OK, i read the whole thread. Although I am bummed, especially about the amount of money I spent, I guess (as hard as it is), I should move on. I think if I hadn't become so obsessed with the idea of joining a sorority and believing I would for sure be invited to one, I wouldn't be so upset.
I'm going to try to join our AEPhi colony and see how informal recruitment with them works out.

I am sorry that you are upset and hurting. But I want to caution you about "trying to join (our) AEPhi colony" as that is not how the process works. If anything, from all accounts colony member selection is even more rigorous because the colony wants to take the very top, outstanding new members to build a successful foundation for the future.

Perhaps you can take a step back from the situation and let things cool off. As a wise GC member wrote just today "build a bridge and move on" (paraphrasing). I wish you good luck in the future, whatever that brings.

This. PNMs who have family and social circle histories of being Greek don't need to go looking for advice on the intarwebz. If you know Greeks and/or are familiar with the school, you already have the resources.

I also think we do get a larger than usual proportion of PNMs who are simply awkward disasters and wouldn't do well in most highly social situations.

Sorry things did not work out for you. From what I've read, that AEPhi chapter is being colonized by an existing Jewish interest local sorority. Maybe someone in Washington can elaborate, but my understanding is that chapter will most likely be pursuing a traditional Jewish focus?

Yes, you are correct. I am hoping that the fact that I am not Jewish won't hurt me, but I don't know at this point. I don't have a problem with other cultures and actually love learning about them.

It seems to me that there have been more failed rushes that have been posted in the last year or so. I remember thinking the same thing last fall. Not so much before then. I'm not sure if it's a statistical anomaly, or if other factors are in play.

I don't necessarily think that it's because everyone coming on to GC is a failure, I'd lean more towards the competitive school/lack of resources reasoning. Not every PNM who goes through recruitment knows someone in a chapter or has had a family member that has been a member of a chapter.

I know I personally went through a competitive recruitment (obviously, Indiana) having come from a family with one Greek member (not at IU) and from a high school that has very few people go through recruitment. This made it pretty difficult to really know how to prepare for the cutthroat nature of a competitive recruitment, and being able to read threads did make it at least a little bit easier.