If you’ve heard the term COB or Continuous Open Bidding and aren’t quite sure what it means, you’re definitely not alone.
Maybe you went through sorority recruitment and didn’t end up joining a chapter. Maybe you decided not to participate in primary recruitment at all. Or maybe you’re heading to college and want to understand all of your sorority recruitment options.
Continuous Open Bidding, commonly called COB, is another way some women may have the opportunity to join a sorority outside of the traditional primary recruitment process.
COB can look very different from the large, structured recruitment experience you may see during the fall or spring. It is more informal, and the process can vary from one campus and chapter to another.
Here’s what you should know.
Continuous Open Bidding is a process that allows eligible sorority chapters with available spaces to invite additional women to join.
According to the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), COB provides an opportunity for chapters that did not reach quota during primary recruitment or chapters that are not at total to recruit additional members. (National Panhellenic Conference)
The important thing to understand is that COB is not another version of primary recruitment.
It is typically much more relaxed and may involve a chapter inviting a potential new member to coffee, lunch, dinner, a casual event, or another activity where she can get to know the members.
The exact process depends on the chapter and campus.
One of the biggest differences between primary recruitment and COB is that there isn’t one universal COB schedule.
During primary sorority recruitment, the College Panhellenic typically organizes the overall recruitment process, including schedules and rounds.
With COB, individual chapters handle their own recruitment activities. The College Panhellenic does not structure the individual chapter’s COB process. (National Panhellenic Conference)
That means you may see a chapter:
Some chapters may actively advertise their COB opportunities, while others may have a much quieter process.
There isn’t one exact way COB has to look.
COB eligibility depends on the campus, timing, and the chapter’s available spaces.
One important point: not every sorority chapter will participate in COB.
A chapter must have available space within the applicable membership limits to participate. (National Panhellenic Conference)
This is why you may hear that one sorority on a campus is doing COB while another isn’t.
It also means that seeing a COB opportunity doesn’t necessarily mean every chapter on campus is accepting new members.
No.
There are different reasons a woman might participate in COB.
You may have gone through primary recruitment and decided not to accept a bid.
You may have participated in recruitment but did not receive a bid.
You may have chosen not to participate in primary recruitment at all.
Or you may simply decide later that sorority membership is something you’d like to explore.
The important thing is to understand that COB is not automatically a reflection of how your primary recruitment went.
It’s simply a different opportunity to explore sorority membership when a chapter has space available.
This is one of the biggest differences between COB and traditional sorority recruitment.
You probably won’t have a long schedule of back-to-back rounds where you’re meeting multiple chapters in one day.
Instead, you may be invited to something much more casual.
Think:
Coffee.
Lunch.
Dinner.
A chapter event.
A small gathering.
An opportunity to meet members and talk.
The goal is to get to know one another.
That can actually make COB feel much more comfortable for some women because the environment may feel more like meeting new friends than participating in a formal recruitment round.
This is where the same advice I give for primary sorority recruitment applies:
Be yourself and have a conversation.
You don’t need to walk into a COB event with a list of perfect answers.
Talk about your classes, your interests, where you’re from, what you like to do, your activities, your college experience, what you’re involved in, or what you’re hoping to get involved with.
Ask questions, too.
You might ask members about their experience in the chapter, what they enjoy most, what they do together outside of meetings, philanthropy, or what their friendships look like.
Remember, this is about getting to know each other.
You are learning about the chapter, and the chapter is learning about you.
Yes.
A woman may receive a bid through COB if a participating chapter offers her membership and she meets the applicable eligibility requirements.
If you receive a bid through COB, there are still important membership procedures to follow. NPC requires a potential new member joining an NPC sorority through COB to sign the COB Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement, or MRABA. (National Panhellenic Conference)
Because the MRABA is a binding agreement, it’s important to understand what you’re signing before accepting a bid.
No, and this is really important.
Sorority recruitment can look very different from one college campus to another.
The timing of COB, which chapters participate, how chapters connect with potential new members, and what events are offered can all vary.
That’s why I recommend checking the College Panhellenic and individual sorority chapter information at your specific college rather than assuming the process will be the same as another school.
The National Panhellenic Conference also makes clear that College Panhellenics do not structure individual chapter COB processes. Chapters work with their inter/national organizations to determine the timing and methods they use for COB. (National Panhellenic Conference)
If you didn’t end up joining a sorority during primary recruitment, that doesn’t necessarily mean your opportunity to join is over.
COB may be another opportunity to explore sorority membership.
However, I wouldn’t approach COB with the mindset that you need to convince a chapter to choose you.
Instead, use the opportunity to learn.
Meet the women.
Ask questions.
Pay attention to how you feel when you’re around the chapter.
Do you enjoy the conversations?
Can you picture yourself building friendships with these women?
Does the chapter’s personality and values feel like a good fit for you?
Those questions matter.
Start by finding out which chapters are participating.
Check your college’s Panhellenic information and look at individual chapter social media accounts or websites for announcements about COB opportunities.
You can also ask the College Panhellenic about the best way to learn about current COB opportunities.
And remember: you don’t have to wait until you know exactly what you want to join before learning more.
If a chapter invites you to an event, go in with an open mind and take the opportunity to get to know the women.
If primary sorority recruitment didn’t work out the way you hoped, it can be easy to feel like you missed your opportunity.
But sorority membership doesn’t always happen during one week of primary recruitment.
COB can provide another opportunity to meet a chapter, have conversations, and find a place where you feel comfortable.
And sometimes, a more casual conversation is exactly what you need to discover a chapter you genuinely connect with.
If you’re considering COB, take your time, ask questions, and focus on finding a sorority experience that feels right for you.
At Rush Worthy, I work one-on-one with girls who are preparing for sorority recruitment and want personalized support throughout the process.
Whether you’re preparing for primary sorority recruitment, learning about COB, or simply trying to understand what sorority recruitment will actually be like, I’m here to help you feel informed, comfortable, and confident going into the experience.
Have questions about sorority recruitment? Reach out to me at Rushworthycoaching@gmail.com.
Follow me on Instagram @rush.worthy