Recruitment Week Schedule Breakdown

Open House

Open house is the first round of recruitment. During open house, you will watch all of the videos created by each sorority while they watch the ones you created. You will not be visiting any houses this day so no need to dress up! This is your opportunity to get to see the different personalities of each house and also show the houses what makes you unique. At the end of the second day, you’ll head to the University Teaching Center (UTC) and rank the 10 houses that you would like to get to know better.

Philanthropy

Philanthropy is the next round of recruitment and is a two-day event, yay! At the beginning of this round, you will meet with your recruitment group in the morning at a designated spot and receive your schedule. Your schedule will have, at most, 10 houses and will not be identical to anyone in your recruitment group! Once you arrive at each house, you will be lined up alphabetically and wait for the doors to open. Philanthropy Day is very special as you get to learn about a cause that is close to each sorority’s heart! On this day, you will complete a craft and/or activity involving their philanthropy while also learning about the cause. Zeta’s philanthropy is Breast Cancer Education and Awareness! This round is important because you gain a better understanding of what each house values and have the opportunity to dive into deeper conversations with the women in each sorority. Once you leave your last house of the philanthropy round, you’ll head to the UTC and list the 6 houses you connected with the most. 

TIP: Be sure to use the buses provided for you and maybe even map out your route from house to house ahead of time so you don’t miss any houses.

Sisterhood

Sisterhood is the third round of recruitment and also lasts two days! This round is when you get a clearer picture of which houses you could see yourself being a part of. The sisterhood round has the same schedule process as philanthropy; you’ll meet up with your recruitment group in the morning and receive your individual schedule for the day from your Rho Gam. The conversations will go deeper than the previous days, and you’ll witness the bonds the women in the house share with one another. At the ZTA house, we not only want you to get to know us better, but we want to get to know you better, which is why we always play an interactive game to get the conversation flowing at the beginning of each party! Immediately after you leave your last house, you will head to the UTC and choose the top two houses that you feel you could see yourself as a member of.

TIP This round is often viewed as one of the hardest because the cut is so large, narrowing at most six houses to two. Keep in mind that you are one step closer to joining a sorority and a lifelong sisterhood, so do not be intimidated. It’s a long week, but it is all worth it! 

Preference

Preference or “Pref” is the very last round of recruitment. You made it! You can have a maximum of two houses on this night, meaning it is extremely important to evaluate each house and see which one would be a better fit for YOU. Sisters will share testimonies as to why they chose the sorority they did, and how their chapters have impacted their lives for the better. Pref is extremely special and can be an emotional experience for both actives and potential new members, so I encourage you to wear waterproof mascara! It’s important to look around the room and notice the girls (both actives and PNMs) who are at your final houses, considering they could potentially be your sisters. Do you get along well with them? Do you look up to them and see the possibility of your own growth in their sisterhood? I’ll never forget the sense of belonging I felt the moment I walked into Zeta. I remember seeing the bond of sisterhood the Zeta women shared and wanting to be a part of something so special! Don’t be afraid to open up during your conversations on pref night, as we are here for you and want to support you and hear about your experience! Once you leave your last house on Pref night, you’ll immediately head to the UTC and list the house where you can envision your lifelong sisters! This is the most important and final ranking! 

Bid Day

The best day of recruitment! The morning of Bid Day, you’ll head to Hogg Auditorium and sit in your assigned seat, which is labeled with an envelope. During the presentation, you sit on the very card that contains the house you received a bid from--the ENTIRE presentation, UGH. I can still remember my anticipation when we were reminded not to peek! Once the panhellenic president instructs you to open your envelope, you open it up and meet your new sisters in front of the building (there will be a poster with the sorority names labeled all throughout the outside of the Auditorium). Finally, you and your new sisters all run to the house together! I’ll never forget walking--more like excitedly sprinting like a maniac--out of Hogg and seeing the faces of the girls I met throughout the week, and knowing they were my new sisters. The excitement was overwhelming! Once you run to your house, the real party begins. The whole chapter, your family, and your friends are eagerly waiting and ready to greet you with tons of hugs, smiles, and sorority merch. It’s such a special moment not only for you but also for the girls in the chapter who have been waiting for you all of summer! 

Recruitment week is a long seven days, but the stories, laughs, and memories are worth a lifetime! Trust the process, follow your gut and… #GOTEXASZETA !!!

XOXO, 

Zeta Recruitment Team 2025