Formal vs. Informal

[sdbeta1]

Basically, which is better?

[Firehouse]

You asked which is better for fraternities.

Informal rush is better for fraternities for these reasons:

1. Formal rush guarantees a pledge class but makes fraternities lazy. They tend to rush who shows up rather than seeking out the top candidates on campus.

2. If there's an off-year in overall numbers or quality in formal rush, the fraternities will tend not to correct it by aggressively going into the student body and getting new members. They'll tend to stay in their houses and rationalize.

3. Many of the guys who go through formal rush are attracted by the image of fraternities that they have seen in Animal House or spring break videos. Nothing wrong with having those guys in a chapter, but there's a problem when they become the big majority.

4. Formal rush generally does not attract the already-established campus leaders who are not Greek, nor the varsity athletes who are not Greek. Those guys tend not to join fraternities unless it's a small private campus.

5. For the reasons above, a lot of men who would be good members do not join. Varsity athletes, campus leaders, serious students often choose not to go through formal rush. As a result, the chapters turn inward and hazing becomes more likely.

6. With formal rush, the chapters learn not to work hard to seek out top candidates on campus. That takes effort and organization. The payoff is tremendous for a chapter willing to recruit all year round, and to go after the top names and faces on campus.
There are exceptions: top fraternities at Ole Miss will each pull 50-70 pledges out of formal rush. Quarterbacks Archie and Eli Manning are Sigma Nus; a lot of ole miss atheltes pledge fraternities (not in formal rush). And, fraternity men run most campus organizations.
Small private universities like Wofford, Duke, Wake, SMU and others make formal rush work well. But generally - generally - the larger the campus, the less helpful formal rush is for the fraternity system.

[sdbeta1]

I like your explanation on the different type of guys that join through formal and informal rushing. I have also seen that informal rush, while takes a longer amount of time and more dedication, has the ability to produce results that formal can't touch. I am not excluding the fact that there are men that go through formal who are excellent candidates, as there are plenty as well. But with an informal system, you aren't competing with other fraternities for the same guys. There may be some who are interested in a couple, but informal provides a more laid back setting where a potential pledge can get deep inside the house as opposed to seeing little at a time.

[Akkus]

So when we look at fraternities' perspective informal rush is much better. Is it any different when we look at rushees' perspective? What are the advantages and disadvantages of both systems for people who are rushing?

[Tom Earp]

I am wondering about the discussion is all about here?

There seems to be talks about which is best among Sororities and Fraternieties as I have heard.

There should be a combonation of both, Formal and Informal.
We used to have Formalo Rush which was a Cattle Call.

Everyone did it and that was all there was.

Now, there is an open recruitment in some colleges.

But, why not really try the combonation of both ways.

Do not Lock PNMers into a system.

If they are not comfortable with one, then there is also the possibility of recruitment coming in at a more relaxed pace. This does give an open door for more people to actually check out the local GLOs.

Many in the Southern Schools are going to be Legacies and have4 only one place that parental apptitude will allow them.

If they are not gong into Mom/Dads, they are not going anywhere! DA!

[Firehouse]

I've never thought about it, but I suppose formal rush is best for the rushees because they see every house and every house sees them. Informal rush makes is more difficult to connect with a particular house, especially if you don't know anyone there.
As a rush chairman I prefer informal rush since that gives me and my chapter every advantage. For the top houses with the best reputations, I suppose the ideal combination would be intense summer rush with open pledging, followed by formal rush in the fall so I could have a shot at anyone I'd missed.

The University of Arkansas had that system; so did Missouri, Kansas and Kansas State. I don't know what they have today.

[TSteven]

Firehouse - excellent posts.

I would also add spring rush to the mix. Some guys may be under the chapter's radar until the middle of the fall semester. Or they might just want to wait until spring to rush. Fraternity rush should be 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

[Firehouse]

Yes. What TSteven said.

[EE-BO]

A good house gets most of its guys well before formal rush starts, but during formal rush you will find guys worth pledging who are not necessarily from schools or backgrounds where they know to start attending events during the summer.

Spring is important too. Again- lots of quality candidates who maybe wanted to wait a semester before pledging, or came to college not knowing much about the Greek system.

A fraternity is only as good as its last pledge class. Until you have your chapter's ideal number of pledges, and good ones, lined up- you better take advantage of every recruiting opportunity you have.

And ideally you will have a strong informal rush program as well as a plan to be aggressive during whatever formal rush plan your school enforces for fraternities.

[Akkus]

Then doesn't informal rush mean a big number of bidless rushees?

