Did you not mention this during formal recruitment in the spring? They know who you are by this point.

I didn't because at that point I was planning to take a ton of summer classes to catch up, but I changed my mind and decided to go for a 5th year instead. I missed most of last fall's semester not being on campus at all (very sick) so I wasn't as known during spring recruitment as I am now, also.

If you are well-known and have friends in the chapters, don't they know your situation? What are they telling you about rush?

No matter what you want to believe, attending recruitment events is "going through." Plus you did "go through" formal in the spring. If the members of your perfect chapters really were that impressed with you either in the fall or the spring, they would have extended a bid to you. You wouldn't be a future sister, you'd be a sister. They didn't want to extend a bid to you.

Good luck with your eternal journey to be anything else but a future sister.

I didn't tell them all about my situation before spring recruitment, but they know my situation now. The friends I have in the sororities that I've talked to about it are really pushing me to go for it again this fall saying just be me and I'll be fine and not to worry about my age or the fact that I already went through. We go to school in the North its not as competitive as it is other places. A few of the girls actually went through their sophomore years and I know someone who went through as a junior, and they all say go for it, without the tons of freshmen, its an entirely different game, and that its easier to make connections with girls once they have an idea of who you are and you can get to know them better during the fall COBs, which will be my situation. So they seem more optimistic than other people who have replied to this, and I know that at least 3 of them would tell me flat out not to bother with their house if i had no shot, since I don't have to go to every house now.

It may not be AS competitive, and it may not be the craziness that is Big Southern School rush, but it is competitive in a different way - as in the chapters are smaller and "fit" really is a valid concern. Just as you said you didn't "fit" with the chapter who gave you a bid, the other chapters may not feel you fit with them.

As far as the women who went through as sophomores and juniors...how many times did they go through rush before they got bids? It's one thing to be a junior who (example of why someone might wait) finally shakes off her controlling boyfriend, decides Greek life sounds awesome, goes through COB rush, and gets a bid. We had tons of those. It's another to be a junior going through rush for the THIRD time....which no matter how you slice it, you are.

Just keep in mind that sometimes even the women in the chapter themselves don't fully understand how a bid list is put together.
Being a junior is a strike. Doesn't mean it's a deal breaker, but even if you will be around for a 5th year, it will be a strike.

so go through recruitment and see where you fit in, but don't be surprised if where you WANT to fit and where you DO fit are two competely different places.

Sorry for the double post, but this is such EXCELLENT advice!

I wonder if the OP is taking on a 5th year because she wants to seem more attractive to a sorority? I'm sorry, but if you can catch up in the summer as opposed to doing another year, why would you spend the extra money to be at school for another year? Sororities are more likely to rush a sophomore than a junior.... maybe she's trying to stack the cards in her favor?

Either way, I think the OP is out of luck. She's been around the block. If they wanted you, you would already be a sister, not some random hopeful on greek chat. Everyone thinks their situation is "special" and your situation is not. I saw it happen at my own campus often.

Bump to bump down the spambots.