What is Continuous Opening Bidding (COB)?

Continuous Open Bidding is an informal recruitment process that National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sororities use to recruit new members outside the designated Primary Recruitment period. 

 

Who is eligible for COB?

All women who are students at the College of Charleston are eligible to participate in COB provided that (1) they are enrolled as a full-time student, (2) they have never been initiated into one of the 26 NPC sororities at the College or on another campus, and (3) they have not received a bid during the most recent Primary Recruitment period (Fall 2022) and declined the bid or have broken their pledge. 

 

Is there a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) to Participate in COB?

Although the Panhellenic Council does not require a specific GPA to participate in Primary Recruitment or COB, most sororities have a minimum grade requirement to be eligible for membership. 

 

How does COB work?

Unlike Primary Recruitment, COB is very casual and unstructured. Each chapter does COB differently, so the College Panhellenic does not set dates for informal recruitment events or the offering of bids. Chapters individually contact a Potential New Member (PNM) and invite her to an informal recruitment event or chapter activities in an effort to get to know her better.

 

Which sororities are able to participate in COB?      

Any NPC sorority that has an overall chapter membership below Chapter Total is allowed to pledge additional new members up to chapter total. Some offer public events, while some have invite-only events.

 

How long will chapters COB?

Chapters are allowed by the NPC to extend bids or offers of membership to unaffiliated women during the regular school year (as defined by the academic calendar).

 

What do I need to do if I want to be considered for COB?

Women interested in being considered for COB should fill out the online COB Interest Form on CougarConnect. The link is listed under the “Continuous Open Bidding Interest Form” tab.

 

If a woman completes a COB Interest Form, is she guaranteed a bid for membership from a sorority?

Filling out a COB Interest Form does not guarantee that a sorority will contact a potential new member, nor guarantee that she will receive a bid.