Panhellenic sororities offer many opportunities for membership throughout the year. The most opportunities for membership happen during Primary Recruitment, which typically occurs near the beginning of the fall semester. Students not interested or unable to participate in Primary Recruitment may also have opportunities throughout the fall and spring semesters to join a Panhellenic organization through the Continuous Open Bidding (COB) process. It is important to note that not all Panhellenic chapters will participate in COB.
Spring 2025 Continuous Open Bidding (COB) Information is now available!
In order to register for recruitment and/or express interest you’ll need to first have your NetID. Your NetID is the username associated with your accounts for the University of Tennessee, and it is the first part of your University email address, NetID@vols.utk.edu. Click on the link provided here to access information on how to figure out your NetID.
After primary recruitment and during spring semester, please see below about Continuous Open Bidding (COB) opportunities!
Throughout the year, some Panhellenic sororities participate in COB, known as the Continuous Open Bidding process. COB is less structured and informal way to join a sorority. It is important to note that not all of our Panhellenic chapters may participate in COB.
- Continuous Open Bidding (COB) Interest Form Released: December 2
- COB Open House and Tabling: January 21
- New Member Orientation: February 23
- New Member Orientation Health and Safety Module: Due April 4
- Fall 2025 Primary Recruitment Registration Opens: May 1
- Chapters eligible for COB: To Be Announced!
If you are interested in learning more about COB opportunities, please submit your information below.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EDITABLE COB MRABA FORM
COB Submission Form
This form serves as the official submission for a COB for the Panhellenic Council at The University of Tennessee.
If you have extended a COB, please notify OSFL within one (1) business day. COB forms will be available during that time of year. Any questions can be directed to Panhellenic Advisor, Michaela LaFountaine.
Fall 2024 Recruitment information is listed below! Registration will open on May 1, 2024.
2024 Panhellenic Primary Recruitment will run in-person from Monday, August 12th through Sunday, August 18th with our initial round being completed virtually, on your own time, during the week of August 1st-7th.
Priority Registration for Primary Recruitment will begin on May 1st, 2024 and will run until June 15th, 2024. Any student that is moving into an on-campus residence hall and needs an early move-in appointment must be registered for recruitment by this date. University Housing will provide registered students with information on how to select a move-in appointment. Early move-in appointments will be available on Sunday, August 11th and Monday, August 12th. Please note, if you have already scheduled a move-in appointment prior to June 15th, that appointment will be canceled so that you can schedule your Sorority Recruitment move-in.
Registration will officially close on Monday, July 15th at 11:55 p.m. EST. Early move-in appointments for on-campus residence halls are NOT guaranteed past June 15th and students registered after that date may have move-in appointments that conflict with recruitment. Students participating in Panhellenic Recruitment that register after the priority registration deadline will be responsible for coordinating their move-in appointment during regular move-in times and will be responsible for any housing needed to participate in Panhellenic Recruitment.
The Fall 2024 Primary Recruitment registration fee is $200.00; this fee will cover all of the costs associated with running Primary Recruitment.
Registration for Panhellenic Fall Recruitment Opens May 1!
| Dates | Recruitment Round | Things to Know |
| August 7 | PNM Virtual Orientation
|
During the orientation, participants will receive vital information for the upcoming week. This event is mandatory for everyone participating in Primary Recruitment and is only for PNMs. |
| August 1-7 | Go Greek Round | During the first round of recruitment, the PNM will be introduced to each of the 13 active chapters and begin to learn more about the organizations and their members via a video that they will watch online at their own time. They will also view a video from the chapter joining this Fall. These will be viewed prior to move-in.
After viewing all chapter videos PNMs will meet virtually with their Gamma Chi who will walk them through the preferencing process. They will list their first 10 preferences and rank their remaining 3. It’s important to note that ranking certain preferences does not guarantee that they will or will not be invited back to a specific organization. PNMs will be required to submit a 1-minute video that will be shared with chapters. These videos will allow chapters to learn more about each PNM for our Go Greek round. For more information on how to submit yours, please visit UTK Panhellenic. |
| August 12-14 | Philanthropy and Service Round
|
The Philanthropy Round will span three days, during which Potential New Members (PNMs) will gain insight into the philanthropic organizations supported by each of the chapters on both national and local levels. They will learn about causes that are significant to the members and explore opportunities for involvement in raising awareness and fundraising for these organizations.
