Panhellenic Association Sorority Recruitment

The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) is the the world’s largest umbrella organization specifically charged with advancing the sorority experience. Through its advocacy, NPC seeks to enlist nearly 5 million sorority women in its efforts to showcase the transformational power of the sorority experience. There are ten NPC organizations with chapters at Elon University. These chapters make up the campus-based Panhellenic Association (PA). The Panhellenic Association sets campus guidelines for its sororities and is responsible for coordinating various programs and educational opportunities for the community, including Panhellenic Sorority Formal Recruitment.

Please continue reading to learn more about Panhellenic Sorority Formal Recruitment. You can also refer to the Recruitment FAQ page to find answers to many of the most common questions.

Five Things Every Woman Should Know Before Recruitment

  1. Time Commitment – Being in a sorority is like adding an additional class and there are requirements that take time including a six-week new member period, weekly chapter, philanthropy & social events. The new member period is filled with fun activities, but it is important to remember that they do take time.
  2. Philanthropy – Each organization has a philanthropy for which they raise awareness and donations. Each has a few events in each semester. It is important for members to attend their own philanthropy and to support others. Philanthropy offers members a chance to get involved with their own organizations and within the community.
  3. Financial Obligations – Every sorority has financial dues, which include: an initiation fee, monthly dues, university and national fee. Social and philanthropy events are example of what dues support. Each organization will discuss their dues during recruitment.
  4. Academics – Each member is held responsible for maintaining strong academics. Each organization has a GPA requirement that members need to reach in order to attend social events and participate fully in the chapter. Members are rewarded for having strong academics, and each organization offers various resources academically. This can include academic mentorship, scheduled study halls, and study abroad presentations. There are different programs and speakers brought to chapters throughout the year to educate members on important matters such as health and wellness, leadership, and professional development.
  5. Judicial – In order to participate fully in the organization, chapter members must be in good judicial standing with the chapter. Members are held to high standards within their organization and must remember that they are not only representations of their sorority, but also of Panhellenic.

Remember to keep an open mind & heart.

Eligibility Requirements

Elon University has a deferred joining policy for students interested in social fraternities or sororities. To be eligible to participate in recruitment/intake activities, students must:

  1. Be enrolled as a full-time student
  2. Have earned at least 12 credits at Elon University or transferred to Elon from another college or university with a minimum of 12 credit hours
  3. Not be on academic or disciplinary probation.
  4. Meet the minimum GPA requirements of the chapter and/or inter/national organization they are invited to join. Organization GPA requirements are listed below:
    Organization GPA Requirement
    Alpha Epsilon Phi 2.5
    Alpha Chi Omega 2.9
    Alpha Omicron Pi 3.0
    Alpha Xi Delta 3.0
    Delta Delta Delta 2.9
    Kappa Delta 2.8
    Phi Mu 2.9
    Sigma Kappa 2.8
    Sigma Sigma Sigma 2.9
    Zeta Tau Alpha 2.75
  5. Complete the registration online and pay the registration fee by the deadline.
  6. Complete the Potential New Member Orientation (PNMO).
  7. Complete the Hazing Awareness & Prevention module prior to PA Sorority Recruitment Orientation that will take place on Friday, January 22, 2027.
  8. All participants are required to attend PA Sorority Recruitment Orientation that will take place on Friday, January 22, 2027, which is the opening event of recruitment. A location and time will be emailed to all registrants prior to the start of recruitment.

Spring 2027 Recruitment Registration

The next opportunity to participate in Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment will be during fake break prior to the start of spring 2027 semester. Spring 2027 recruitment will occur during fake break. Registration for Spring 2027 Recruitment will open on November 30, 2026 and close on January 17, 2027 at 11:59pm. Orientation will take place in the evening on Friday, January 22, 2027 with recruitment rounds starting on Saturday, January 23, 2027. Bid Day is scheduled for Wednesday, January 27, 2027.

How does recruitment work?

Recruitment is based on a mutual selection process determined by the preferences of the chapters and the potential new member (PNM). Mutual selection means that at the end of each day, while PNMs are ranking which chapters they would most like to re-visit the next day, the sorority chapters are also selecting which women they would most like to invite back the next day. Students will find out each morning which chapters they will be visiting that day.

