What are some good ways to be a standout rushee
 

Whats up guys, Im James. I plan on transferring to Clemson University in the fall of 2011, and then rushing in the spring of 2012. (Ill be 20 then). My question is, what can I do to make the existing members go "We need this kid in our organization". I mean I plan on becoming involved with Student Government,another Service organization,and college republicans. Ill most likely come in as a soph, and will maintain a 3.5.-4.0 GPA as a Political Science major. Ive read that

The main reason I want to join a fraternity, aside from the desire to form friendships, be part of a respected brotherhood, and have a good time, is because I want to be "that guy" that fellow students look up to. I want to be a leader among my peers., and an example of a model student. I feel like going greek is one way to establish that status. I plan on attending as many pre-rush events as I can, and building a good reputation on campus.

So what advice do you guys have for making a good impression at a Greek rush function? I read that you guys hate being asked about reputations of frats and sororities at individual schools, but this is really just a general question.

I'll be honest here, but keep in mind that this is from a different campus (although a pretty big fraternity system). Things like grades, organizations, etc. seem to be a much bigger deal for sororities than fraternities. For us, we really looked at the personality of the individual. Our main criteria was simple...is this a kid that we all wanted to leave the party, or was this a kid who we could picture hanging out with every day of the week for the rest of our college experience? There were certainly some things that got some initial hype for the rushees when the pool was big and we were just learning who everyone was (sports teams, big organizations, one kid had even been on a hit TV show), but at the end of the day the kids we remained the most excited about (and subsequently bid) were the kids who had the best personalities and the ones that fit in with our house.

Go to as many houses early on in rush as you can, and get a feel for the vibe/personality of each house. Be honest with yourself about where you fit in and find the one that seems to fit the most (not the one you WISH fit you the most, huge difference), and then concentrate on that one heavily until you get an answer. In my experience, all the organizations and grades in the world won't get you a bid if they don't like you, and if a kid is loved by all the actives and has a terrible GPA and no involvement they will bid him anyways.

There are always exceptions to the rule...there was another Delt chapter we ran into at nationals who required that every incoming rushee had to be involved in at least two campus groups to get a bid. But for the most part, on our campus personality came first by a huge margin.

aight, thanks for the advice. im still gonna do the other stuff cuz it might be good for my career, but i totally understand how vibe/personality would be more important to the brothers. im a pretty easy-to-get-along-with dude who likes to get crazy as hell. so that shouldnt be a problem. im gonna rush as many frats as I can, so Ill get a pretty good feel. thanks again man

Quick Tips:

1. Try to avoid using the word "Frat" unless you hear other brothers use it (It's a pet peeve for me anyway). Also try and avoid bragging about drinking or hooking up with girls. Neither of which are charming in really any situation.

2. Be yourself. Trying to be someone you're not does not work. Best case scenario, you don't get a bid because they can tell you're a phony. Worst case scenario, you get a bid from a Fraternity because they think they are getting one guy, and they end up with another.

3. Treat these guys like your brothers. You know how they say, "If you want to be a manager, act like a manager, one day, they'll give you a set of keys." the same is true for trying to be a Brother in a Fraternity.

4. Do your homework. The more seriously you take this decision, the more seriously they will take you. Look up some websites and ask around. Let them know you know a little about them. (DON'T be a stalker)

5. Take some time to connect with the other guys rushing. Although not your top priority, it helps you better identify what guys they are looking for.

The previous posters all make valid points.

I think the most important ability, for fraternity rush and for life, is to be able to observe your situation and model your behavior accordingly. Picking up on social cues at the event is more helpful than anything else you can do beforehand to prepare for it.

The larger issue, unless I misread your post, is that you're planning on rushing in the Spring. Is their any reason you're not rushing in the fall?

I'm guessing he wants to use that semester to get involved in some of the other things he stated, so he'll have more to offer as an older rushee.

At a school like Clemson it would probably behoove him to rush sooner rather than later, in my opinion. Especially since his involvement is not as make or break as it would be in sorority recruitment. In rush, personality trumps all other factors.

Also, it can't hurt to brush up on your conversation skills. I hate to recommend Dale Carnegie, but...it's a damn good book for making first impressions.

It would be best to rush in the fall, but here are some reasons i wanted to rush in the spring

1. more time to save for dues (my parents sure as hell wont pay them)
2. more time to get a feel for the campus
3. I would meet fellow rushees during first sem, and thus have some partners going into rush (that may not make a difference)
4. 33girl was right, i did kind wanna build my reputation through organizational involvement, but if thats not important than i wont worry that much about it

Ill just make the best decision based on the given conditions, and hopefully everything will work out

I stand by my statement, but it's your decision and as long as you're comfortable with it then it's the right decision.

I have to admit - I'm biased. As an undergraduate member I see no benefit to waiting, in fact I think fraternity membership is an excellent way to become acclimated to campus, develop a social circle, and become involved in campus life. By all means become as involved as you want to; I wholeheartedly encourage it, but don't discount a fraternity as the first step to it.

If dues are an concern, you need to think seriously about your financial situation. It's not likely that things will change in the future that make dues a non-issue. Even if you save up through the fall to pay for spring, you may be in the same predicament in the next fall. I pay my dues myself, so I sympathize, just make sure it's something you can manage for the rest of your college career before you get into it.

As so often happens, I think Gusteau said a lot here. It completely blows when you have to lose a member because he or she can't handle the financial obligations, so for the ease of both you and your potential new fraternity, make sure you know what's ahead of you.

Can you work like a crazy person all summer to make the money you need to start in the fall? I think using the fraternity to achieve your goals seems to make more sense than having the fraternity be a reward for having met all of them.