The only "tangible" I can think of is if your grades were in the toilet, and there was another guy they liked as much as you with better grades. So if that's a concern, bring them up before rushing at ANY fraternity.

Hey man. My first semester at college I rushed TKE. But I also made sure to check out the other fraternities. TKE is kinda the "cool party guy" fraternity on campus. The guys all liked me, and wanted to bring me on. Fortunately or unfortunately (depends on the way you look at it), I didn't have the grades out of high school to pledge first semester. However, this time gave me the inspiration to do better in school, and also gave me a chance to get a better view of each fraternity for a while before I made a decision. I began to see that our TKE chapter really wasn't for me, for although I made some good friends, i didn't really care for many of the other brothers.

However, I did become really close with the guys from our Lambda Chi Alpha chapter here. I really fit in, and everybody seemed to be close. It was at this point that I remembered some stories from my older sisters who joined sororities when they were in college. One of my sisters joined the "barbie/pretty girl" sorority, and the other joined one that she had a blast at their rush events. Can you guess what happened? Well, my one sister who joined the "barbie" sorority played softball, basketball, etc. in high school. This was looked down upon by her sisters, and made her feel uncomfortable. My other sister fell in love with all the fun she was having by choosing the sorority that she fit in most.

So I took their advice, and I went with Lambda Chi, and I couldn't have made a better decision. I still stayed friends with many of the TKE guys, and we still hang out.

Moral of the story is, be sure to check out everyone. If most kids are rushing TKE at your school, that's probably because it's the "cool" fraternity. Make sure they're the kind of guys you'll enjoy becoming your closest friends. And to be blunt, if 500 kids rushed, and only 40 were picked up, chances are you weren't #41 in line. Normally for fraternities, if you're someone they'd like to reevaluate and see come back, they'll at least come and talk with you and say they'd like to see you come out next semester. Just remember that you would be calling the guys who mostly voted no against you your brothers.

BTW, what does your SU stand for?

You don't want to join a fraternity that you have to accomondate.
The fraternity should fit who you are and if you don't get a bid they fare failing you not you failing in any way. Really if one brother doesn't like you that isn't the reason you didn't get a bid bc most guys in a fraternity aren't best friends you pick the few you are close with and that is the way it is in anything in life work school even your subdivision. You find a few ppl you love and a few you don't. Even if you are a legacy or have a 4.0 sometimes you don't fit that exact image. You can't push yourself into something but fit openly. A fraternity isn't going to take you for what you have or who you know but who you are on the inside. If you get along with them and fit in then nothing else matters.

I would like to know where TKE is cool? In no southern state that my friend is Greek at has TKE been liked.

You do NOT know how membership selection works in ANY fraternity other than your local. In some organizations, it can take a very few "NOs" to not bid someone.

Don't worry about the accomondation. I see lots of rejectment in your future.

I don't know how many votes it takes to black-ball you with TKE, and local practice may well vary from TKE chapter to TKE chapter. That said, if you really want to try again you should talk to an active brother that you feel close to and ask him to advise you. I doubt if he would say who or how many dropped the ball on you but he could tell you if anything in particular was working against you. He could informally advise if he thought you had a chance or if you pissed off a lot of people and may as well forget it.
It might be that some of the graduating seniors didn't like you and your chances got a lot better with them gone. It could be something unconscious like over using the word frat, it could be anything. This is why I suggest you ask a friend directly whether you have a chance and if there is something that rubs some people the wrong way that you could be aware of and watch out for. There are a lot of things that may mean nothing to you which you could down play without trying to be too accomodating.
Its a bit wishful thinking that your chapter must fit you like a second skin and you must be exactly what they are looking for. Everyman is an individual to a greater or lesser extent. What you need to be aware of is if you are saying or doing something that has the effect of putting your cigar out in the rush chairman's eyeball.
Ask, learn, if you have a chance decide if you are OK with what it might take to score a bid, make up your mind and go have a great college experience.

It really does depend on the chapter. Trust me, TKE has very few national rules regarding membership.

I really doubt it only takes one or two guys to "blackball" you from the chapter. It's likelier that a large percentage (maybe not the majority, but a good percentage) of the chapter didn't see you fit for membership.

And sometimes the guys you're friends with can either help or hurt your chances. Who knows, maybe the brothers you're close to aren't very respected in the chapter, thus hurting your chances even further.

There are a lot of factors and only the guys in the chapter would know why you didn't get bidded.

There is no way they can.

Unless they nominate Ronald Reagan to rule TKE from the dead, then everyone would flock to them.

I'd support that decision.

TKE National has given our chapters only one instruction regarding new members and it was given in 1907 before the Beta chapter was established. It has never been a secret, has never been changed and it is this.

A TKE chapter is precluded from considering the wealth, social status or connections of the parents, other family members or friends of the man presented before them as a potential initiate.

They may only judge that man on his own personal worth and character as to whether he is a suitable brother.

It has always been our way, we like it and we don't care who doesn't.

Sounds like an honorable policy to me. :)

Your mild obsession with insulting a particular fraternity reflects really poorly on you. Why do you hate them so much? I don't get it. It's hardly fraternal spirit. Every group has great guys and not-so-great. Smart and average. Rich and just getting by. Good looking and average. Jocks and brainiacs.

I'm sincerely wondering what the problem is.

a) I don't hate them.
b) I don't have fraternal spirit other than for my own fraternity.

Some are more equal than others.