Even though Nursing freshman Meghan Leary dropped out of the formal sorority rush process three weeks ago, she proudly sports an Alpha Phi T-shirt and attends member meetings.
Leary has not officially signed any paperwork, and Alpha Phi cannot yet offer her an official bid, but she may still be able to join the sorority.
She is one of about five women informally pledging Alpha Phi as a part of "continuous open bidding," a recruitment process that occurs outside of the normal rush period.
In fact, sororities are allowed to recruit informally at any time throughout the year except during the summer and the formal rush period.
As long as they have space, sororities can extend bids during these informal periods.
Alpha Phi members already gave 44 women invitations to join their sisterhood at sorority bid night last month -- the University-sanctioned maximum. The sorority is over its current Panhellenic Council-dictated capacity of 118 women per chapter.
But that number is re-evaluated yearly, and 50 to 70 women total are expected to be recruited by various sororities this year through continuous open bidding. Leary may receive an official Alpha Phi bid once the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs reconsiders the sorority's capacity.
Alpha Phi national adviser for the Penn chapter Susan Sherman said that even though the sorority has not been able to extend any bids since the end of formal rush, "girls have been in contact with us because once OFSA recalculates what the total number is we assume that we are going to have the opportunity to extend additional bids."
Leary -- who has attended two chapter meetings thus far with other informally recruited women -- says that she looks forward to meeting the rest of the sisters.
But according to Sherman, Leary's recruitment was premature because officials have not yet expanded Alpha Phi's capacity.
Panhellenic advisor Stacy Kraus said that this year seven of the eight Panhellenic sororities -- including Alpha Phi -- are at or above their maximum.
Phi Sigma Sigma is below its total with about 70 members and has recruited about four additional women since bid night, according to former president and College senior Jennifer Fowler.
Phi Sig -- which reopened its Penn chapter two and a half years ago -- recruited seven women during the formal period.
Kraus said that though seven of Penn's Panhel chapters are not currently allowed to extend additional bids, she favors the informal recruitment process.
"I personally encourage chapters to get to know women so that when they do have space they will know who they will be able to recruit," she said.
Kraus added that though some women may be frustrated when others receive bids without going through formal recruitment, women are more likely to be placed in a chapter during January rush.
"You look at the numbers and see 325 [women recruited through formal rush] versus 50" projected to be recruited informally, Kraus said. "Your odds are greater" in January.
For Leary, the ease of informal rush is worth the decreased odds.
"I like this a lot better than formal rush," Leary said. It is "a lot more relaxed and a lot easier to get to know girls."
Rush ahead - Every sorority's pledge class may have up to 44 women - At most, 118 are allowed per chapter - 50-70 women total are recruited via continuous open bidding yearly
