Is it worth it to rush?
 

I am a 20 year old that is preparing to be a freshman at a smaller, state school in Oklahoma. I'm starting a little late because I wanted to work for a while and save up some money so that I could have nicer things in college, and be able to do things like pledge a sorority, but now I'm having second thoughts. I have been hearing now that the sororities dont like to rush, or bid on older potential members for some reason. I am nervous about going through with this whole thing and looking dumb if age is really that big of a deal. Do you know if your sororities really advise against bidding on older rushees? Is it worth it for me to go through with recruitment, or are the chances high that I will be cut due to my age?

Here is my take on it.....
 

If you are a freshman in college, then you have 4 years to contribute to your sorority as a collegian (not to mention all the years as an alumna). I would rush NOW, as a freshman. On some campuses, if you rush as a sophomore, junior or senior, it can become increasingly difficult to get a bid, only because you will be leaving college that much sooner and your absence means one more spot they need to fill that much sooner.

As for you being 20...I don't think anyone will know your age unless you actually tell them your age. Just tell people you're a freshman (which you are) and leave it at that.....

So...I hope you do rush and then come back and tell us all how it went! :D

I am a National Officer that works with chapters in Oklahoma at smaller colleges. Any of the chapters that I work with there would be happy to pledge a woman who is 20, even if she is a freshman, it wouldn't phase them at all.

If you have any questions about this, let me know. I think it's a great idea, so go for it!

Do it! Your age shouldn't be a problem especially since you will have four years as an undergrad to devote to a sorority. :D

I pledged when I was 20. I say go for it.

Go for it! Like everyone else has said, you have 4 years to contribute, and your age shouldn't matter. What matters is who you are and what you have to give. :)

I am 23 and pledging and I LOVE it!
Go for it!

TG

I go to UCO (a relatively small school in Oklahoma). I personally believe you'd be crazy NOT to join a sorority -- whatever age you are. The friendships you will have because of it (not to mention the skills and better grades) will benefit you for a lifetime. Go for it!

LHT
Kevin Taylor
MT 5
University of Central Oklahoma

You can definitly pledge being 20!! I say go for it!! One of the girls in my pledge class is 22 and shes loving it!! Im sure you will too....let us know what you decide and how it goes!!


Nichole

Just to add to what everyone else has said, definitely go for it! Pledging was the best decision of my life! It has made the college experience so much more exciting. Regardless of your age, you are considered a freshmen and will have a lot of time to enjoy sorority life. Best of luck! Let us know how it goes!

Just throwing in my support too. You said it was a smaller school, which means it might not be as competetive as larger schools and, as many people said, you will be a freshman reguardless of your age. Go for it!

Go for it :D Your age should not matter since you are a freshman and will have 4 years to contribute, and you will be going to a small school which as Leslie said may not be as competitive as the larger SEC schools and the like.

Don't worry about your age. I just turned 21 and i am pledging DZ. As long as you have a couple of years in college, I don't think it matters. And have fun with rush, hope you find a sorority you love like I did.

I think for sororities, the year in college has more to do with the issue of bids than age does. As several have stated, it doesn't matter your age.

I had 16 pledge brothers in my Pledge/Initiation Class. We had a guy that was 17 and a guy that was 26...and all age ranges in between. I myself was 20 when I pledged and turned 21 a month before Initiation. In fact there were three or four other guys that were 20-21, and a handfull of 18-19 year olds in my group!

Age doesn't matter, just committment to your organization. Hell, you'll spend more of your life as a Greek as an ALUMNI, so what age you are when you pledge and initiate doesn't matter. As long as your remain an active and productive member of your organization for years and years to come.

wow, thank you so much for all the encouragement. i was nervovus about it, but now im really excited, thank you so much!!!

don't worry
 

Since you will be rushing as a freshman, I don't see your age being much of an issue at all. You're still within the "normal" age range for a 1st year college student... it's not like you'd be significantly older or more mature than the other women who would be in your pledge class. Sometimes age is a disadvantage when it means you'll be rushing as a junior or older, since that means you'll have two or fewer years to be part of the sorority. Since you'll have four years to give, it should be no problem!

That's wonderful! I think you have got all all excited for you, too! Please promise us that you will come back and give us an update as to how rush....err...."Recruitment" (the new word ;) ), went!
Thanks!

I say go for it! I went to a smaller state school (NSU) and am now on the alumnae advisory board for my chapter. I pledged as a sophomore, myself...anyway...we regularly pledged upperclassman, even a woman who was older (25ish) and married...she made a great member and was so into the sorority thing! Groups look at your potential contribution not your age! I say go for it! Good luck!

As everyone has said, go for it. One of my best friends in my pledge class was a 21 year old freshman. She ended up being elected treasurer and got a sweet room in the house...

Where are you planning on going to school at? I'm a Tri Sigma at Cameron University, which is a small school in Lawton. You don't have anything to worry about with pledging at age 20....That's still young! We've had girls who were 25 and 26 and pledged. I've been in 4 years and it's definitly been great for me!