This round offers PNMs the possibility of being invited back to up to 10 chapters. However, it’s important to note that not all PNMs will receive a full schedule, so it’s perfectly normal for a PNM to receive fewer than 10 invitations. After meeting with up to 10 chapters, PNMs will once again indicate their preferences. However, this time they will list their first 6 preferences and rank their remaining 4. It’s important to note that ranking certain preferences does not guarantee that they will or will not be invited back to a specific organization. The recommended attire is cute, casual, and comfortable. Outfit ideas include pairing blouses with casual skirts or shorts, or opting for a casual dress. Footwear options can include wedges, sandals, or sneakers. |
| August 15-16 | Sisterhood Round
|
Sisterhood Round will take place over the course of two days. PNMs will learn what it is like to be a member of that particular chapter during these days. She will learn about their chapter values such as scholarship, leadership, involvement, and sisterhood. She will get to talk to members about commitments such as financial costs, housing requirements, and time obligations. This is the opportunity for PNMs to see what it is really like to be a member of that chapter, and it is a great time for her to ask more specific questions.
During this phase, PNMs may receive invitations back to up to 6 chapters. However, it’s important to understand that not receiving invitations from all 6 chapters is normal. At the end of the round, PNMs will list their first 2 preferences and rank their remaining 4. It’s important to note that ranking certain preferences does not guarantee that they will or will not be invited back to a specific organization. For this round, the suggested attire is slightly more formal than Philanthropy and Service round. Recommended outfits include a nice skirt and blouse, a stylish romper, or a more formal sundress. The attire is similar to what one might wear to a nice brunch. |
| August 17 | Preference Round
|
Preference Round is the final and most formal round of recruitment. During this round, PNMs could be invited back to up to 2 chapters. It is not uncommon to be invited back to only 1 organization during this round. Chapters will show a more serious side of their organization, often revealing some ritual and having conversations about what the chapter means to them personally.
After attending all events they were invited to, PNMs will rank their choices in preferential order. They may only rank the chapters whose preference events they attended, and they may not go back and change their rank order after it has been submitted. They will also be asked to read and sign an MRABA, or Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement. To learn more about the MRABA, visit the NPC Women Website for more information. This is a binding agreement and will not change even if a PNM is unhappy with her options. This is the most formal round of recruitment. Wear something that you would be comfortable wearing to graduation, such as a nice dress or cocktail attire. |
| August 18 | Bid Day
|
This is an exciting day! Women who have submitted their preferences and signed their MRABAs will meet their Recruitment Counselor group in the village. Everyone will then open their bids together and find out which organization is extending them a bid to membership. Then, PNMs can run home to their chapter and celebrate!
Over the following few days, PNMs will then spend some time with her new organization and get to know her new sisters. No guests are permitted on this day, students only. This day is for the student to spend time with her new sisters. Parents and guests will have future opportunities to visit their student’s sorority, such as Family Weekend or Parents Weekend, an event typically hosted by each organization. Suggested dress for the day: Shorts, Panhellenic t-shirt received at convocation, and comfortable shoes. |
Grade Requirements
As required by the National Panhellenic Conference, there is not a GPA requirement to participate in Primary Recruitment at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
The typical average to extend a sorority membership invitation is a 3.00 cumulative GPA. Women who have below a 3.00 GPA are advised that they are at a greater risk to be released from the Primary Recruitment process due to their academics.
To help students understand how their GPA may affect their Primary Recruitment experience, the Panhellenic Council at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville has adopted grade zones to show how academics may factor in Primary Recruitment. Please note, grades are only one of many factors that chapters will consider in membership selection.
GPA Zones
- Orange Zone = Your options are not likely limited based on your GPA. (3.0+)
- Grey Zone = Your options are more likely to be limited by your GPA. (2.80-2.99)
- White Zone = Your options are very likely to be limited based on GPA. (2.79 and below)
GPA/Transcript Information
The GPA information that will be verified after your registration has been processed may be different from the one provided on your high school transcript. The University of Tennessee has an adjusted GPA scale that is based off of common core classes. This means that your GPA that is entered into our recruitment system is based off the grades earned in things like math, science, English, etc., and may be different than your high school transcript which also counts your non-core classes. If this is the case, you are more than welcome to provide our office with your high school transcript, and we can notify our sorority chapters what your high school transcript says your GPA is in addition to the official UTK GPA. You may do this by emailing a copy of your transcript to Michaela LaFountaine, Panhellenic Coordinator- Office of Sorority & Fraternity Life at michaela@utk.edu.
