Thinking of Rushing Again !

confused rushee · #1 02-24-2001, 12:26 AM

Hi! I wrote on here a few months ago when I was going through formal rush. I ended up going to my house on bid day but after an hour there I just didn't feel comfortable, and I ended up dropping it. It was just a really stressful time since we hold ours the week before school starts, I am a freshman, and I was stuck with a really bad roomie so I had a lot of things on my mind. Well, now I am in the process of transferring schools for other reasons, and I was wondering whether I would be able to rush again since I dropped the house like that before. The thing that really bugged me the last time I went through was that I didn't get into the houses that I really liked, I tried to have an open mind but I just didn't like the houses that asked me back. Personally I think I would be beneficial to any house since I had a 3.8 GPA last semester, an officer in 3 clubs on campus and am a down to earth type person who works hard, so it disappointed me when I didn't get asked back to the houses that I thought believed in that stuff. Enough about the past though! When I went through rush this fall I made sure that everything was perfect with my application, I am a legacy for AGD, AOPi, and KKG so I had recommendations to those houses plus a couple others just because family friends wanted me in their houses. So I don't know what went wrong! I am kind of worried if I go through again, maybe I shouldn't do soo much because I have heard of people not getting into the houses they have recommendations for some odd reason. It is a while until I have to seriously think about it, but even now I am having regretts for not sticking with it because I really want that close sisterhood that sorority life offers.

I have to go, but if anyone has some advice on how it works with dropping a house like that or how I can market myself better the next time around, I would really appreciate it!! Thanks !!

twinstars · #2 02-24-2001, 01:10 AM

at my school, Kappa pretty much HAS to take all legacies who are interested... as a policy... even though it is one of the strongest houses on campus. is it different at your college? did they cut you or did you drop them?

what college did you rush at?

about recs... they are NEVER a guarantee that you'll get a bid or that you'll even get asked back to the second round of rush parties. however, at some really competitive schools, certain sororities can't even pledge a girl who doesn't have a rec. they are used to narrow down hundreds and hundreds of rushees, since there really just isn't time to get to know everybody during a week or two. i think you'd be smart to submit recs again when you sign up to rush at your new school. as long as you are sure the alums have glowing things to say, you can't be hurt by a rec. in my chapter, a rec gets you a little extra boost in your score and we pay extra attention to you before rush begins. it gets you an extra look that other girls don't get. i'd say you have a good chance, especially as a transfer. the new place probably doesn't have to know about your situation... especially since you were never initiated.

twinstars · #3 02-24-2001, 01:15 AM

by the way, your credentials sound great, but the most important factor during rush is who you are as a girl, and how well you get along with the existing group. it's more important that they really like you--and want to hang out with you--than it is that you have a super-high gpa. keep your grades and involvement high, but next time around, try to connect better with the girls you talk to during rush parties. try to put THEM at ease during conversation. be genuine, and if you are shy, this is the time to get over it. part of the 'rush game' is making a good first impression, so don't come across as aloof or judgmental, just because you're quiet.

Billy Optimist · #4 02-24-2001, 01:21 AM

Go for it again. New school = new start. Good luck and best wishes, you sound like an asset to any house.

confused rushee · #5 02-24-2001, 02:18 AM

Thanks for the advice! My university has 14 sororities so rush is a huge event here, which is another thing that blew me away even after I had been warned. My family has attended this university for the last 5 generations and everyone was Greek, but they didn't push it on me. The favorite family story revolves around how my grandpa(SAE) and my grandma(AGD) met up here because their houses were across the street. So I still don't really have bad thoughts about Greek life, it just didn't work for me here when I went through rush.

The Kappas here are really strong, they kept me for the first 3 days of rush so I was pretty disappointed when they dropped me. I was really suprised at how I was able to talk to them like I had known them forever, before I went through rush I was not really shy but kind of reserved, but when I went to the first house I became a totally different person and it was really easy for me to talk to them. I remember one girl was interviewing me and it was her first time so she was really nervous and I helped her along, afterwards she thanked me for it. I totally agree that just because I have all these things to write down it doesn't mean a thing unless you have character and can click with the girls, which was what kind of shocked me because I had such great conversations with a lot of the houses but they dropped me before bid day. Oh well!

I have applications in at UNC, Pitt, and UConn so if anyone goes to those schools I would love to hear from you! By the way I go to a public university in Washington State!

Any other suggestions would be much appreciated! Thanks !

33girl · #6 02-24-2001, 04:34 PM

confused - yes, definitely try again!! Since you are transferring you can start with a clean slate.

You're a little more used to the whole college atmosphere now and that should help you tremendously as far as poise and confidence.

I am near Pitt - the weather here is as "lovely" as it is in WA state

. They have 11 houses there - I tried to check out who all, but the greek life webpage is down till next August or something.

From what I have been hearing, the admin is trying to get rid of the fraternity and sorority houses (the physical structures, not the groups themselves). Pitt has a lot of commuters, and depending who you talk to, either the campus is anti-Greek or the Greeks rule everything. It is in an urban setting next to LOTS of things to do, so the dependence on Greeks for social life is not as dominant as it would be at a school in the middle of nowhere.

shadokat · #7 02-24-2001, 11:05 PM

confused - DEFINITELY go again

You sound like a great girl from what you've got here. As for being a legacy, I am just stunned that you got cut from three sororities that you're a legacy at. That's ridiculous. I would think that those nationals have rules about cutting legacies. The problem is that sometimes the national doesn't know a legacy is going through recruitment. If at your new school, there is a sorority you are interested in that you're a legacy at, I suggest contacting the national organization and notifying them that you're going through recruitment.

Best of luck with your new school...all three of those places are great!