Several sororities this quarter have welcomed new members to their organization spring quarter through continuous open bidding, a common practice where sororities recruit new members past the formal recruitment period.
COB offers an informal alternative, which allows potential new members to spend significantly less time and energy in the rush process.
Elizabeth Aiello-Coppola, the assistant director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, explained that sororities are eligible to accept potential new members via COB if their chapter’s roster falls below the median of all sororities at Cal Poly.
“This can mean that some chapters can have only 2 spaces available, or some can have 10 — it depends on the quarter and where their numbers are at,” Aiello-Coppola wrote in an email.
Advice for COB
Trisha Addicks is a sorority recruitment coach with nearly two decades of experience with Greek University. She’s the author of “The Rush Bible,” where she shares all of her guidance to anyone hoping to join a sorority.
First, Addicks recommended that a potential new member reach out directly to an organization to ask whether it offers COB. She says that sororities do not always advertise whether they offer COB.
Addicks explained that recruiters meet with potential new members in informal settings. They can range from one-on-one meetings, where a potential new member meets a recruiter for coffee or small social events with some of the sorority’s other members.
The bottom line, according to Addicks, is that the recruiters want to learn more about the potential new members and know whether they are interested.
“If [a potential new member] is interested in their house, she needs to say it point-blank, because they want to bet on a sure thing,” Addicks said.
A potential new member can take advantage of the COB-specific one-on-one time with a recruiter, which differs greatly from the large crowds of formal rush.
Addicks suggests matching the meeting’s more casual tone, since there are no formal dress codes, unlike during formal rush.
Finally, Addicks encourages potential new members to try not to feel nervous.
“If you are invited to do something for COB, that means they’re interested in you,” Addicks said. “So you should try not to be so nervous because they’re inviting you.”