Our school's fraternity recruitment sucks!

[Proud2BaPhiGam]

Ok not really, but we could use some help. We're a small private school with 3-5 chapters. We have high out-of-state enrollment, but 60-80 men usually rush. This year we had the fewest number of freshmen rush ever. We wait until 4 weeks after freshmen move in to have rush, and for reason other than this is the way it's been for years.

But there have been changes brewing as of late. Three years ago the sororities moved recruitment from the 2nd week of classes (3rd week on campus) to orientation the week before classes. Their numbers have never been higher. This year we had men pref their top pick before they saw two nights of formal presentations; 100% of them went to their first choice three days later on Bid Day (point: the work had been done before and we wasted two days and plenty of cash).

After Bid Day we presented the new members with surveys, the vast majority said rush was too late and they had their minds made up before the week began. IFC has been tasked with coming up with a solution. I think moving it up to orientation week is a great idea. It will force us to do do better summer rush (which really did suck); we'll be able to get them while their minds are open and schedules are clear; and it is less taxing on members and budgets.

Do any of you have advice, thoughts on having fraternity rush orientation week? General advice on how to increase recruitment from the IFC side?