The Pref parties are the longest parties of sorority recruitment. The longer parties allow you to learn more about the sorority and what makes it so special. Pref is structured in a different way than the other rounds. For Pref, the members are not screaming door chants and bursting with excitement. This round is more serious and a ceremony. Sometimes there is light classical music playing. Other times, a member may announce your name as you walk into the sorority.
Your conversations are structured differently. The members want to know if you want to join the sorority. This day can be very emotional for everyone. You have to be honest with the members. Tell them how you feel and if you like the sorority. It might be hard to be vulnerable. If you do not tell them how you feel you might get dropped. They need to know how you feel so they can vote correctly!
Also, typically the members do most of the talking for this round. They share why they joined, what makes their sorority so special, etc.
At the end of the party, the member walks you out, and you go to your next sorority or take a break if you do not have a party schedule.
HOW TO THINK OF THIS ROUND
For Pref, you want to think of this round as a proposal. You lay your heart on the table and share what you love about the sorority.
During Pref, the members want to give everyone a bid, but they cannot. They look to you to know how to vote. You have to show interest in the sorority. If you do not show interest, the members might assume you will join the other sorority. If they make this assumption, you will not receive a bid.
For some, deciding which sorority to place in the #1 spot is difficult. Both are amazing options. One way to learn more about the member’s experience and see which sorority is the best fit for you is to ask one or two questions.
STEP #1 to create your question: CREATE YOUR LIST
The #1 way to connect is to talk about things you find interesting. It is how you find your people. It is how you stand out. The main idea of your question starts with your list.
How to Create Your List
STEP A. Visualize your dream college experience
Before you make your list, you want to visualize your dream college experience.
STEP B. Define your why
To find your why, answer “Why are you going through sorority recruitment?”
You should be able to pull your answer from your letter. Your answer should have a clear intention.
STEP C. Three qualities you want in a sorority
These qualities are must-haves in your dream sorority. They are there to guide you throughout sorority recruitment– figure out what questions to ask, help you make real connections with the members, and help you find your dream sorority.
STEP #2. CREATE YOUR QUESTIONS
Take the top one or two qualities and form a question around it.
Structure of each question
Each question needs to be an open-ended question.
What is an open-ended question?
Let’s start with an example, “Why did you decide to be a Delta Nu?” is an open-ended question.An open-ended question is any question that does not have a yes or no answer.
Open-ended questions are important in sorority recruitment because they allow you to have better conversations AND make connections.
Tip
When creating your questions, you want to make them specific to a topic that helps you make a decision. For example, if you ask the member, “What is your major?” that will not help you know if the sorority is the best place for you. Your friends will have many different majors. You are not only going to be friends with women who have the same major as you. The same idea applies to sorority recruitment. Each sorority has women with many different majors. A member having your major should not be a deciding factor.
If you ask a question about the member’s experience, it helps you see if that is the experience you want for college. Now, you can make an informed decision on if you should keep or drop that sorority
EXAMPLE OF HOW TO CREATE YOU QUESTIONS
One of your qualities is you want to find a sorority full of women who are similar and seem like friends. With this quality you want to learn about the member’s experience and her friends. Does she have a lot of friends in the sorority? Or, does it seem like she only has a few?
A question you could ask is — What is your favorite memory with your sisters?
When she is answering the question, listen to the story she shares. Does the memory have multiple sisters in it? Do you want a similar experience for college? Is that experience what you want in a sorority?
WHAT NOT TO DO.
Tip #1. Do not come in hot.
Do not go into the sorority with one million questions. You do not want to be spitting out questions and not let the sorority member talk.
Tip #2. Do not ask about boys, politics, religion, and alcohol.
These topics are not appropriate for sorority recruitment. For example, you do not want to ask:
Which frats do you associate with?
What is your craziest memory at a frat?
How many parties do you go to in a week?
What is your favorite drink?
Do you have a boyfriend?
If you need help with this exercise or preparing for sorority recruitment, check out The Ultimate Guide to Sorority Recruitment. In this book, you learn:
What questions the members will ask you
How to answer the questions [and examples]
Conversation mistakes potential new members make
How to prepare correctly for your college
Click here to get the ebook version
Click here to get your copy on Amazon
Good luck with sorority recruitment! I am rooting for you!
Sloan
You have a math test in two weeks that is worth 90% of your grade for the class. You want to get an A. You are looking for guidance on how to get your A.
First, you ask a friend, not in your math class, “How do I get an A+ on my test?” She says, “You need to study.” This answer leaves you frustrated.
Then, you ask your teacher, “How do I get an A+ on my test?” She gives you a step-by-step plan.
Who was more helpful?
Your teacher, right?
To get an A, you need to know the right information and have a step-by-step plan.
To get a bid to a sorority you love, you have to communicate you are the right fit for the sorority before and during sorority recruitment. A step-by-step plan tells you how and when to communicate.
BUT… why do so many women going through sorority recruitment ONLY use the advice they find on Youtube and TikTok? Does it help them stand out and get a bid?
Click the video below to see how The Ultimate Guide to Sorority Recruitment can help you create and implement your plan.
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https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Sorority-Recruitment-sorority/dp/1674072309
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https://www.gettingthebid.com/store
