Fall Rush as a Junior (SEC school)?

[flgirl05]

Hey everybody! So I hope I don't bother anyone with another post about a Junior rush but I would really appreciate some input on this situation since my situation (like all situations ) is a little different than others.

So I didn't rush freshman year because I didn't have my finances in order to do it. This summer (summer between freshman and sophomore year) I got everything in order and was prepared to go through with fall rush as a sophomore, but unfortunately for me I had to have surgery a few days before the start of rush and was unable to attend .

Anyways, my question for you all is should I do sophomore spring rush or take my chances on fall rush as a junior. The reason I ask is because I really dislike the idea of not being able to see what all the houses are like during spring rush (since only a few participate). I attend UF so this should give you a good idea of what the greek life is like here. I currently have a 4.0 (pre-med track) I am quite involved on campus volunteering, clubs, etc.. So I would really appreciate ANY input at all in this issue. I really am leaning towards fall rush as a junior, but do you think I would have any shot?

[AZTheta]

You might consider editing your post, as you've included enough information to make yourself easily identified...

And I will leave the specific responses to those who are familiar with UF recruitment.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by flgirl05

Hey everybody! So I hope I don't bother anyone with another post about a Junior rush but I would really appreciate some input on this situation since my situation (like all situations ) is a little different than others.

So I didn't rush freshman year because I didn't have my finances in order to do it. This summer (summer between freshman and sophomore year) I got everything in order and was prepared to go through with fall rush as a sophomore, but unfortunately for me I had to have knee surgery 5 days before the start of rush and was unable to attend .

Anyways, my question for you all is should I do sophomore spring rush or take my chances on fall rush as a junior. The reason I ask is because I really dislike the idea of not being able to see what all the houses are like during spring rush (since only a few participate). I attend UF so this should give you a good idea of what the greek life is like here. I currently have a 4.0 (pre-med track) I am quite involved on campus I am on two Board of Directors for major campus entities, I hold leadership positions in two other clubs, im in several honor socities, quite a bit of volunteering. So I would really appreciate ANY input at all in this issue. I really am leaning towards fall rush as a junior, but do you think I would have any shot?

Just to ask: If you are a jr. and very involved on your campus, shouldn't you already have an idea of what the answer might be? I'm sure you've worked with and have met enough NPC members on campus to know what the 'vibe' is when it comes to jr.s rushing.

[KSUViolet06]

No one can really say whether you'll get a bid or not.

There are other threads about rushing at UF as a junior with some good advice in them:

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=105616

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=112347

[flgirl05]

Thanks KSUViolet for the links to the other posts, they are quite helpful- I had read the one about the Junior transfer at UF but I figured I would gauge what people said about a non-transfer junior.

And SigmaDiva I have talked to some of my friends in sororities about Junior rushes and most give me an answer like "Well it does happen, but not usually" and the girls I am closest with are in sororities that for the past two years didn't participate in spring rush so they kind of offer no input on the spring sophomore vs. fall junior. I know quite a few panhellenic women, but I am not real close with them or anything so I feel kind of awkward to just be like "HEY! Should I rush as a Junior or Sophomore Spring?" out of no where, but I guess I will just have to start doing that

I'm just confused because I was thrown off my game since I planned on going through recruitment this fall and then had that curveball thrown at me which ruined the whole game

I think I am just sad that I may not even get a bid anywhere next fall or this spring (which ever I decide to go with) and will miss out on the whole Greek experience because of unforeseen events-but that's life I guess :P

[33girl]

Originally Posted by flgirl05

And SigmaDiva I have talked to some of my friends in sororities about Junior rushes and most give me an answer like "Well it does happen, but not usually" and the girls I am closest with are in sororities that for the past two years didn't participate in spring rush so they kind of offer no input on the spring sophomore vs. fall junior.

IMO this isn't a good sign. Either they don't think you are sorority material or else they think the sororities that ARE doing spring rush aren't right for you and they don't want to recommend them. Even if their groups don't rush in the spring, they shouldn't be completely clueless about it.

Don't ask random sorority women about which is better. Find out who's rushing in the spring and if YOU like them go for it - because most likely, unless there's a junior quota, they'll be the same groups you are invited back to in formal rush.

[DubaiSis]

Me personally, I'd go through informal with the intent of joining and if it doesn't work out then go as a junior, understanding that your chances are slim. Your friends may think the sororities that aren't at total are "not as good" as theirs so don't want to direct you that way, even though they know you won't get in theirs. This is not true in that just because a sorority isn't at total doesn't make them unworthy of membership. But of course, I don't know anyone involved here so I could be misinterpreting.