  • In round one, PNMs will visit all ten chapters for 25 minutes each
  • In round two, PNMs will visit up to eight chapters for 30 minutes each
  • In round three, PNMs will visit up to five chapters for 45 minutes each
  • In round four, PNMs will visit up to two chapters for 60 minutes each

Every woman who registers and is eligible for recruitment will be assigned a Recruitment Counselor (Pi Chi). Recruitment Counselors are members of a sorority, but have chosen to be disassociated from their chapters during winter term and through recruitment. Their purpose is to assist and support potential new members (PNMs) through the recruitment process. Recruitment Counselor’s receive extensive training and preparation to help them mentor PNMs participating in recruitment. During recruitment, women will meet with their Recruitment Counselor each day.

What happens during a round and what do I wear?

Day 0: Orientation

There will be a required orientation event to begin the recruitment process. All PNMs will participate in a session that evening. Jeans and a t-shirt are appropriate – wear whatever you would normally wear!

Round 1: Belonging

The first day will be an introduction to the ten Panhellenic sororities at Elon. PNMs will learn more about the community and what it means to be a sorority woman at Elon.  You are advised to dress casually and comfortably. Jeans and a t-shirt are appropriate for this round – wear whatever you would normally wear!

Potential new members (PNMs) will attend events with each of the ten Panhellenic sororities. At the end of the day, PNMs will rank the chapters based on which they are most interested in returning to the next day, while at the same time, each chapter will enter their preferences of the PNMs they would most like to invite back for round 2. This process is called “mutual selection.”

Round 2: Philanthropy

Each chapter has unique national and/or local philanthropic organizations and annual events to tell you about. You are advised to dress casually and comfortably. Jeans and a t-shirt are appropriate for this round – wear whatever you would normally wear!

PNMs will be invited back to UP TO a maximum of eight chapters on this day (though some may receive fewer invitations). At the end of this day, PNMs will again rank the chapters based on which they are most interested in returning to the next day, while each chapter will enter their preferences of the PNMs they would most like to invite back for round 3.

Round 3: Sisterhood

During the sisterhood round, each organization will present information about the ideals, responsibilities, and bonds that unite their members. This is a time to ask questions about the expectations of membership in the chapter including finance, housing, attendance and participation. Jeans and t-shirt would not be appropriate for this round. You are advised to wear dressy casual attire.

PNMs will be invited back to UP TO a maximum of five chapters on this day (though some may receive fewer invitations). At the end of this day, PNMs will again rank the chapters based on which they are most interested in returning to the next day, while each chapter will enter their preferences of the PNMs they would most like to invite back for round 4.

Round 4: Preference

Preference is the last day of recruitment rounds. An invitation to a preference function indicates a sorority’s strong interest in you as a future member. Throughout Preference round, a sorority’s presentation will reflect the values and ideals held in high esteem by members. This day you are recommended to wear cocktail/semi-formal attire. Think holiday party with your parents – classy, not club attire. Again, you do not need to buy anything in order to dress up.

PNMs will be invited back to UP TO a maximum of two chapters (though some may receive fewer invitations). After events that day, PNMs will rank order the one or two sororities that they would be willing to accept a bid from. The sororities will also select the women they would like to extend bids to.

Bid Day

Bid Day is the final day of the process in which PNMs are notified if they will be receiving a bid for membership to one of the sororities. PNMs will be notified that morning if they will not be receiving a bid. Bid distribution will take place for PNMs, followed by welcome events hosted by each chapter. This day is completely casual!

Potential Members’ Bill of Rights

The Potential Members’ Bill of Rights is determined by the NPC Unanimous Agreements. If at any point a potential member feels as though any of the rights below have been compromised, she should contact Kayla Hedrick at khedrick@elon.edu.

  • The right to be treated as an individual.
  • The right to be fully informed about the recruitment process.
  • The right to ask questions and receive true and objective answers from recruitment counselors and members.
  • The right to be treated with respect.
  • The right to be treated as a capable and mature person without being patronized.
  • The right to ask how or why and receive straight answers.
  • The right to have and express opinions to recruitment counselors.
  • The right to have inviolable confidentiality when sharing information with recruitment counselors.
  • The right to make informed choices without undue pressure from others.
  • The right to be fully informed about the binding agreements implicit in the acceptance card signing.
  • The right to make one’s own choice and decisions and accept full responsibility for the results of that decision.
  • The right to have a positive, safe, and enriching recruitment and new member experience.