My daughter went through rush at Texas last year and is happily experiencing the other side of recruitment now-work week is over and recruitment start tomorrow! Texas rush is brutal mostly because a lot PNM's feel they can only be happy in 6 of the houses. My D did not pledge one of those houses and yet she has had an awesome experience! Good luck to all the mom's of PNMs!!

Pledge classes of 160-200 NMs would give UTX the most crowded panhellenic homes, were only those six homes available.

She originally didn't want me to say, just because she was paranoid about something I said on here affecting her Recruitment, but she pretty much gave up on that when we dropped her off. :) She's at Alabama and loving every minute of it.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I should add that the four Recs didn't end up mattering, since that house was off her schedule the second round, and she wasn't sad about it.

Good luck to the ladies who still have kids going through. It didn't end up being as bad as I thought, so I hope you have that same experience.

Thanks again to everyone, and good luck in the future!

So glad she wound up in a house she loves - congrats! Rush at Alabama is tough, from what I've heard and observed when a friend's daughter rushed two years ago there (also from out of state, didn't know anyone). Glad it's over for you too - I know that must be a relief!

The girl who cried for hours on my bid day because she wanted her other pref house ended up being our VP Membership (rush chair) our senior year. I can tell you 110% that girl wanted to be anywhere but DG on Bid day, but somehow she pulled it together and gave it her all. 20 years later she’s still involved as an alumnae.

It sucks when the week doesn’t go your DD’s way, but I’d still encourage her to give those 4 house a chance if she ends up at some of them on Pref. Not every house is great at rushing but that doesn’t mean they aren’t a great sisterhood. Plus, how much of a “connection” can you honestly make in 5-10 minute small talk convos. The strong recruiting chapters make every pnm fall in love with them because they excel at small talk; their actives are well coached at the art of “seduction”. That doesn’t make their actual member experience any better or worse than chapters who aren’t so rush savvy. Just my $.02:)

I have to second this - it's like when someone doesn't interview terribly well for a job, but later turns out to be the star employee. I remember a few sisters who simply did not enjoy rush and felt inept at times with the small talk, but they were wonderful girls, it just wasn't reflected during the parties. Everything TXDG said about top houses being great rushers is so true.

I hope your daughter will give those remaining houses a shot, accept a bid and give it her all despite the disappointment and hurt - which can be hard indeed, I was a rush counselor my senior year and witnessed that among many girls in my group.

She might just wind up falling in love with those girls. I wish her (and you) the very best!

Update
 

She finished 3rd round today and has two new houses that she "loves"--one was near her top from the beginning and the other was lower on her list but she positively loves now--and then the third is one she likes a lot and can see herself in/making an impact at. So now the LONG three day wait until Sat. for prefs (she'll have up to 2)! Thanks for all the support...it's definitely been a tough week. I'll keep you all posted.

Great update! We all have our fingers crossed four DD!

The waiting begins. Round 3 has ended at South Carolina. Classes start today, so hopefully that will make the time until Saturday morning go faster. My D visited 5 houses for third round, and continues to love the same house. She says she'll trust the process no matter what, but I hope she gets the house she fell in love with.

It's my understanding that Moms go to the bid day ceremony. I would love to hear opinions on whether I should attend.

EliBean,

Your daughter will be a chapter sister of my daughter and a sister of mine! The actives worked so hard during work week and recruitment; they are very happy with their new Alpha class. I hope your daughter finds many lifelong friends and has many years of happiness in our sisterhood.

They let unaffiliated moms go to the pledging ceremony or is it just Bid Day?

Pref Day update! D was set to meet at Rush HQ at 7:30 this am. Got a text from her PiChi at 7 saying that she did not have her first party until 1. So she still had to go get her schedule, and then sit in holding until that first party! But they let them know so that they can bring their dresses to change into. She did hair and makeup in the dorm and then brought everything else with her. She was down to 6 houses after Round 3 and had three houses she'd be happy with, but ranked 1, 2 and 3, and then her 4-6 she really didn't see as a fit, but decided to go through with Prefs no matter what and see it through, giving everyone her open mind. She got her schedule at 8 am, and did not get her #1 which she was a little bummed about, but had #2 and #3! She then went back and looked at her notes from Round 1, where she had her (new) top house as her then overall #2 (behind her legacy) and "love love loved" them, met a girl she wanted for a Big, etc. So she's really seeing how all along, that it's probably been her #1, so she's absolutely thrilled to go there for Pref. The other house for Pref is the one that really surprised her in Round 3, so she's excited to see what Pref is like there as well. But this mom can finally eat/breathe/sleep, knowing that she's super excited going into Bid Day tomorrow and will have found a home! I DO trust the process, despite some heartbreak earlier in the week, and am SO glad she's kept her head up and kept going through it. She will definitely be rewarded for keeping her mind and heart open. I'll let you know how it all ends up!

Pref day! D got her 1 and 2. She absolutely fell even more in love with #1 today. She had a very emotional reaction and knows that’s where she’d like to be. She enjoyed the second house as well and said she would trust the process if that’s where she ends up. I’ll sleep well tonight knowing that she’ll be happy however it turns out.

We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

BID DAY!!
 

I’m happy to report that my my daughter got a bid from CHI OMEGA at University of South Carolina!! This was her #1, and where she thought she belonged.

My older daughter that graduated from USC in 2012, and was also a Chi O was there to watch.

So happy for my girls.

Congratulations to your daughter on her bid to Chi Omega!