When Northwestern’s a cappella auditions opened this year, each group saw up to 100 signups — but had fewer than 10 spots open for aspiring members.

NU is home to 12 a cappella groups that hold auditions at the start of each academic year. 

Weinberg sophomore Aariya Gopal is the president of Brown Sugar, a co-ed South Asian fusion a cappella group. Gopal said many students are drawn to the a cappella community because of how widespread it is.

“It’s a very iconic part of Northwestern,” Gopal said.

A cappella recruitment begins with an initial audition designed to introduce prospective members and evaluate their vocal abilities. Students can try out for multiple groups. Group members then select their top candidates to advance to callbacks.

Gopal explained that the competition largely comes down to the limited number of spots and the specific vocal parts groups need to fill. She said a cappella groups remain small to maintain a close-knit sound and community.

Weinberg first-year Florence Haines is a member of Sig O A Cappella, NU’s only a cappella group specific to women and non-binary people.

Haines explained that a cappella auditions can feel overwhelming for first-years who have just finished Welcome Week and are still adjusting to campus life.

“A cappella auditions are the first time where you are really made aware of the huge quality of talent at Northwestern, and really how competitive it is,” Haines said.

Haines is also a member of the NU’s Tri Delta chapter. Joining a panhellenic sorority at NU also requires a formal recruitment process, which takes place at the beginning of the winter quarter.

Haines said she found some similarities between the both groups’ recruitment processes.

“In primary recruitment for Panhellenic rush, you have to dress and act a certain way in order to really connect with the girls and get invited back for next rounds,” Haines said. “It is, honestly, largely the same for a cappella. A lot of a cappella, in some ways, is kind of a vibe check, of seeing if they think that you’re the kind of vibe to fit into their group.”

Medill sophomore Olivia Brown is a member of THUNK a cappella, NU’s oldest a cappella group. 

Brown is also a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta chapter on campus. In contrast to Haines, Brown said the two recruitment experiences felt largely different because a cappella is more skill-based.

“It’s how good you are at singing, if you can beatbox, what voice part you are. And I think sorority recruitment is more personality-based,” Brown said.

Still, Haines emphasized that both experiences can feel competitive and stressful for students navigating selective campus organizations. 

The audition process for a cappella can be a valuable learning experience for hopeful performers, nonetheless, she said.

“While for many it’s your first opportunity to be judged based on your performance abilities on campus, you shouldn’t let that define you,” Haines said. “There’s so much more out there for performers, even if a cappella doesn’t maybe initially work out.” 

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