SEC rush: open vs. fall
 

I am a freshman at an SEC school. I was not able to rush in the fall. This was contributed to several reasons- primarily being that I agreed before I knew what school I was going to to be a bridesmaid in a wedding that interfered with rush week. I now really wish that I had been able to rush. I have numerous friends in sororities who have been very supportive of me and encouraged me to rush.

One of my closest friends has told me that her sorority will be holding open bidding soon. I am now unsure if I should do this or wait for formal recruitment in the fall. If I do the open bidding, I have a good chance at getting a bid as a second semester freshman. I do like the girls I know in this sorority, but I don't want to cut myself off from other options. The problem with rushing as a sophomore is that my chances of getting a bid significantly decrease. In fact, several sororities do not take sophomores at all regardless of their resume.

I'm looking for some second opinions, so that I can make the best decision possible. Thanks!

I don't think it could hurt to attend informal recruitment, just be aware that you have a chance of getting a bid to this house. If you decline it because you want to keep your options open for formal recruitment, it could look bad on you from that chapter and if you go through formal and you actually end up liking your friend's house the most, well, you might not have a chance to get a bid from there again. You said you know several sorority women. Do you know other sorority women in other houses or is it just in your friend's chapter? If you like the women in your friend's house I don't see why you wouldn't want to join this house. Are other sororities doing informal at your university? If there is then I would check out other houses as well. As you previously stated, you want to keep your options open and you know being a sophomore you will receive cuts and this could possibly be your friend's house as well. This is really a decision that you can only make.

I know a few girls in each sorority at my school, so they are not in a particular one. I only know of two chapters doing open bidding here- including the one my friend is in. I have talked to some Greek upperclassmen, and they all had different opinions in the issue. I know that it is ultimately my decision, but I don't want to do anything without fully considering all the possibilities.

KSUViolet and I pretty much gave you the only options you have. Go through formal recruitment, possibly go bidless, possibly join another house, or even join your friend's -or- 2. go to informal at both houses and possibly get a bid. When you do go through formal recruitment again, you will be competing with a lot of freshmen with wonderful recs and sophomores as well. I think if you truly wanted to be in a sorority, you would go through informal because you are still considered a freshman. Going through formal recruitment as a sophomore, like you said, is a disadvantage at these SEC schools.

Also, I was just wondering what the upperclassmen Greeks said to you?

One told me that I should wait until fall because I would get the "full formal recruitment experience" and get to see all the houses despite being a sophomore. While another I spoke to said to go ahead with informal if I am the least bit interested in the particular chapter.

I guess what I need to do is over the next week spend time with my friend and her sisters. If I know that I could see myself there, then I will definitely do informal. Otherwise, I will spend the rest of the year getting to know more girls and go through formal in the fall.

This sounds like a good plan.

Kudos to you for thinking it out so thoroughly, and soliciting multiple opinions. :) I hope everything works out well for you!

Several SEC schools now have a separate quota for sophomores who are going through formal recruitment in the fall. Check with your greek life office to see if your school is one of these. If it is, your odds of getting a bid in fall are greatly enhanced. If your school does not have a separate sophomore quota, formal recruitment will be much, much more difficult.