What is COB in sororities?

Continuous Open Bidding, COB, is a way for Panhellenic sororities to add a few women to their sisterhood throughout the academic term. It can be very casual, unstructured, and since not every sorority participates, it is not easy to tell which sororities will participate in a given semester.

How does sorority cob work?

When a sorority holds COB, they simply contact a potential new member on their own and hold a series of informal events to get to know her better. Each chapter does it differently. Some might go to dinner with a potential member.

How does UVA COB work?

Continuous Open Bidding (COB) is an opportunity for chapters to recruit members at any time of the year, also known as informal recruitment. Informal recruitment activities can vary in style, but are generally shorter and less structured than the formal recruitment process.

What happens after you accept a cob bid?

After you accept the bid, you are labeled as a new member. You have to go through a process before you become an initiated member. If you drop out of the sorority BEFORE you are initiated, you can go through recruitment the following year.

How many bids do sororities give out?

On bid day, potential sorority members will only receive one bid. It is not possible to receive more than one, so there's no need to worry about making a decision.

SORORITY RECRUITMENT CONVERSATION TIPS | Erin Alexis

How do sororities pick you?

The matching process is called mutual selection. Panhellenic will use your vote and the scores provided by the sororities to create a rush-week itinerary for you. This schedule is meant to provide you with the best chances of getting invited into a sorority that is right for you.

What is a cob rush?

What is COB, and what does it have to do with sorority recruitment? "COB" is short for Continuous Open Bidding, a form of informal recruitment that sorority chapters can participate in at any time outside of primary recruitment.

Can you join a sorority without rushing?

There are two ways to participate in recruitment to join a sorority. You may already be familiar with primary recruitment as the most common way to join a sorority. The other way to be extended a bid from a sorority is through a process called continuous open bidding (COB).

Can you drop a sorority and join another one?

If you drop after you are initiated, you cannot join another sorority. Therefore, you cannot join another sorority at a different college. However, if you are in a sorority and you transfer, you can join the same sorority. You go through the transfer process at your new college.

What happens if you don't accept a sorority bid?

If you receive a bid and don't accept it you are ineligible to join a sorority until the next primary recruitment period, which occurs once every academic year. This also applies if you accept the bid and then decide to not continue membership with the sorority that extended you a bid.

How do you let a sorority know you're interested?

“However, with preference, the girls are trying to figure out where to put girls on their list. Saying things like 'I can see myself here' or 'I feel comfortable here' helps rule out the guessing game and lets the sorority member know that you actually want to be there on bid day.”

What is a cob in Greek life?

Continuous Open Bidding (COB) – a term used by Panhellenic sororities, COB is an open recruitment period with no structured and scheduled community-wide activities. Bids may be extended and accepted at any time. At Wittenberg fall recruitment is considered COB, as is recruitment following Bid Day in the spring.

How much is a sorority at UVA?

Sorority dues are a significant financial responsibility. The average dues for the first semester are around $1,200 but will drop by several hundred dollars (and will remain consistent) for your remaining three years.

Is it common to not get a bid during rush?

It happens. Even though Panhellenic tries very hard to get a house match for every girl, sometimes a PNM does not receive a bid. This is truly a very, very rare occurrence. Most often, a PNM drops out of recruitment before bid day simply because she is unhappy with her pref party card (NEVER do this, btw!)

How do you stand out in sorority rush?

One of the most important tenets? Be open and honest with everyone around you. This might seem obvious, but some of the time, people feel like they have to put on a front. Some sisters-to-be will go out of their way to create (what they believe to be) a “perfect” version of themselves, free of uncertainties.

Is rushing a sorority stressful?

"Simply participating in recruitment, regardless of the outcome, led to significant increases in anxiety," a 2016 study, which looked at young women who were both "successful" and "unsuccessful" — meaning they got into a sorority, or they didn't — in the process, revealed.

Can you be in 2 sororities at once?

Sorority members are granted lifelong membership to their organization which provides lifelong benefits. The Panhellenic Compact, which is a Unanimous Agreement between the 26 member organizations that make up the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), prohibits dual membership.

Can you just quit a sorority?

To officially resign from a sorority, you'll need to submit a formal resignation letter. This is an important step in the process and shows your commitment to leaving the sorority. Be sure to address the letter to the appropriate person, such as the Chapter President or Membership Vice President.

Is it expensive to be in a sorority?

On average, joining a sorority costs between $1,000 and $4,750 per semester, according to Bankrate. These costs usually include application fees, member dues, recruitment fees and social expenses. It's also important to note that initial fees for new sorority members tend to be higher than fees for returning members.

Is there an age limit to rush a sorority?

There really isn't an official age limit restricting membership to a sorority. However, most sororities target freshman as their primary focus for members. Current demographics are changing due to deferred recruitment and sophomores deciding to check it out.

Do sororities look at social media during rush?

Social media allows you the freedom to showcase exactly who you are in a way that is unique to you! Sororities DO look at your social media accounts prior to recruitment to gain a little more insight into your personality and to make...

What is the difference between rush and pledge?

Students participating in rush are known as "rushees", Potential New Members "PNMs", while students who have accepted a bid to a specific fraternity or sorority are known as "new members" or in some cases "pledges". A new member period may last anywhere from one weekend to several months.

What does bump mean in rush?

Bumping is the action of relieving an active sorority sister from a conversation with a potential new member (PNM) during formal sorority recruitment. Prior to the beginning of formal recruitment, members of a sorority are assigned to bump groups and all members of that group will speak with the same PNMs.

What are snap bids in rush?

so a snap bid is what happens when a sorority who doesn't make quota. wants to get quota. essentially by offering bits to girls who went through for more agreement. but either withdrew or were released by all the houses.

What is informal rush called?

Informal Recruitment, also known as Continuous Open Bidding (COB), is a process that sororities engage in outside of the primary (formal) recruitment period. During this process, a sorority will offer bids to women in order to reach chapter Total, meaning the largest size a sorority can become through recruitment.