Going through recruitment is already nerve-racking as is, especially if you are going through it by yourself; finding out there are two different kinds of recruitment can make things more confusing. 

Though the two types of recruitment offered for Panhellenic are vastly different, understanding the difference can better help you decide which path is best for you. 

Formal recruitment takes place during the fall semesters and is usually four to five days long. Here at Tarleton State University, there are over a hundred women that sign up for formal recruitment, making it  a thrilling and wholesome experience. 

Potential New Members (PNMs) are put into groups and are assigned a Rho Gamma (Recruitment Counselor) to guide them through the entirety of formal recruitment. 

The days of formal recruitment can be long, so having your group can help it go by just a little faster. Since you are with your group for the week, you may bond with them very quickly, supporting each other and sharing the overall experience together. 

“As a PNM going through recruitment, I was full of many high emotions. I was excited to finally find somewhere I felt comfortable and supported, I was nervous about how it would end up, I was curious about the process but overall I was thrilled to be there and to be a part of such a great organization. My favorite memories from recruitment include late-night coloring with my Rho Gamma group, crying happy tears when I found my home, and meeting my best friends. It truly was an inspiring experience and pushed me to expand my comfort zone,” Panhellenic President, Alexa Segovia, expressed. 

Her experience resembles many other young women that go through formal recruitment. It can truly make you go through a whirlwind of emotions in one day, from nervous, to excited, joyfull, sad, to grateful. It can be an amazing way to learn more about yourself and to expand your level of adventure. 

Recruitment is all about the PNMs and finding which chapter is the best fit for them, so you want to make sure that, even though it is a different environment, you do not push yourself too hard or put yourself in a place where you do not thrive. 

For those who think formal recruitment may be too outside of their comfort zone, informal recruitment is a wonderful alternative option. Informal recruitment is more commonly known as COB (Continuous Open Binding). 

COB can happen any time after formal recruitment is over, but it more popularly takes place during the spring semesters at Tarleton State University. The biggest thing to take into consideration for COB is that not all chapters partake in it because it is based on whether or not the chapter’s total number of members exceeds the campus total. 

Instead of visiting all of the chapters in one night, each of the chapters participating in COB hold their own events which are normally one to two  hours long. This allows you to spend that time with only one chapter and talk to more members than you may during formal recruitment. 

COB is an amazing option for someone who may be more indecisive when making a big decision like this.  

The biggest difference between the two types of recruitment is the actual recruitment process itself. Panhellenic recruitment is an exciting time for young women wanting to get involved on campus and knowing all you can about it can help put your mind at ease.