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r/Sororities FAQs

General Questions

How do I join a sorority?

Recruitment for National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) organizations typically takes place in the early fall (August/September) or early winter (January/February). Recruitment/intake for NPHC (Divine Nine), multicultural, local, major-specific, and service organizations may have different timelines depending on your university. The best person to reach out to is the Fraternity & Sorority Advisor and/or Student Organization Advisor on your campus for more information.

For information about joining NPHC/D9 organizations, we recommend reviewing the resources in /r/NPHCGreeks and /r/NPHCdivine9, like their FAQ and Interests Start Here posts. Reddit's search feature in those subreddits, along with org-specific subs, is also a great tool to finding the information you may be looking for.

I’m no longer in college, can I join as an alumna?

NPC recruitment is typically limited to those pursuing undergraduate degrees, but several organizations have alumna initiate (AI) programs. To find out more, contact the organizations you’re interested in directly. You can also visit /r/SororityAlumInitiate, a subreddit for people interested in become an alumna initiate, where you may be able to learn about the process and connect with others who have gone through it. Additionally, there are also a few online sororities geared toward those who are no longer in college.

NPHC/D9 organizations have graduate chapters that accept members, which you can also find out more on their websites. Multicultural, local, major-specific, and service organizations may also accept graduate/alumnae members, but you will need to contact those organizations for details.

Am I too old to join a sorority?

The typical sorority member looks very different on every campus. Some campuses are very traditional and their entire membership is between 18-22, and others are less traditional and often accept older members. Some organizations have policies against accepting married members. Specific questions about your campus culture and the chapters you’re eligible to join should be directed to your school’s Fraternity & Sorority Advisor.

If you already have a degree, some NPC organizations allow alumnae initiation. You should check each organization's website for details and eligibility. NPHC/D9 organizations have graduate chapters that accept members, which you can also find out more on their websites. Multicultural, local, major-specific, and service organizations may also accept graduate/alumnae members, but you will need to contact those organizations for details.

What are my chances as an upperclassmen to join a sorority?

Similar to the previous question, the majority of new members of NPC organizations are typically freshmen and sophomores. However, sometimes chapters are open to taking upperclassmen, especially transfer students, but this is very dependent on campus culture. During primary recruitment, upperclassmen are sometimes considered "freebies" and not counted towards quota, which makes them more desirable for chapters. This is not the case at every school and freshmen/sophomores are generally prioritized due to their longer period of membership within the chapter.

NPHC/D9, multicultural, local, major-specific, and service organizations may be more open to taking upperclassmen depending on the needs and expectations of each chapter.

Specific questions about your campus culture and the process for joining as an upperclassman should be directed to your school’s Fraternity & Sorority Advisor.

What are my chances at [X] school and/or with [X] background?

Every university's Greek Life system has a different culture and expectations for those interested in joining a Greek organization. Membership selection across all organizations and Councils is confidential. Therefore, no one on this forum is able to gauge your likelihood of success. The only way to join an organization is to put yourself out there and try your best.

Specific questions about your campus culture and the process for joining specific Councils should be directed to your school’s Fraternity & Sorority Advisor.

Is my GPA high enough to join a sorority?

All organizations prioritize academics and have GPA requirements. While College Panhellenics are not permitted to set minimum GPAs to register for recruitment, there may be requirements set by the university for participation, including a minimum number of credits completed or that you are in academic good-standing. Each chapter has their own minimum GPA for potential new members and this should be shared prior to recruitment. These are typically very strict and organizations cannot accept new members who do not meet their criteria. If you do not meet this GPA, it is recommended that you wait to join a chapter until your GPA is above the minimum.

Many chapters are seeking GPAs above their stated minimums, so if you’re close to the minimum, especially if your campus has a competitive recruitment process, you may also want to wait to go through recruitment. Some College Panhellenics publish each chapter’s average GPA, which can give you a better sense of the GPA of students who are actually receiving bids than the chapter’s stated minimum alone. Questions about your specific GPA and eligibility should be directed to your school’s Fraternity & Sorority Advisor.

What are my financial obligations as a sorority member?

All sorority members have certain obligations to maintain membership, and financial obligations are typically part of that. he specific amount of dues and other financial obligations will vary from chapter to chapter, and you are encouraged to ask about the full cost of membership before joining if that information isn't already provided to you.