A Recommendation/Reference (also called a REC or RIF) serves as your introduction to the sorority, so their members can get to know you in advance of primary recruitment in the fall. These official forms, which are unique to each individual sorority, are provided by the national organization for their alumnae members to fill out on behalf of potential new members. Please note that each sorority has its own policy as to whether or not they require a recommendation/reference and that the University of Tennessee Panhellenic does NOT have access to individual sorority Recommendation/Reference Forms.
Only a sorority alumna, or potentially a collegiate member of a sorority, can write a recommendation to her sorority. It is also recommended that the alumna use her sorority’s official recommendation form, which is outlined below.
Securing letters of recommendation is ultimately NOT the obligation of the potential new member, so below are a couple of things to keep in mind if you choose to seek out letters of recommendation:
- If a PNM decides she wants to personally seek out alumnae to write a rec of her behalf, she needs to only secure ONE recommendation for each of the 12 NPC chapters on campus that accept letters of recommendation at UTK that participate in primary recruitment. More than one per chapter is unnecessary.
If a PNM is struggling to find alumna to write letters of recommendation, we encourage reaching out to a local alumni chapter, searching the national website, or contacting the Chapter President by email and asking for recommendations on local alumni who would be willing to write one.
While there are 26 NPC sororities, when seeking letters of recommendation for recruitment, you ONLY need letters for those 13 National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sororities participating in primary recruitment at UTK. They are: Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Omicron Pi, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, Delta Zeta, Kappa Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi, Sigma Kappa, and Zeta Tau Alpha.
If you cannot find a letter of recommendation for each of the 12 NPC sororities that accept, please do not worry!
While chapter specific letters of recommendation are preferred, for women unable to find an alumna from each of the recognized sororities at the University of Tennessee to write a letter of rec, we have added a new option to the recruitment application. This year as part of the recruitment application, women participating in recruitment may elect to submit a generic, supplemental academic letter of recommendation from a teacher, guidance counselor, or principal. The individual writing the letter of recommendation is not required to have been a member of a Greek organization; however, the letter should speak to your character as it applies to leadership, scholarship, community service, and friendship. Please note that this is an optional feature and as such, is not a required part of the online application form. The weight by which these Supplemental Academic Letters of Recommendation is up to each chapter’s discretion.
| ALPHA CHI OMEGA | Accepted online at alphachiomega.org |
| ALPHA GAMMA DELTA | Accepted online at alphagammadelta.org
*not participating in Primary Recruitment for Fall 2024* |
| ALPHA DELTA PI | Alumni can submit online on the national website |
| ALPHA OMICRON PI | Alumni may submitted online at alphalink.alphaomicronpi.org |
| CHI OMEGA | Strongly recommended that an alumni, member, or the PNM themself submit a Recruitment Introduction Form (RIF) through the national website |
| DELTA DELTA DELTA | Accepted online at tridelta.org |
| DELTA GAMMA | Accepted online at deltagamma.org |
| DELTA ZETA | Accepted online at deltazeta.org |
| KAPPA DELTA | Delta Member portal or mailed to the Kappa Delta House!
(2515 Ann Baker Furrow Blvd Knoxville, TN 37916) |
| KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA | Accepted online at kappakappagamma.org |
| PHI MU | Does not accept |
| PI BETA PHI | Alumni and members can submit online on the national website or through email to tngammavpr@gmail.com |
| SIGMA KAPPA | Accepted online through |
| ZETA TAU ALPHA | Accepts letters of recommendation. Find more information here. |
There is no hard submission deadline for recommendation letters. However, we encourage women to turn in recommendation letters for Primary Recruitment by August 1st.
2024 Move-In Information
Moving into University Housing requires students to make an appointment to move in. Those that are registered for Primary Recruitment by June 15 are guaranteed an early move-in appointment from Sunday, August 11 – Monday, August 12. Those registered after June 15 may still be eligible for early move-in appointments as they are available, however spots will not be guaranteed. For more information about Move In, please visit University Housing’s website and be sure to check your Volmail account regularly!
This is for on-campus housing only.
Contact us!
Any general questions regarding joining a Panhellenic sorority can be directed to our Vice President of Recruitment, Caroline Hayes, at panrecruitment@utk.edu or to Michaela LaFountaine, OSFL Panhellenic Coordinator