Shannon
~Sigma Sigma Sigma~
Zeta Beta Chapter

www.angelfire.com/ok3/sigmasigmasigma

Go for it!
 

I'm glad to see you made the choice to go for it! It will be a great time and you will really love it! Plus my pledge class had girls of many different ages! It's a great way to make long lasting friendships!!! UDZETA :D

I am planning on going to Northeastern State University. Thanks so much again for all the encouragement, I cannot even WAIT until August!!!
Britt

Do it!
 

Justhey76-
I would say go for it... I am one of the rare exceptions who pledged my sorority my SENIOR year at age 22! :eek: I attended Emerson College, a college in Boston, MA and joined the local sorority, Kappa Gamma Chi.
In my pledge class of 9, there were 3 seniors and we TOTALLY LOVED IT! I finally had found the sorority that was right for me (I pledged sorority XYZ my junior year, but dropped because the sporority was not what I thought it was).
So if I did at 22 and my senior year AND was accepted with open arms, then I would say a freshman at 20 should go for it! It is never to late to be a sister... trust a late Greek bloomer like myself!:p GOOD LUCK

Good to hear you're going to NSU! Fall Recruitment is usually held the second week of school or so...I'll find out when the dates are and let you know...I have to email the treasurer from my chapter today anyway as I'm their alum financial adviser! Recruitment at NSU is a week long Monday-Friday, with Bid Day being on Saturday. There are four sororities at NSU and all of them are great and offer wonderful things to offer. NSU does not have houses, but each sorority has their own floor in the dorms where about 40 of them live together. Chapter sizes range from the 40s to the 80s. The four sororities at NSU are:

Alpha Omicron Pi
Alpha Sigma Alpha
Delta Zeta
Sigma Sigma Sigma

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions!

-Melissa

I was 20 when I rushed and joined my sorority.

I pledged with six other girls...three were 17 years old, one was 19 years old, and three of us were 20 years old.

I wouldn't worry about it too much!!

Good luck!

Have a nice day :)

You might not have to. At the University of Central Oklahoma the chapters that fall below campus average which is 35 for men and I'm not sure what it is for sororities (higher I'm sure) are able to participate in open rush. This means you can sign any time of the year (except Summer).

LHT
Kevin
MT 5
University of Central Oklahoma

Sororities at NSU (and most schools who have formal recruitment in the Fall...maybe an NPC rule..not sure) are not able to take new members during the summer, even if they are below total for the campus.

Wait, I am confused then. I'm not at NSU yet (I'm just going to be an older freshman), how can I pledge before August? I wont be a freshman 'til the fall, does that matter?

I'm not sure if this answers your question, but I'll try. Some schools don't allow first semester freshman to rush or pledge. It depends on the school. You can find out the specific requirements and dates of recruitment at your school by contacting the campus Office for Greek Life or the campus panhel. I'm glad that you're 'going greek'! :D

I second that! I love reading about everyone's recruitment/rush experience...it's like doing it all over again! :D

I pledged as a 20-year-old junior. There are definite advantages to waiting until you're older than someone fresh out of high school. You can gain a lot of maturity between 18 and 20, and you'll feel more confident you're making the right decision.

Go for it! I pledged as a junior, which gave me a more mature view on how I should spend my sorority time. I was less likely to do anything pointless or unproductive, for instance, because I knew that I had just so many hours to study so I'd better not volunteer for the weekly float-making activity. (once, yes; weekly, no!)

Having two years of college under my belt also helped me to take an advisor-type role in my pledge class. You mature a lot between 18 and 20...and/or between the freshman and junior years of college...

Exactly, Carnation. My pledge sisters were glad to have someone around who was in the same boat as them sorority-wise, but who could guide them through their first term at college. At 20, you have a better idea of how to organize your time so you can make your grades, enjoy your pledgeship and fulfill the requirements for initiation. Our pledge tests were given during finals. I had no trouble with mine -- in fact, I scored the highest in my pledge class -- but some of the freshman had to re-take theirs. They just didn't know how to allocate their studying time. You'll also have a realistic view of when you can spare the time to go to a mixer, or when you have to stay in and study for a test or finish a paper. Remember, sisterhood is for life, not just four years. When you look at it that way, you're practically a baby at 20!

You cannot pledge before you matriculate (huh, huh, I said matriculate). If you were a freshman NOW, you could get an open bid. But you aren't so you will have to wait till fall.

Kevin - she still hasn't matriculated (huh huh) so she cannot do anything now. NPC doesn't allow pre-freshman summer rush at all - just the "2 weeks before school starts" variety. If she was a freshman now, she could get an open bid now and then start pledging in the fall but that is not the case.

Wow! I have never seen matriculate used outside of info we get from the national headquarters. Good vocab word;)

I agree with everyone else...you have to give it a shot! If you don't...you will spend the rest of your life wondering what if. My little sister just went through rush this past year here at K-State...she said that it was a tough process but that she did not regret it in any way. She also said that there were actually quite a few older girls going through rush. Obviously it can hurt you...it also helps that you are a freshman. Go for it!:D