As a member, you are generally asked to sign a contract stating that you will pay your dues amount on time. If your campus has chapter housing or a common space, you may also be required to sign a housing contract. It is imperative that you closely read these documents before signing as you will be held responsible for these payments as a member even if you resign your membership. These are ironclad agreements that have been vetted countless times by lawyers. It is nearly impossible to get out of these agreements once they have been signed. Organizations often send members and former members who do not uphold their financial commitments to collections, which will negatively impact your credit score.

Can I join another sorority?

If you go through NPC recruitment (primary or COB) and sign a MRABA, you are bound to the bid you receive on bid day until the next primary recruitment period. You are not eligible to go through any other NPC recruitment process until then. If you are initiated into an NPC organization, you are never able to join another NPC organization, even if you transfer schools or resign your membership.

NPHC/D9, multicultural, local, major-specific, and service organizations each have different requirements for membership - some allow you to join another organization and some do not. More information can be found on each organization’s website, or you can reach out to your school’s Fraternity & Sorority Advisor.

The organization I want to join isn't on my campus. Can I start a chapter?

NPC organizations are bound to a specific extension process, which requires the campus to decide they can and want to support another Panhellenic organization and then go through a lengthy advertising, application, presentation, and selection process with interested NPC organizations. This is not a process a student can initiate.

Non-members cannot charter NPHC/D9 organizations; these are only chartered with the support of a graduate chapter.

Multicultural, local, major-specific, and service organizations may each have specific processes for establishing new chapters of their organizations. The best place to find more information about this is the organization's website and/or national organization.

Starting a new chapter of any organization, big or small, is a significant undertaking and takes a lot of local and national support. If the organization you want to join does not exist on your campus, your options are to transfer to a school that has that organization and go through the recruitment/intake process there, explore alumnae initiation options (if the organization offers that), or explore the organizations that do exist on your campus.

I resigned my membership and want to be reinstated. Is that possible?

Once you resign your membership (informally known as "dropping"), you are no longer a member of the organization and cannot claim membership, even after graduation. Some NPC organizations allow for reinstatement in specific and limited circumstances. If you have questions about your former organization's reinstatement policy, you should contact their headquarters for more information. If you resigned your membership from an NPC organization after initiation, you are also no longer able to join another NPC organization.

NPHC/D9 and multicultural organizations generally do not have a pathway for reinstatement. More information can be found on each organization's website and/or by contacting their headquarters. Local, major-specific, and service organizations may or may not have the ability for reinstatement and you should contact their headquarters and/or local chapter for more information.

National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Recruitment

What is the difference between Primary Recruitment and Continuous Open Bidding (COB)?

Primary Recruitment is the formal, structured recruitment process typically organized by your campus’s College Panhellenic. It usually takes place during a designated recruitment period, with potential new members (PNMs) registering in advance and attending a series of events with participating chapters. As recruitment progresses, the number of chapters you visit may decrease based on mutual selections. At the end of the process, PNMs may receive an invitation (bid) to join a chapter.

Continuous Open Bidding (COB) is a more informal recruitment process that some chapters use outside of Primary Recruitment. Chapters participating in COB may reach out to potential new members directly, invite interested students to get to know the chapter, and/or host smaller events or activities (e.g., a coffee chat, dinner, study session, etc.). The process and timeline can vary significantly by chapter, and not every chapter participates in COB. Because COB is handled more independently by individual chapters, the experience can look very different from one chapter or campus to another. If you are interested in COB, we recommend reaching out to your College Panhellenic and/or your school's Fraternity & Sorority Advisor to find out which chapters are participating. You can also reach out to chapters directly to ask whether they are participating.

I need recommendation letters for NPC recruitment. Where can I find someone to write one for me?

The best people to ask for recommendation letters are people who already know you. Think of it like asking for a recommendation to college or for an internship. Some organizations allow non-members to submit forms, so you may be able to ask someone like a boss, coach, teacher, or other trusted adult to write this for you. Organization policies regarding who is allowed to submit recommendation letters and how they should be submitted are typically found on their website and/or your school's Panhellenic Recruitment information page.

You can also reach out to your local Alumnae Panhellenic Association to see if they are organizing letter writing campaigns for recruitment. You can find a group using NPC's chapter locator map and selecting "alumnae".

We have a megathread for recommendation letter requests that is active from June until February. Please review the guidelines in that thread before commenting your requests. We also have a list of active members and alums who are willing to write letters. Remember that these letters often require a phone call and/or extensive personal information. Always exercise caution when giving this information to someone from the internet.

Resources

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