Frequently Asked Questions
We are so excited that you are interested in learning about CPA's Primary Recruitment Process!
When can I participate in sorority recruitment?
Primary sorority recruitment at Clemson University is only conducted in the fall semester before the start of classes. It is important to note that the Clemson Panhellenic Association does not host a formal spring recruitment. If you are unable to participate in fall primary recruitment, but are interested in joining a sorority, you may participate in Continuous Open Bidding (COB).
COB begins immediately following the end of the primary recruitment process, on Bid Day. COB may also be held in the spring semester. However, not all sororities are eligible to participate in COB. In order to host COB events, a chapter must be under Chapter Total, which is established at the start of every semester. Women interested in COB, should complete a COB interest form. Once we receive your COB interest form, we will share it with those sororities under Chapter Total that have elected to participate in COB. For more information about the COB process, please contact the Panhellenic Advisor at eecahill@clemson.edu
Is a Snap Bid the same as COB?
No. Snap Bidding is ONLY allowed for those chapters that did NOT match to quota in the bid-matching process of primary recruitment. The Snap Bidding process takes place before bids are distributed on Bid Day, and eligibility is limited to women who participated in at least the first round of recruitment (i.e. Open House). Snap Bids are coordinated and extended through the Panhellenic Advisor, prior to the distribution of bids and the start of Bid Day activities. Continuous Open Bidding (COB) begins as soon as Bid Day begins.
If I go through recruitment, am I obligated to join a sorority?
No, primary recruitment is an opportunity to explore Panhellenic Sorority Life at Clemson University. If you decide it is not right for you, you may withdraw from the process any time before signing the MRABA.
Do I have to attend all of the parties that I am invited to?
Yes! Primary recruitment at Clemson University is designed to allow you to learn as much as you can about the Panhellenic community. If you have any known schedule conflicts, please complete the conflict form sent out near the start of Fall formal recruitment. Otherwise, if you miss an event, you will be released from the recruitment process.
Is there a grade requirement to register for recruitment?
No, there is not a grade requirement to register for primary recruitment. However, to help students understand how their GPA may affect their primary recruitment experience, CPA created the following "Grade Zones."
GPA Zones
Green Zone = Your options are not likely limited based on your GPA. (3.0 + )
Yellow Zone = Your options are more likely to be limited by your GPA. (2.8 – 2.99)
Red Zone = Your options are very likely to be limited based on GPA. (2.79 and below)
*Certain sororities require higher GPAs than others.*
How much does it cost to be in a sorority?
The 2024 recruitment registration fee is $175. If you choose to accept a bid to a sorority, your first semester dues as a new member will range between $500 and $1,400 depending on the chapter. Once you are an initiated member, the price of dues decrease for your remaining semesters. Each chapter will provide the PNMs with a detailed financial card during Round 3. Currently, Average New Member Dues are $441 per semester and Average Returning Member Dues are $784 per year.
What should I expect to receive after registering for recruitment?
The 2024 Guide to Primary Recruitment will be available online in Summer 2024. Immediately after completing registration, you will receive a confirmation email. Over the course of the summer, PNMs and their parents will receive a series of emails providing information about sorority recruitment and sorority membership. PNMs will receive a final email the week of recruitment detailing important logistics. The PNM emails will be sent to the email they used to register for recruitment.
If I am a legacy to a sorority, what do I need to know?
Legacy is not synonymous with obligation. You are encouraged to keep an open mind and consider what each chapter has to offer, regardless of which sorority you are a legacy. Likewise, each PNM is considered individually, and you should not feel any pressure from the chapter members to join a particular sorority. Most importantly, being a legacy of a sorority(s) does not guarantee you a bid from that sorority(s).
What is the MRABA?
The Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement (MRABA) is formerly known as the “Preference Card.” The MRABA is a binding agreement that is effective for one calendar year. By signing this document, a PNM agrees that she is willing to accept a bid for membership from any sorority that she ranks on the MRABA. Please note that if a PNM receives an invitation to membership (a bid) from any sorority that she ranked on her MRABA, then she is bound to that group for one calendar year (August 2023 to August 2024). Most importantly, if she receives a bid from any sorority that she has listed on her MRABA, and she chooses not to accept it, she is not eligible to participate in Continuous Open Bidding (COB) in fall 2023 or spring 2024.
If a PNM receives invitations to Preference, at the conclusion of her last Preference party, she will make her final selections in a computer lab, ranking the chapters she visited on during preference round in preferential order. In the computer lab, a campus volunteer will assist each PNM in making her selections, as Pi Chis are not allowed to assist in this process. PNMs will complete a paper version of the MRABA as well as enter her selections into the computer system. A PNMs paper MRABA and computer selections must match.
Please note that once the MRABA has been turned into a representative of the Clemson Panhellenic Council, it cannot be altered or changed.
Prior to signing the MRABA, PNMs will have several options to consider, and we suggest that PNMs thoroughly reflect on these before signing the MRABA.
First, PNMs may choose not to complete the MRABA, thereby withdrawing from recruitment. If a PNM chooses this option, she is eligible to accept a bid for membership from any sororities participating in Continuous Open Bidding (COB). Please recognize that very few sororities COB.
Secondly, a PNM may choose to list any sorority whose preference (last) event she attended and from which she is willing to accept an invitation to membership (a bid). Please note that a PNM should not rank any sorority on her final selection that she is absolutely not willing to accept a bid for membership. If a PNM matches with a sorority that she listed on her MRABA, it is important to note that she is bound to that sorority for one calendar year (August 2023-August 2024) regardless of whether she accepted their invitation for membership or not.
Lastly, a PNM may choose to limit her choices to just one or list any sorority whose preference round (last) event she attended and is willing to accept membership. A PNM must understand that if she chooses to single intentional preference then she is not guaranteed to receive a bid for membership. Only PNMs who maximize their options and list ALL of the chapters that they attended during the Preference Round are guaranteed to receive a bid for membership during formal recruitment.
If a PNM does not receive an invitation to membership (a bid) from any of the sororities that she listed, she is eligible for continuous open bidding (COB).
What does accepting a bid entail?
When you accept a bid, you pledge yourself to a sorority's new member process. Once you sign the MRABA after Round 4, you are ineligible to join another organization until the next primary recruitment period at Clemson. Please know that once you are initiated into a sorority you are unable to ever join another NPC sorority. Initiation occurs about 8 weeks after Bid Day.
When do you officially become a member of your sorority?
You officially become a member of your sorority once you are initiated. The time between Bid Day and Initiation varies by chapter but typically ranges from six to eight weeks in length. Please know that once you are initiated into a sorority you are unable to ever join another NPC sorority.
If I decide not to participate in recruitment, is my registration fee refundable?
No. All registration fees are nonrefundable, no exceptions. This is clearly stated on the recruitment registration page, so please take this into consideration before you register.