[Firehouse]

I'm not being flip, but I've never heard any guy say, "Gosh I really wanted to join a fraternity but no one would have me." Problems are created when a rushee decides that it's one house or nothing. There's always a fraternity who will take a man who wants in.
It's not at all like the sorority rush where there are a limited number of slots available. Men react very badly to anyone trying to limit their size or make them conform to sorority notions like "quota" or "limitation." Fraternities can take as many or as few as they like.

[EE-BO]

Originally Posted by Akkus

Then doesn't informal rush mean a big number of bidless rushees?

It varies by chapter, but for us informal rush was during the summer before freshman year and by invitation only. Since Texas is a state school, most of your potential pledges will come from Houston, Dallas, Austin or San Antonio- and typically there is a rush captain for each city who organizes events in that city and invites people recommended/recruited by brothers from that city.

But, at least for us, it was never a cattle call. Summer informal rush is when you lock in the guys who the chapter knows about and wants to bid. It is expensive and time-consuming since you are not just hosting stuff in the chapter house, so efforts are focused on top candidates who are often rushing other houses at the same time.

Again, you get some solid guys in formal rush- but the real competition for pledges is in the summer.

[srmom]

My son is a senior and will be going through rush next year. I honestly have no idea how fraternity rush works. I was in a sorority that had deferred rush, my husband was in a frat that had fall rush, but it was a long time ago, so we are clueless. My son knows some guys that are in fraternities at the school he will be attending and they all say he should join their frat. It sounds like it is mostly like EE BO is saying, and he will be invited to parties at those houses this spring and summer, but will he ever get a chance to see or be seen by other fraternities? My older son went to UF and is involved in a sport so chose not to do the frat thing, but the summer before, they sent questionaires for him to fill out (he didn't because he didn't want to rush), is this general practice? At my sr son's high school, it seems like all the guys tend to join certain fraternities at this college, so are these the only parties he will go to? I don't necessarily have a problem with this because the guys we know are great, but I would like him to have options. Any info would be appreciated.

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by srmom

My son is a senior and will be going through rush next year. I honestly have no idea how fraternity rush works. I was in a sorority that had deferred rush, my husband was in a frat that had fall rush, but it was a long time ago, so we are clueless. My son knows some guys that are in fraternities at the school he will be attending and they all say he should join their frat. It sounds like it is mostly like EE BO is saying, and he will be invited to parties at those houses this spring and summer, but will he ever get a chance to see or be seen by other fraternities? My older son went to UF and is involved in a sport so chose not to do the frat thing, but the summer before, they sent questionaires for him to fill out (he didn't because he didn't want to rush), is this general practice? At my sr son's high school, it seems like all the guys tend to join certain fraternities at this college, so are these the only parties he will go to? I don't necessarily have a problem with this because the guys we know are great, but I would like him to have options. Any info would be appreciated.

A lot of southern chapters (big and not so big) have rush parties in the summers. Most are ways to meet potential members, get to know them, and let them know about the chapter. Some campuses allow the chapters to offer bids during summer. My own chapter would hold a couple of summer rush parties, but could not give out bids until official rush and bid day.

Guys from the same hs will tend to join the same fraternities at colleges. It's easy to judge someone when a member can say: "I know this guy and can vouch for him." or "This guy is my cousin's best friend. He's good." I think it happens a lot.

By all means, if your son wants, he does not have to sign or accept a bid before school and rush begins. He can wait and go to the parties and get to meet and know as many of the chapters as he can. Personally, I think it's a good idea.

[Tom Earp]

As we all know, "The Fall Rush" is the most important in many minds.

New PMM's.

But as has been pointed out in the "Old South States", recruitment is done during the summer and for legacies.

The cattle call of the fall gets over whelming for new kids coming to school and look at the Chapter Buildings, not the people on the inside.

While a Formal Recruitment is good, how many really sign up for it as they are scared of what they may not know or feel they cannot afford it? They want to find out a little more before thay make a comitment.

Formal recruitment can be good, but it doesn't stop there does it.

I am amazed how few schools and Greeks do not worry about Spring recruitment? I have preached for years about Spring Recruitment.

A new Frosh can get an idea and meet people on a one to one basis, visit and see if they fit in. See if they can afford sometning they are not sure about joining.

Kids today are Dumber and yet smarter with less money because of the economy.

It has to be proven to them that they will get out of the Union for the moneies worth.

Someone once said on a thread, We don't tell them the costs. How stupid. Cost is an important part of to days Greek Life.

We as GLOs have to compete with many parts of College life including the cost of living in a House if there is one.

But, never forget, We have to sell ourselves not just a Building.