Do I have to attend all events during formal recruitment?
Yes, it is extremely important that you attend all of the recruitment events on your schedule once the first round begins. This gives you the opportunity to keep your options open and connect with more women. Friday may include events that might conflict with your class schedule. Be sure that you address the time conflicts with your Recruitment Counselors.
What do I do if I go through Recruitment and end up deciding sorority life is not for me?
You are under no obligation to join a sorority just because you participate in Recruitment. You are encouraged to participate in Recruitment because it is an excellent opportunity for you to learn about sorority life and meet new friends.
Do I need a recommendation letter to participate in the recruitment process?
Letters of recommendation are not required for participation in recruitment. If you have a close family friend or relative that is a member of a sorority represented at UTM, feel free to ask her to submit a letter on your behalf. If you do not have a close connection to a woman who is a member of a sorority represented at UTM, do not stress! Plenty of women participate in recruitment and are successful in the process without letters of recommendation.
Is there a minimum GPA requirement?
Any female student, regardless of GPA, is welcome to register for Panhellenic Recruitment. However, each chapter has a grade point requirement that is typically above a 2.5. In 2020, the average GPA of women receiving a bid was over a 3.0 (high school GPA).
Will being in a sorority affect my classes? How much time does it really take?
All the sororities put a lot of emphasis on grades and maintaining a high GPA; all of them have a minimum GPA you have to keep in order to be active. In fact, the Panhellenic GPA is consistently higher than the all female GPA on campus. However, being involved in a sorority does take effective time management. Many sorority women are able to manage sorority responsibilities, jobs or internships, academics, and involvement in other campus organizations. Part of the college experience is figuring out how to balance your various responsibilities. Just like anything else, your experience is about how much you want to put into it. You don’t have to do every activity. However, If you are interested in being involved in a variety of organizations during your time at UT Martin, feel free to ask women during recruitment about balancing their time! Your Recruitment Counselor is an excellent resource, too.
I have been getting messages from active sorority women. Is this allowed?
The CPC at UTM fully supports the NPC policy of the Promotion of the Sorority Experience. To best attract PNMs, it is important that ALL members of the Panhellenic community promote and advocate for the sorority experience. Even in these uncertain times, we believe in the value and importance of the relevance and power of sorority. This means that active or alumnae sorority members may be reaching out to those they think will benefit from the sorority experience. Don't be alarmed! We just want to communicate with as many people as possible how amazing the sorority experience can be and the amazing lessons we have learned about the true power of sisterhood as it leaves the four walls of the sorority house. However, if you are getting messages that make you feel uncomfortable or you feel might be bid promising, then please reach out to Rachel, our advisor, or Katie Ann Waring, our VP of Member Development!
I haven't gotten a message or DM from anyone in a sorority. What does this mean?
Just because you have heard from only one chapter or even none, it doesn’t mean your chances have been hurt for recruitment! There are many reasons you may not have received a message; one of the major reasons could be that no one from your hometown is in a sorority at UTM or you are coming from far away. No worries – you will get an opportunity to meet many women during recruitment weekend and the events leading up to it!