Quote:
Originally posted by fighton10
I am at USC and I did not have letters of recommendation the first time I rushed. I really do want to be in the greek system, but I feel like the sorority I ended up in is not for me. I do understand it will be hard to even get a bid next year, but I know one person who did it (granted 1 in however many girls there were is not a lot) , but I'm just hoping for some sort of luck I guess. How do sororities decide who they want to invite back? Is there anything I can do to increase my chances of getting a bid from another sorority the second time around?
|
If you don't feel comfortable with where you ended up, I agree that what you really need to be asking yourself is whether you would rather be in no sorority as opposed to the one you're in. If you'd rather not be in one at all, then I say there's no harm in dropping and re-rushing -- knowing, of course, that your chances are about 1 in 100 of getting into your first choice at USC (possibly less likely considering which sorority your first choice was). If you would rather be in a sorority than in none, you probably should stay where you're at, because your chances aren't good.
If you are set on one particular house, you will definitely need to focus on letters of recommendation -- however, I'll be honest, those won't be nearly enough to make up for the handicaps that you are 1) a sophomore and 2) they've cut you before. You need to focus on the possible reasons why they cut you and start remedying those. Raise your grades, join other groups on campus and take on leadership positions, focus on your appearance. You will also need to make a number of GOOD friends in that house. And keep in mind that all of this, at a school like USC, is only enough to maybe possibly give you a SHOT at that house.
I disagree with some of the posters who say that you should never depledge and re-rush. Sometimes girls end up somewhere where they're uncomfortable and another house will be a better fit, and many sororities at many campuses understand this. (I can't speak for USC, but I know that this is not looked down upon on my campus.) However, you have to be realistic about your chances. USC has one of the most competitive rushes in the country -- quite possibly the most competitive rush outside of the South -- and posters are being realistic when they say that getting a bid from a house that has already cut you is probably not going to happen, even with letters of rec.
ETA: You have to keep in mind that many women feel the same way you do after bid day. Rush is a time where you get to see each chapter at their best, where all drama and negativity is carefully concealed and kept from PNMs. Being exposed to that drama during the new member period or after initiation can be an unpleasant surprise, and cause doubts: "Maybe I should have gone XYZ?" However, XYZ is dealing with the same exact drama, and had you joined that group you probably would be wondering if you should have joined ABC instead.
Can you elaborate on why you're unhappy with your current sorority?