After a TCU record-breaking recruitment, new members find their place in sorority life.

Every year, incoming freshmen women and upper-class women go through the Panhellenic formal recruitment process. According to TCU Fraternity and Sorority Life, this year, 906 women participated in recruitment, setting a new record at TCU. 

“We love getting more sisters,” senior member of Alpha Delta Pi Erica Torgerson said.

Torgerson said that she enjoys recruitment and was excited about the turnout this year.

Information about recruitment can be found at the TCU Fraternity and Sorority Life website. Recruitment begins exactly one week before school starts. During this time, potential new members visit chapters and learn about the values of each sorority.  By a mutual selection process, both the potential new members and the individual sororities are able to select their preferences. 

“It’s about finding girls who share the same values and who fit well in your chapter,” Torgerson said.

According to TCU Fraternity and Sorority Life website, with the addition of Alpha Omicron Pi, TCU has 12 Panhellenic sororities. 47 percent of TCU undergrads are in a sorority or a fraternity.

"I tell the PNMS (potential new members ) to be themselves because they need to find a chapter that's best for them," Torgerson said. "They don't want to be unhappy with their choice." 

Selecting a sorority is harder decision for some than others. Amanda Washburn, a freshman from Seattle, Washington, said she had a difficult time selecting her top sorority.

“It’s hard to figure out what house to pick, because you don’t know after the first day,” Washburn said. “They are such short conversations and you don’t really know."

The decision became easier as the week went on, Washburn said. 

“I felt like Zeta welcomed me home on bid day,” Washburn said.

Washburn said she was interested in joining a sorority because she thought it was a good way to get involved on campus and the community.

However, not all of the potential new members were freshmen. Lexie Harrell, a junior transfer student from Highland Park, Texas, said she was also enthusiastic about recruitment. Harrell is a legacy of Pi Beta Phi Sorority.

“I was prepared for this my whole life,” Harrell said.

As a child, Harrell’s mother told Lexie stories about being in a sorority, she said. Although Harrell prepared for recruitment, she said that she could not have imagined going through the process as a freshman.

“Being a junior helped me have more confidence," Harrell said. "I knew what to expect in life.”