Recruitment is less than one month away! Question time: is it common that girls go into rush without really knowing people in the sororities? Or does that tend to hurt rushees? I'm not friends with anyone in a sorority so I'm a little worried that I'll be lost in the crowd. Any thoughts?

<3gpinky<3

That's a bigger thing with deferred rush in the south. Heck, even I went through only knowing a couple people and I got into a chapter in Texas. You should be fine at IU.

Don't worry so much. Have fun.

This is VERY common. Don't worry about it! Many girls don't know anyone going into recruitment, but you will be comfortable and NOT lost in the crowd--you'll get to know girls in your pi chi/rho gam group and you'll probably stay in touch with some of those girls long after recruitment. You'll be meeting and getting to know the girls in the chapters, so it's actually good in a way to not know anyone in the sororities right now. That way, you can base your judgement on how well you click with the girls and how much you feel at home, rather than on the few girls you knew, rumors or reputations.
Good luck to you and we can't wait to hear your story!

It may be fine that you don't know anyone in any of the sororities, but you may want to try to secure some recommendations if you can in order to set yourself apart a little. Good luck!

Update: 2 weeks
 

Two more weekends till rush! We got to meet our rho gammas a few times during the last 2 weeks: mine is so sweet! Apparently I got lucky, a few of my friends aren't happy with their rho gammas at all!

So this is going to be one weird rush this year. Basically all the old rules have been thrown out the window. Members don't have to kneel below PNMs, we're allowed to touch, there is absolutely no limit on conversation, etc... Not only can you talk about the Forbidden B's, but the members can also talk about how much they want you back. They're even allowed to explicitly say that we'll be coming back the next day. But some of the sororities will dirty rush to make sure that they make quota. Ugh. We've been warned that dirty rush is, therefore, going to be HUGE and to try and ignore anything the members promise us. Oh, and sororites are allowed to invite back girls with GPAs that are below the limit. I'm still going to stay classy though!

This is beyond frustrating. Any thoughts?

As far as I know, IU doesn't use a quota total system, so not all chapters will be taking the same number of new members.

I think that allowing the members to 'lead' PNMs on regarding invites and stuff is just wrong, but that's just me. I think what they are doing is what gives sorority recruitment a bad name in the media.

Go with your gut feelings, don't get sucked in by the tent talk and be genuine.

Even if you are "allowed" to talk about the forbidden Bs, I would recommend you didn't. It's not going to give you any insight into the sisterhood, and it runs the risk of making you look bad one way or another.

I think this is a horrible idea. I agree with alphagamuga...even if you're allowed to talk about the forbidden Bs, I'd avoid them at all costs. That may end up counting against you, whether or not it's allowed.
As far as touching, we were allowed to do that, but everything else if off limits.
I think it really sucks that they're allowed to promise people invites back. Whether or not they're allowed so say that, though, doesn't guarantee that you will get invited back. I think that's just setting PNMs up for disappointment.
As far as inviting back girls with GPAs below the requirements, that is also ridiculous. I would definitely not support that type of recruitment and I'm relieved that my school hasn't changed things.
However, I think it's great that you're aware of these things ahead of time and that you aren't happy about these changes (as many PNMs would be)...good luck @ recruitment--I can't wait to hear your story!

I am appalled with a member telling a PNM that they will be invited back, as if that member is the end all, be all of that decision. This form of rushing sounds way to dirty for me.

Indiana used to do "bed rush" - only take enough new members to fill the beds in a house. Glad they got rid of that!

As I like to note, it's been a long time since I've done rush. But we were permitted to say things like "I hope to see you back next round" if you felt it. It sent the message that you'd like to see the PNM again, but nobody who did rush at my campus would have thought of it as a bid promise. Heck, you pretty much heard it as the end of every party.

Maybe this is the kind of thing that is now permitted.

pinky, understand that the rules you have been quoted are the panhellenic council rules-each sorority will have its own rules that it must abide by. even though you have heard that sororities will be asking back girls with low gpas, what the rule might actually be saying is that as far as panhellenic is concerned, the sororities can invite back low gpas, but , in reality,the sororities might still make grade cuts.

as many others have said, please do NOT listen to anyone tell you that you definately will be getting an invitation to the next round from them. you never know if they are telling everyone the same thing, so all the pnms put them down on their list.

forbidden "b's"-avoid them at all cost.

we are not telling this to bring you down, or make your nervous, we just want you to be as well prepared as you can be, so that recruitment works in YOUR favor. best wishes!!

Ha, recruitment at IU has always been a mess. Good to see they are living up to expectations.

IU still does "bed rush"...houses will typically only take the number of girls that they have "beds" for, since chapters do not have live-out policies...this is one thing that hasn't changed, unfortunately!:rolleyes: