Rushing as a Junior at UT Austin

[UTforever]

I know this topic has been done a lot, but my story is a tad different. I went through recruitment at UT with a good GPA, recs, and knowing people in sororities. My only setback was being a transfer student and I was rushing as a sophomore. Rush was great until I all of a sudden had one house left for pref night that was NOT a favorite at all...but with wanting to be in greek life I decided to accept it. Its about been over a week since bid day and with not connecting to anyone at all, I decided to drop.

My question is, do I have literally NO chance of getting another bid if I rush next fall as a junior and I had accepted a bid last year? Even if I know a lotttt of people in sororities that are pulling for me and I have a good GPA and I get involved in other activities on campus?

If anyone has advice or in stores, PLEASE do share!
Thanks!

[Sciencewoman]

Did you already drop? I think this was your best shot. How many women could you meet in a week? I'd stick with it. A week is not enough time.

Next year's freshmen will be the ones on the radar for the groups. They're not going to be going out of their way to watch out for juniors whom they already released this year. I'm sorry to sound harsh, but I think this is the practical reality in this type of super-competitive recruitment scenario.

[IndianaSigKap]

Originally Posted by UTforever

Even if I know a lotttt of people in sororities that are pulling for me and I have a good GPA and I get involved in other activities on campus?

Those same people didn't help you much this year as a sophomore, what makes you think they will be able to help you as a junior? They may really like you, but they had a chance to make you a sister this year and didn't. I am sorry this year didn't work out for you, but I don't see next year turning out differently. What would be SIGNIFICANTLY different about your situation to offset the fact that you will be a junior? Only you can answer that.

[Missouri Ivy]

It really takes longer than a week, especially in large chapters. If you haven't already dropped, I'd suggest putting your heart and soul into your new member period. Go to everything you possibly can to meet as many of your new sisters as you are able. Any relationship takes time to develop.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by UTforever

I know this topic has been done a lot, but my story is a tad different. I went through recruitment at UT with a good GPA, recs, and knowing people in sororities. My only setback was being a transfer student and I was rushing as a sophomore. Rush was great until I all of a sudden had one house left for pref night that was NOT a favorite at all...but with wanting to be in greek life I decided to accept it. Its about been over a week since bid day and with not connecting to anyone at all, I decided to drop.

My question is, do I have literally NO chance of getting another bid if I rush next fall as a junior and I had accepted a bid last year? Even if I know a lotttt of people in sororities that are pulling for me and I have a good GPA and I get involved in other activities on campus?

If anyone has advice or in stores, PLEASE do share!
Thanks!

We don't have a crystal ball that will tell us if you'll get one or not.

However, I'm going to be very honest.

With competitive recruitment, results do not tend to be BETTER for repeat PNMs.

What I mean by this is that if you had one invite as a sophomore, it is highly unlikely that you're going to go through again one year older and suddenly have a full schedule of the most desirable chapters on campus.

Or a lot of times, there are certain chapters a PNM wanted and didn't get. They think that it will be better next time and that these chapters will appear on their invite lists, not realizing that the chapters they want (and who cut them last year) are likely not in the least bit interested in a 2x rushing junior.

You also have to look at the fact that every PNM in Austin has a good GPA, knows people in chapters, etc. Relationships are pretty important, but you'd have to know someone really well (and be Miss America who cured cancer) to be considered as a junior in some chapters.

Also consider that if having friends in chapters didn't help you as a sophomore, it may not do you much good as a re-rushing junior.

All of that said, if you can handle the fact that going through a second time does not always mean a more favorable result (and would be ok with only getting a handful of invites, likely to the same groups you were invited back to last year), by all means please try again.

Good luck.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Missouri Ivy

It really takes longer than a week, especially in large chapters. If you haven't already dropped, I'd suggest putting your heart and soul into your new member period. Go to everything you possibly can to meet as many of your new sisters as you are able. Any relationship takes time to develop.

And even if you have dropped, if it's only been a day or two, you could still call the new member educator and tell her you wish to reconsider.

[DubaiSis]

You REALLY did not give it long enough. And I concur that if there is any way to take back that decision, I would do it. Rush at UT is competitive enough as a sophomore. Forget about how much worse it is as a junior. Unless you have forgotten to tell us that you are Miss America or Taylor Swift that is. You had a rough rush, and that's probably bothering you as much as anything. If you'd felt like you had more choice you might not have felt this bad about your outcome. But the fact is most girls don't have that much input into their outcome. You go to 15 parties and you rank 5, but you get invited back to 9, which means your rankings didn't mean squat. Then you can rank 2, but you get invited back to 6. Etc., etc. It may FEEL a bit different, but the fact is that girl didn't have any more say than you did. But the house you have is a good one. It has to be. And they did NOT settle for you. Contrary to popular opinion, NO chapters take every girl they can get.

The sad but truth is you probably would not end up with a house next year, and for whatever reason, Texas isn't going to be expanding any time soon. The last time they expanded was 1981. The only other choice you have is to informal rush, and that would probably put you right back with the chapter you just dropped. The Big 6 (or whatever they're called) will not be doing any informal rush you'd ever hear about.

[cinder1965]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

You REALLY did not give it long enough. And I concur that if there is any way to take back that decision, I would do it. Rush at UT is competitive enough as a sophomore. Forget about how much worse it is as a junior. Unless you have forgotten to tell us that you are Miss America or Taylor Swift that is. You had a rough rush, and that's probably bothering you as much as anything. If you'd felt like you had more choice you might not have felt this bad about your outcome. But the fact is most girls don't have that much input into their outcome. You go to 15 parties and you rank 5, but you get invited back to 9, which means your rankings didn't mean squat. Then you can rank 2, but you get invited back to 6. Etc., etc. It may FEEL a bit different, but the fact is that girl didn't have any more say than you did. But the house you have is a good one. It has to be. And they did NOT settle for you. Contrary to popular opinion, NO chapters take every girl they can get.

The sad but truth is you probably would not end up with a house next year, and for whatever reason, Texas isn't going to be expanding any time soon. The last time they expanded was 1981. The only other choice you have is to informal rush, and that would probably put you right back with the chapter you just dropped. The Big 6 (or whatever they're called) will not be doing any informal rush you'd ever hear about.

Telling it like it is, straight up. Listen to these women, they know what they are talking about.

[Benzgirl]

Junior at UT: your only chance would be a chapter that doesn't participate in Formal Recruitment and even then, there is no guarantee.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by UTforever

I know this topic has been done a lot, but my story is a tad different. I went through recruitment at UT with a good GPA, recs, and knowing people in sororities. My only setback was being a transfer student and I was rushing as a sophomore. Rush was great until I all of a sudden had one house left for pref night that was NOT a favorite at all...but with wanting to be in greek life I decided to accept it. Its about been over a week since bid day and with not connecting to anyone at all, I decided to drop.

My question is, do I have literally NO chance of getting another bid if I rush next fall as a junior and I had accepted a bid last year? Even if I know a lotttt of people in sororities that are pulling for me and I have a good GPA and I get involved in other activities on campus?

If anyone has advice or in stores, PLEASE do share!
Thanks!

let me guess...your only setback is probably way more than you've identified. And the tent has spoken, and you're listening.

Originally Posted by UTforever

Most of my friends joined this year as sophomores also and all my roommates are in sororities too. And the fact that my friends are telling me, the ones in sororities, to drop and go for it again, is what is making me really reconsider doing it again. I'm also not technically "bound" for a year because I hadn't signed the agreement yet

FYI if you signed an MRABA after preference you are SOL. if your friends are new members they are clueless about membership selection. And where were your other sorority friends during this past recruitment?

BOTTOM LINE: why are you here asking us?

[Nanners52674]

Originally Posted by UTforever

Most of my friends joined this year as sophomores also and all my roommates are in sororities too. And the fact that my friends are telling me, the ones in sororities, to drop and go for it again, is what is making me really reconsider doing it again. I'm also not technically "bound" for a year because I hadn't signed the agreement yet

Are those same friends telling you to go for it again, the same ones that just went through recruitment and are now new members? If so their telling you to go through again means squat. They've never been through recruitment and have no idea how membership selection works.

Even active sisters can encourage you to go through all you want. NO ONE GIRL OR GROUPS OF GIRLS in the chapter can guarantee you a bid, or promise you a specific recruitment outcome.

[33girl]

This chapter is your ONLY shot at Greek life at UT. Make it work, or don't. That's your choice. You are also bound for a year if you went to the Greek life office and signed a bid card after pref.