If your friends can't help you get into their house, I might try to avoid getting their input so that they don't cloud your judgment.

[AnchorAlumna]

I say DO ask sorority women you know. Just don't come across as "please ask me to join your sorority." Just ask their opinion and listen to what they say. And ask more than 1 woman, ask 3 or 4.
More than likely, the ones doing spring COB are going to be the only ones that would consider a sophomore OR a junior anyway. There's nothing wrong with that! It just means those groups have a little harder time filling their house than some of the others. You can have just as wonderful an experience at a small chapter as a bigger one. Not that any UF sorority is "small!"
The fact that you're already involved on campus is good. Let the sorority women you know that you're interested in pledging, even as an upperclassman. It could happen!

[33girl]

^^^RIF.

Originally Posted by flgirl05

I know quite a few panhellenic women, but I am not real close with them or anything so I feel kind of awkward to just be like "HEY! Should I rush as a Junior or Sophomore Spring?" out of no where, but I guess I will just have to start doing that

Originally Posted by 33girl

Don't ask random sorority women about which is better. Find out who's rushing in the spring and if YOU like them go for it - because most likely, unless there's a junior quota, they'll be the same groups you are invited back to in formal rush.

It sounds as though she "knows" them just to say hi or see their face. To ask those sorts of people makes you look desperate/creepy/stalkery.

If you DO know them better than that, please for the love of all that's holy don't say "Hi! Should I rush as a junior?" You have to get the conversation around to that in a subtle manner. Again, if they change the subject really quickly, DROP IT - either they don't think you're sorority material, or their sorority already has that taken care of for the spring.

[Barbie's_Rush]

Originally Posted by flgirl05

Thanks KSUViolet for the links to the other posts, they are quite helpful- I had read the one about the Junior transfer at UF but I figured I would gauge what people said about a non-transfer junior.

And SigmaDiva I have talked to some of my friends in sororities about Junior rushes and most give me an answer like "Well it does happen, but not usually" and the girls I am closest with are in sororities that for the past two years didn't participate in spring rush so they kind of offer no input on the spring sophomore vs. fall junior. I know quite a few panhellenic women, but I am not real close with them or anything so I feel kind of awkward to just be like "HEY! Should I rush as a Junior or Sophomore Spring?" out of no where, but I guess I will just have to start doing that

I'm just confused because I was thrown off my game since I planned on going through recruitment this fall and then had that curveball thrown at me which ruined the whole game

I think I am just sad that I may not even get a bid anywhere next fall or this spring (which ever I decide to go with) and will miss out on the whole Greek experience because of unforeseen events-but that's life I guess :P

I think your sorority "friends" have already been totally honest with you without trying to hurt your feelings. As other have mentioned, the chapters doing spring recruitment/COR are most likely the only ones who would be most open to a junior anyway. Waiting for fall formal may even decrease your chances as you are competing with many other women, mostly freshmen. A pnm in your position doesn't really have the luxury of "looking at all the chapters" because frankly, most of the chapters are not going to be looking at you.

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by 33girl

IMO this isn't a good sign. Either they don't think you are sorority material or else they think the sororities that ARE doing spring rush aren't right for you and they don't want to recommend them. Even if their groups don't rush in the spring, they shouldn't be completely clueless about it.

Don't ask random sorority women about which is better. Find out who's rushing in the spring and if YOU like them go for it - because most likely, unless there's a junior quota, they'll be the same groups you are invited back to in formal rush.

i would guess that that is not the case-that her friends are in more popular chapters and know that their houses rarely take anyone who is not a freshman, and the chapters that might be able to participate in spring recruitment are ones who traditionally are not as popular with the pnms. they know that the op is probably not interested in those chapters. believe me, there is nothing wrong with those chapters, except the stereotypes which are unjustly perpetuated on campus.

I would say go thru spring recruitment, meet the sororities who have a few slots to fill and see if you are offered a bid-that may be your only chance, since you will be a junior in the fall. what's the use of being able to see all the chapters when many of them would not pledge a junior except in the rarest instance and the same chapters that you could join in the spring would be the only ones that might offer you a bid in the fall?

[flgirl05]

33girl lol I didn't plan on just walking up to somebody I know pretty much in professional settings only and be like HEY SHOULD I RUSH?!? I just did that for message. J

I think I should elaborate on what my friends in sororities have said- I have known some of these girls for years and am close friends with them and I feel if they thought I shouldn't waste my time they would have bluntly stated it or if they thought I wasn't sorority material they would have been "shocked" at me bringing it up (since I have seen them do that to some of my other friends expressing interest... "WHAT! I could have never pictured you being in a sorority"etc.). I think they genuinely didn't know what the stance was on junior recruitment, like their response was more of an "idk...I haven't asked around on this subject." I think I am going to pester my friends to inquire a bit more about juniors rushing in fall.

