, meal plans, and other incidentals.

All members of the fraternity and sorority community pay a $50* Greek activity fee. Members affiliated with one of the twenty facilities in the Greek Village pay an additional $375* fee assessed by the university to support the construction of a parking garage dedicated to addressing the meal time congestion in the Greek Village.
*Note that this was the fee for the 2018-19 academic year and may change for the 2019-20 academic year.

To learn more about each chapter’s dues, housing, and meal plan costs, visit the annual FSL guide.

The time commitment generally varies from chapter to chapter and from member to member, but you can expect to invest more time in your first semester of membership as you go through the new member education program. New member education focuses on learning the history and facts about the organization, developing leadership and time management skills, and spending time getting to know sisters. Although it can be time intensive, it should not interfere with academic commitments.

Sorority members have the opportunity to live in the chapter house in Greek Village during their time in the chapter. Additionally, all chapters with houses in Greek Village have a meal plan for members starting the semester after a student joins the organization and lasts the duration of a student’s college career. For more information about the cost of housing and meal plan for each chapter, visit the annual FSL Guide.

Things you need to know after you’ve registered for recruitment

We’re excited that you’re interested in going through Panhellenic sorority recruitment this fall at USC! We’ve compiled the information below to help guide you through the rest of the process. If you have any questions, you can contact the recruitment team at uscsororityrecruitment@gmail.com.

PNMO Online Modules
This year, we’re in our second year of a partnership with NPC and Launchpoint to offer potential new members with online orientation prior to moving to campus. Shortly after you’ve registered, you’ll receive an email prompting you to complete a series of mandatory online workshops. There will be a short quiz at the end of each of the 10 sessions which will require a passing score of 80%. There is not a limit on the number of times required to take the quizzes. We anticipate that viewing the 10 sessions videos and completing the quizzes will require approximately 1hr. You will not be required to complete all sessions and quizzes in one sitting. If you can’t complete them during one sitting, you can log back into your account and finish them at a later time. All videos must be watched and quizzes passed no later than 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 4.

Hazing Prevention 101
Shortly after you’ve registered, you’ll receive an email prompting you to complete this two-part course, learning how to recognize, prevent and report hazing. The real-life scenarios prepare students, group members and bystanders to make informed decisions, ultimately empowering them to prevent hazing. The first part of the course is titled Hazing Prevention: It’s Everyone’s Responsibility 101 ™. This is the prerequisite for the second part of the course, The Fraternity and Sorority Life Module, designed for university students in fraternities and sororities. We anticipate that completing the two modules will take approximately 90 minutes. Both modules should be completed no later than 11:59pm on Aug. 4.

Women who register for recruitment in May will receive a link to the online modules in June. Women who register for recruitment in June or July will receive a link to the online orientation within 2 weeks of their registration.

Orientation Session (Aug. 14)
In addition to the online orientation prior to your arrival, the recruitment team will host a mandatory orientation session on Aug. 14. At this event, you’ll meet your Pi Chi recruitment counselor, other women going through the recruitment process, and learn more about the sorority experience at USC. You’ll receive more information and where to meet your Pi Chi for this event after registering for recruitment. A mandatory dinner with your small group will be provided. This is also move-in day so dress is very casual.

During the recruitment process, each potential new member is assigned to a recruitment counselor group, along with approximately 30 other potential members. Each group has two assigned recruitment counselors (Pi Chis) who will be a point of contact for the PNMs throughout the recruitment process. These are upperclassmen sorority women who are temporarily disassociated from their chapter to assist with the recruitment process. They are great resources for potential members to learn more about the sorority experience, membership expectations, and recruitment events.

The Pi Chi role involves a very competitive selection process as well as weekly training in the spring and several days of training in August prior to the start of recruitment. Women in this role work closely with Fraternity and Sorority Life staff, the recruitment team, and 2nd year Pi Chis.

Each round of recruitment provides the opportunity to visit with members of each chapter on your schedule. We recommend sharing information about yourself that lets the chapter know about your interests, goals, and values. We also strongly recommend asking questions about membership expectations, benefits of membership, and chapter values.

Thursday, Aug. 15 and Friday, Aug. 16
Over the two days of round one, you will visit all 13 sororities with your Pi Chi group. You will spend about 20 minutes with each chapter learning about their scholarship initiatives and academic success. These first two days are very casual so please wear your recruitment T-shirt, shorts or a skirt, and comfortable shoes.

In addition to visiting chapters during these days, potential members will attend Sorority 101 programming. Sorority 101 is an interactive educational program designed to outline the membership commitment within the Greek community here at the University of South Carolina. Our goal is to explain the importance of the lifelong commitment you make when joining a Greek letter organization, as well as provide you with a transparent picture of the expectations of sorority membership on our campus. The sessions are designed to share various components of Fraternity and Sorority life as well as prepare PNMs for their first weeks on campus. PNMs should gain knowledge and tools to allow them to successfully manage expectations of their future chapter, become educated about campus norms surrounding the new member experience and learn about the philanthropic efforts of sorority women across the country.

