Women’s Organizations: An Economic Analysis

With the introduction of Maggies in 1999, Texas A&M created a new segment in the StuAct Market.  The Maggies held a monopoly on membership for over a decade until the formation of the Aggie Belles in 2012.  Competition in the industry was minor and both saw growth.  A shortage of supply in sorority membership caused demand to flood the women’s organizations sector.  Gathering into collectives, these young women formed the organizations that appeared overnight on banners in Rudder Plaza and at the MSC Open House.  This substantial growth created the increasingly bullish market we are seeing today.  The issue of demand for membership went unresolved and market growth continued into 2015, with the creation of more Women’s Organizations, hitting the double digits.

During Fall 2015 as the women’s organizations remembered what had occurred to them during sorority recruitment, they began to cut large numbers of applicants.  In turn, the dropped recruits went on to form the 2016-era organizations, giving birth to a vicious cycle of rejection and formation.  This cycle has created an exponential rise in the number of Women’s Organizations as their growth goes unchecked by the Office of Student Activities.  

Frank Reynolds, a senior Finance major, offered advice for those wanting to enter the market.  Reynolds said, “By the year 2018 we expect the amount of organizations in the market to break 50.  The unsustainable growth ultimately will lead to a market crash sometime around 2020.”  

This market crash would default any membership in these organizations, regardless of the services they provide to the BCS area.  It will be as if these members are a part of nothing, since so many women on campus will be a member in one.

-Netflix & Drill