Formal fraternity recruitment came to an end Wednesday afternoon for 14 fraternities as they offered their newest members bids to become a part of the brotherhood.

Typically, Sunday marks the beginning of the formal fraternity recruitment process at WKU, a short time after formal recruitment closes for sororities. This year, things changed.

The recruitment of fraternities started on Friday this year, which caused an overlap of both recruitments for a couple of days.

Charley Pride, director of Student Activities and Organizations, said the WKU football game Thursday against Kentucky was a factor for the switch up.

In years past, Thursday was preference night for fraternity recruitment, so the Interfraternity Council decided to move recruitment from a Sunday to Friday schedule to a Friday to Wednesday schedule, Pride said.

Wednesday was Bid Day, where men received their acceptance letters from any of the groups that participated in recruitment.

Kristen Smith, a graduate assistant for Student Activities and Organizations, said about 150 men went through the formal recruitment process earlier this week.

However, informal bids were handed out by fraternities as well, she said.

The fraternities can give bids up until the Friday before finals start, Pride said.

“Most of them do it in the first two weeks of school, and they start their new member processes,” he said.

The change in schedule benefits the participants who plan on going to the game, as well as Pride.

“It will be nice to get to Wednesday night and just go to the football game,” he said.

As Pride was relieved, so was Bowling Green Austin Alford, a new Sigma Nu member.

“I’m glad it’s over,” Alford said. “It’s stressful. You don’t want to hurt (other fraternities’) feelings.”

Other new recruits went through a less stressful process.

Owensboro junior Alex Isbill went through informal recruitment.

“Rush for me was pretty different than a lot of guys,” Isbill, a Phi Gamma Delta pledge said.

Isbill said he knew which fraternity he wanted to join originally.

As a junior, Isbill said he does regret not joining earlier, but he is still happy to be a member.

“I’m glad that I joined now rather than never,” he said.