I guess I can rush in the spring (leaning more towards it after everyone’s posts), I just thought it would be odd to re-rush in the fall if I didn’t feel at home with any of the sororities rushing in spring. Also, you never know what houses are doing spring till you are essentially at spring recruitment, and it’s usually a mixture of all the “stereotypes” some “bottom tier to upper middle tier” to give everyone an idea of what spring is like. I am just odd in the fact that when I make a decision I like to see all the choices available, and even though I might not have a shot in h*ll during the fall with the majority of the houses, I think it will give me piece of mind knowing that all the houses saw me and I saw them. EEK who knows

[Barbie's_Rush]

Originally Posted by flgirl05

33girl lol I didn't plan on just walking up to somebody I know pretty much in professional settings only and be like HEY SHOULD I RUSH?!? I just did that for message. J

I think I should elaborate on what my friends in sororities have said- I have known some of these girls for years and am close friends with them and I feel if they thought I shouldn't waste my time they would have bluntly stated it or if they thought I wasn't sorority material they would have been "shocked" at me bringing it up (since I have seen them do that to some of my other friends expressing interest... "WHAT! I could have never pictured you being in a sorority"etc.). I think they genuinely didn't know what the stance was on junior recruitment, like their response was more of an "idk...I haven't asked around on this subject." I think I am going to pester my friends to inquire a bit more about juniors rushing in fall.

I guess I can rush in the spring (leaning more towards it after everyone’s posts), I just thought it would be odd to re-rush in the fall if I didn’t feel at home with any of the sororities rushing in spring. Also, you never know what houses are doing spring till you are essentially at spring recruitment, and it’s usually a mixture of all the “stereotypes” some “bottom tier to upper middle tier” to give everyone an idea of what spring is like. I am just odd in the fact that when I make a decision I like to see all the choices available, and even though I might not have a shot in h*ll during the fall with the majority of the houses, I think it will give me piece of mind knowing that all the houses saw me and I saw them. EEK who knows

I don't think you're getting it. First of all, your conversations with your "friends" are approaching membership selection territory. Trust me, they know about their chapter's stance on juniors. But they're being nice and really aren't able to come out and say "We don't even look at juniors!" They are trying to tell you, in the nicest way possible, that non-freshmen don't stand a chance in hell with most of the chapters. To continue to pursue that line of conversation is going to put them in an uncomfortable situation.

Your chances of receiving a bid from ANY sorority at a competitive SEC school greatly diminish with every semester. You need to adjust your expectations.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by flgirl05

I guess I can rush in the spring (leaning more towards it after everyone’s posts), I just thought it would be odd to re-rush in the fall if I didn’t feel at home with any of the sororities rushing in spring. Also, you never know what houses are doing spring till you are essentially at spring recruitment, and it’s usually a mixture of all the “stereotypes” some “bottom tier to upper middle tier” to give everyone an idea of what spring is like. I am just odd in the fact that when I make a decision I like to see all the choices available, and even though I might not have a shot in h*ll during the fall with the majority of the houses, I think it will give me peace of mind knowing that all the houses saw me and I saw them. EEK who knows

Like BR said, you just aren't getting it.

Unless you are a superduper uberstellar person that everyone on campus knows and wants to befriend, it doesn't matter if some of the chapters "see you" or not. You are going to be automatically cut for your class standing.

IF this was a noncompetitive school I would say "yes, wait until fall so you can see all the chapters since you've never rushed before." But that's so not the case. This is one of the most competitive rush schools in the country. Go to spring rush and if you DO click with one of the chapters, and they offer you a bid, go for it. Don't pass it up thinking "well, when ABCTopTier meets me in the fall, they'll want to give me a bid!" This spring honestly might be the only chance you have to become part of Greek life.

[flgirl05]

Actually, I don't think you all are "getting it".
When did I ever say once the reason I want to do fall is to have a chance at a top tier house-the reason I wanted to do fall is to have the experience of being introduced to every house, regardless of outcome...I stated in my last post "... I am just odd in the fact that when I make a decision I like to see all the choices available, and even though I might not have a shot in h*ll during the fall with the majority of the houses..." I am fully aware of and acknowledging the fact that I have severely lowered chances of getting a bid during fall... I also stated I am leaning towards spring recruitment so I don't understand what the point of this attitude is..