Saturday, Aug. 17 and Sunday, Aug. 18
On these days, you will visit a maximum of 9 sororities. You will spend about 35 minutes with each chapter on your schedule to learn about their philanthropic causes and activities. Please wear your recruitment T-shirt, shorts or a skirt, and comfortable shoes.

Monday, Aug. 19 – Wednesday, Aug. 21
During round three, you will visit a maximum of six sororities and spend about 45 minutes with each chapter on your schedule while they show a video that highlights their activities, traditions, and friendships. Attire for this day is still casual but a little dressier than previous days. We recommend something you can still be comfortable in all day and a comfortable pair of shoes or a pair to change into between your scheduled events with chapters.

Note that the university is hosting events for all new students Aug. 20 and 21. Your recruitment schedule will not interfere with these events.

Saturday, Aug. 24
This round is a special ceremony intended for chapters to showcase the bond they share as sisters. You will visit a maximum of two sororities and spend about one hour with each chapter on your schedule. Due to the more formal nature of this day, we recommend dressier attire, similar to a cocktail or Sunday brunch dress, and something you’ll be comfortable in for another long day. As always, wear comfortable shoes or a pair to change into between your scheduled events with chapters.

Sunday, Aug. 25
This day is the grand finale of recruitment. Everyone will gather at the Colonial Life Arena in anticipation of the final bids. Membership bids are given out to the women who finish the recruitment process and recruitment counselors reveal their chapter affiliation and reunite with their sisters. Please wear comfortable attire as this is an active and exciting day. Each sorority will give their new members a T-shirt or tank top to wear when they receive their bid.

Family and friends are invited to attend the bid day activities in Colonial Life Arena. We recommend arriving between 1-1:30 p.m. for an event start time of 1:45 p.m. There will be signs directing guests to a viewing area in the arena.

Monday, Aug. 26 - Tuesday, Aug. 27
Once recruitment concludes, chapters will host events for their new members to get to know one another as well as the active members of the organization. In addition, new members will be required to attend an event at the beginning of the week. The date and time of the meeting based on the chapter schedule. New members will get their schedule on Bid Day.

After each round of recruitment, the potential member has the opportunity to select which organizations she'd most like to visit during the next round of events. The chapters also make invitations to invite potential members back to their next round of events. Through this, both potential members and the sorority chapter make a mutual choice about membership.

How should you make your selections?

Conversations you have with members during recruitment events.
How the chapters’ values align with your personal values.
How the chapter can help you achieve your greatest potential.
What you believe to be the best fit for you.
Independent and pressure-free from family or friends opinions.

How do chapters make membership decisions?

Your academic, leadership and community service accomplishments.
Conversations you have with their members during events.
Sorority membership requirements.
The chapter's founding values.

Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement (MRABA)

After attending Round 4 (preference) recruitment events and at the completion of the recruitment period, all potential members are given the option to sign a membership recruitment acceptance binding agreement (MRABA). In order to receive a bid from a sorority on campus, the MRABA must be signed. This document is used on every campus that has National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) member organizations and is upheld by NPC and the 26 international member organizations, including the 13 on USC’s campus. By submitting selections on preference, a potential member is agreeing to the six points below. In addition, this information will be covered in the mandatory orientation webinars, throughout the recruitment process, within Pi Chi groups, and prior to chapter selection on Round 4.

o I am willing to accept an invitation to membership from any sorority that I list on this agreement.

o I may limit my choices to just one OR list any sorority whose preference-round (last) event I attended, and from which I am willing to accept membership. I realize that by not listing the maximum number of events where I attended, I may be limiting my potential to join any other NPC organization during primary recruitment should I not be placed with my choice.

o Once I submit this agreement to the College Panhellenic Association, I cannot change the order of my preferences or add or delete a preference.

o If I do not receive an invitation to membership from an organization listed, I am eligible for continuous open bidding.

o I have the option of not submitting an agreement at this time.

o Once I submit this agreement, I am bound by the National Panhellenic Conference Unanimous Agreements, which state that if I receive an invitation to membership from an organization that I have listed and then do not accept it, I am ineligible to be pledged until the beginning of the next primary membership recruitment period on the same campus.

Legacy Notification
A legacy is the daughter or sister of an initiated or alumna member of an organization. Some organizations also include grandchildren or other family members when considering someone a legacy.

If you're a legacy of one of our 13 chapters, we recommend having your family member use the national website to submit a legacy form to ensure required information is submitted.

Letters of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation are not required but if submitted, are strongly encouraged to only be submitted electronically. If you have a coach, teacher, counselor, or mentor interested in writing you a letter of recommendation, they can make their recommendation electronically through the USC Sorority Recruitment Letter of Recommendation form by Aug. 4. The letter of recommendation form will open on May 1 and close on Aug. 4.

If you have a diagnosed disability or medical condition that warrants or requires special accommodations, you must register with the Student Disability Resource Center no later than 5 p.m. on Aug. 2.

Please contact 803-777-3845 if you have questions about special accommodations during sorority recruitment.