[21200] in APO-L
[APO-L] Quantity vs. Quality (was Re: Rush Ideas)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (WALTS BRANDON MATTHEW)
Tue Sep 19 13:17:38 2000
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Message-Id: <Pine.GSO.4.05.10009191034150.17675-100000@cimi.cs.colorado.edu>
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2000 11:07:32 -0600
Reply-To: waltsb@pobox.com
From: WALTS BRANDON MATTHEW <waltsb@POBOX.COM>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
In-Reply-To: <d9.9c4a54d.26f8dcd2@aol.com>
What I'm hearing in this discussion is that chapters should focus
on quality over quantity. But, that's assuming that quality and
quanity are mutually exclusive, which I don't think is the case.
Not only can you get quality from a large pledge class, you're
more likely to find quality in a large pledge class than a small
one because you've given more people the opportunity to participate
and grow in the organization. Let's look at brother Collier's numbers...
On Tue, 19 Sep 2000, Joshua Collier wrote:
> But on the chapter level, to back Cynthia's statement up, my chapter for
> example had three semesters in a row of pledge classes ranging from 50-70
> pledges. We have an outstanding rush program. Of those pledge classes, the
> membership retention rate was 14-20%. I pledged in Fall of 1998 in a pledge
> class of 53. The following semester, 10 of us returned. Four semesters
> later, three of us remain. In a pledge class of 12 from Fall of 1997, the
> membership retention rate was 100% the following semester. Six semesters
> later, 4 members of that pledge class remain after 6 of them have graduated.
> 83% of that pledge class made it past the three semester average membership.
It looks like that this chapter tends to end up with about 10-12 brothers
activating and 3-4 remaining several semesters later, regardless of
the size of the pledge class.
> This semester, was did not publicize our rush program as much, in hopes of
> having a smaller pledge class to yield higher membership retention rates.
> One dedicated, active pledge who is going to stick around is much better than
> 70 pledges who will not return the next semester.
Sure, the percentage of the pledge class will be higher, but the
actual numbers that remain seem to be about the same. In the meantime,
the chapter with the larger pledge class has 70 more people doing service,
fundraising, talking to their friends about APO, voting for APO in
campus referendums, and otherwise supporting the chapter. Besides,
maybe you will get lucky and retain 50% of your 70-member pledge
class. To sum up, a large pledge class certainly isn't *hurting*
retention - and it comes with many benefits.
Further, the more pledges you have, the better chances you have of
connecting with "quality" brothers. I think it's better to reach out to
a large number of people and let those who are interested come to you,
rather than be selective and hope that you happen to get the attention of
the right people. There's too much risk of letting potential brothers
slip through the cracks that way.
-BMW
Section 30 Staff, Gamma Theta Alum
---------- Section 30 conference! ---------------
October 21, 2000, hosted by Gamma Theta at C.U. Boulder.
