Rushing as a Junior
 

I'm trying to figure out if I should rush in the fall. I attend a competitive SEC school, and i will be a junior during the fall. I went through rush as a sophomore but ended up dropping the house due to personal reasons. Will houses instantly drop me because i am a junior? and is there any advice i should hear before making my decision.

A competetive SEC school will normally take a lot of freshmen and sprinkle in a few sophomores. I'm sorry you dropped the house for personal reasons- unfortunately, they will just know that you dropped once you were given a bid. They won't know if you dropped because you didn't like the sorority you were matched with or if you were sick or any other reason. It is somewhat hard to get a bid after your freshman year... I don't think you would have a good chance, but maybe it depends on your personal circumstances. You didn't give a lot of info, so I would only think "probably not".

Were you actually pledging for a while and then dropped? That was the impression I got from your post. If that's the case, I think you should just skip rushing again and get involved in other things on campus.

ok, thats what i was expecting to hear but not what i wanted to hear. I know i wont have a good chance but i've always wanted to be in a sorority, and i still can't figure out why i didn't do it my freshman year. i know its late to do as a junior but i don't want to graduate from college and regret that i never did it.

i was in a sorority for a couple of weeks when i dropped it. it was a combination of financial and personal reasons, that i decided that i should drop.

what are sororities looking for during rush? is there anything i can do as a junior that will make me stick out even among all the freshmen and sophomores?

There are threads on this- even if you have a great GPA and recs out the wazoo, so do freshmen and sophomores. It's hard enough for them to stand out among their peers. If you've "always wanted to be in a sorority" but then dropped for partly personal reasons, then maybe you don't actually really want to be in a sorority. Find another group on campus to join and to participate in, and maybe that will give you whatever you think is lacking in your college life. Whatever that is.

Definitely take a look around greekchat for threads on this (although make sure you're looking at threads relating to rushing as an upperclassman at an SEC school because that is a different ballgame than rushing as an upperclassman elsewhere). You may also want to look at threads related to going through recruitment a second time, because the fact that you dropped out of one sorority's new member program also adds a hurdle for you. A lot of good advice has been given in the past and it may help you out, too.

Are you involved in other activities on campus/in your community? As 33girl said, that may be a better route to take.

so, going through rush at UF as a junior probably isn't the best idea?

depends on if you are willing to join any sorority, or just certain sororities, in addition to gpa, activities, and how well you sell yourself. do you have friends in sororities on campus?

No one can tell you if it's the "best idea," but realize that it will be difficult. UF is a competitive campus and even if you have stellar grades, are involved in a ton of activities, keep an open mind, have friends in sororities, and secure great recommendations...a lot of other PNMs probably will, too, and there just are no guarantees. Again, there are a ton of threads on UF recruitment that may be able to answer some of your questions, as well as UF alumnae on these boards who may have more insight.

If you feel like you'll have major regrets about not re-rushing, then you could always give it a chance. Just be prepared for the possibility of not receiving a bid. I don't mean to sound like a Debbie Downer, just hoping to give you some feedback based on things I've gathered from both GC and friends who were in sororities at UF.

A fraternity or sorority thrives on new members. Junior, senior, super senior, or whatever you are, groups should happily accept you. In the phire it up rush manuel it even encourages us to take these kinds of people. If anything, your pledge class will welcome an Upper classman in their group. I was 21 when I became a Delt and a junior and my life experience among my younger pledge brothers was welcome. I was elected into exec right away because of my life experience and even plan to continue working closely with my brothers right up until I graduate law school. It should not be a problem. Dues and active involvement are valid, no matter what your age is.

I don't think you understand the OP's scenario. It is not like this and whatever you just said does not apply to her situation.

This is TOTES not the case for Sorority Recruitment, ESPECIALLY sorority recruitment at a competitive SEC school.

Every chapter on campus will have thousands of women to choose from and a very, very limited number of spots. Why would they fill a spot with someone who will only be there for two years when they can fill it with someone who will be around for four?

Sorority Recruitment, at an SEC school, is not the same as fraternity rush at any type of school. While upperclassmen "should" be accepted (which is debatable anyway), they are not always accepted. In fact, they are not mostly accepted, either, just sometimes.

EDIT: I obviously should not have taken the time to use italics, as I was beat not once but twice! :p

i know my odds aren't good but as of now i'm pretty sure i'm gonna rush. id rather get dropped from houses than not try at all and regret it later. thanks everyone!