South Texas Cotillion

WHAT IS COTILLION?

South Texas Cotillion is a two-year social organization for juniors and seniors comprised of outstanding young women who have the opportunity to meet, build friendships, and network with other select young women.

Ladies are chosen because they are recognized as accomplished and respected young women in our community with an interest in pursuing a college education.

The Purpose of South Texas Cotillion

Our purpose over the next two years is to provide an opportunity for young ladies to bond with one another, become aware of and improve social skills, and continue growing into young ladies that share the common goal of furthering their education.

Social skills are important in everything we do. Another goal of Cotillion is to prepare our members with the social skills and graces needed by everyone in order to succeed in their chosen career and life. Social etiquette means treating others with courtesy and respect. Mastering the social etiquette of good manners empowers our members to become poised, well-rounded individuals.

frequently asked questions

what is a debutante &

what is cotillion

am i eligible &

when should i apply?

is cotillion a fit

for me?

what are time &

cost COMMITMENTS ​involved?

legacies & sister info &

what if you did not ​receive an invitation?

What is a debutante?

A debutante or deb (from the French debutante, “female beginner”) is a girl or young lady who has reached the age of maturity and, as a new adult, is introduced into society at a formal “debut” presentation. Debut presentations vary by regional culture and are also frequently referenced as “debutante balls” or “coming out” parties.

What is Cotillion?

South Texas Cotillion is a social organization comprised of outstanding young women who have the opportunity to meet, build friendships, and network with other select young women.

Who is eligible to apply for Cotillion?

• Candidates must be a biological female resident of the United States and reside in Southern Cameron County for one full year prior to invitation.
• Classify as a high school junior next fall (apply during Sophomore year).
  
• Not have been presented in another debut or Cotillion.
  
• Exhibit high moral and ethical standards.
  
• Pay dues of $700 (in two installments) which includes all events over 2 years.
  
• Dues are non-refundable and include a $350 initial fee by June 15; balance of $350 due by August 1st.
  
• Wear an appropriate dress to each event, and wear a white ball gown to the ball (gown must meet the specified requirements).
  
• Attend program events (outlined in the debutante calendar).
  
• MUST RSVP to every invitation on time.
  
• Select a reliable young male escort (ages 15-19 and an adult male presenter (father or father-figure) for the Cotillion presentation.
  
• Must adhere to the mandatory standards (rules re: piercings, tattoos, hair color, zero tolerance alcohol policy at events, etc.)
  

If you live outside of Lower Cameron County (in other words, are you zoned for a school not in Brownsville or Los Fresnos),

Iyou may be eligible for Harlingen Cotillion Club, Lower Valley Cotillion Club, or Hidalgo Cotillion Club.

Please contact them.

When do I apply?

To be considered for Cotillion, ladies must first complete an application during their sophomore year.

The application is available for completion the day after the ball (late January) until March 30th.

There is an advisory board of nearly 25 women that carefully review all applications and work to indentify young ladies that will represent our community and organization well.

Is Cotillion the right fit for me?

There are countless benefits to joining South Texas Cotillion, such as developing networking skills, practicing time management, learning to respond timely, dressing appropriately for events, attending valuable seminars with information tailored to young women, learning and practicing proper etiquette and social skills.

However, we ask that you DO NOT APPLY if you are not 100% certain that you want to be in Cotillion. When you apply, if you are selected and extended an invitation, we are expecting you will accept. Please read all time and financial expectations prior to applying. We have a very limited number of spots and when we send out an invitation we are counting on you to accept. We do not send extra invitations. If you are not planning on accepting and if you are accepted you are taking the spot of someone who really wants to be in Cotillion.

Girls that enjoy Cotillion are responsible, check their email and phone regularly for information, respond to their advisors promptly, follow deadlines, and attend all events to make the most out of their experience.

Ladies that do not enjoy Cotillion have issues if they fail to RSVP, fail to respond to their advisor, do not attend events, do not read dress regulations, or fail to adhere to them.

What are the time & cost commitments involved?

Time Requirements:

The South Texas Cotillion Program is a 2-year program, in which the debutante participates in a variety of of events, seminars and luncheons to prepare them for a future as community leaders and includes the traditional Debutante Presentation & Ball. These events take place during the Debutante’s junior and senior year of high school.

• Mother - Daughter luncheon (Aug)
  
• Fall Lunch & Learn (Oct)
  
• Includes seminars in etiquette, dressing for success, financial literacy, stress management, preparing for college & women’s health
  
• Dress Approval (Dec)
  
• Junior Picture Day (Dec
  
• Presentation Rehearsa (Jan)l
  
• Debutante Presentation & Ball (January)
  

The schedule for these events is posted at the beginning of the program to allow for schedule planning for our busy debutantes. All events are mandatory.

Cost Commitments:

The honor of being selected as a South Texas Cotillion Debutante is one that comes as a direct result of the efforts of our young women. Selection is made based on a young woman’s individual accomplishments, outstanding achievements, strong commitment and exceptional character.

The South Texas Cotillion Program is a non-profit. The program is completely funded by the Debutante fee and it is financially self sustaining. Currently, the cost to participate is $700 (this covers the cost for 2 years); this fee is paid before joining (seniors do not pay this fee). 100% of the Debutante fee is spent on the Debutantes. The fee for the program covers the cost of all events.

In addition to the cost of the program expenses, the debutante will incur the cost of her Debutante gown and gloves and the possible need for family apparel for the Presentation. *Of course, due to her choices, these additional expenses will vary from girl to girl. The second year, members will need a gown and expenses will again vary.

The following chart shows projected expenses for our debs:

What is your refund policy?

Unfortunately, there are no refunds for any reason.

Are the debutante events mandatory?

Yes, please don’t apply if you do not plan to make all events a priority. Events are held on Sunday afternoons. We realize that our Debutantes have active and demanding schedules. In fact, their success has been driven by their commitment to their education and community. We schedule and post the event dates months in advance. As with other important dates, each debutante is expected to place the few mandatory dates on her calendar and work her other activities around those dates.

I didn’t receive an invitation and feel I should have. What can I do?

First, did you complete an application before the deadline?

If you completed an application, you would have received a confirmation email upon completion. All applications are time stamped.

Next, please consider that Cotillion is a social club with limited membership and we receive many applications from highly qualified young ladies. Selected girls must be able to represent our organization and community well and meet certain criteria. However, errors can be made; invitations can be lost. We now send an email and a mailed invitation, so it is critical that young ladies input the correct email address and check it!

What is a legacy and do legacies automatically get in?

A legacy is any girl whose mother or maternal grandmother was in Cotillion. Legacies are not automatically admitted into Cotillion.

Are sisters or legacies automatically taken into consideration, or do they need to complete an application?

All interested young ladies need to complete an application during the Spring of sophomore year, even if their sister or mother was in a past Cotillion. Sisters and Legacies are not automatically admitted. There are 100s of sisters and legacies and it is not possible.

Apply

Are you currently a sophomore?

Please read all info and expectations in the FAQs with a parent prior to applying.

(time, financial requirements, etc)

Our application is ​open from the day ​after the ball until ​March 30th

Still have questions?

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