Originally Posted by hookem2013
Hey all! I've been reading greek chat since I first decided I wanted to rush in March, and have read a lot about what everyone thinks about rush at Ut Austin, and since I just wen tthrough it, I decided to share my experience with everyone and shed some light on the whole process here at Texas.
Background information- I am the first in my family to go through rush. I went to a pretty large high school where many of the students go onto college at UT but only about 2 or 3 girls who go to UT each year end up going through rush. Many of the other girls who graduate from my high school rush and pledge at Texas A&M, Texas Tech, OSU, Oklahoma, TCU, and various other schools. I was very indecisive about the whole rush process, especially at such a large university like Texas, but I decided that it was smething I was interested in andwanted to do so that I could get a close group of friends at such a big school. I realized that there were a ton of benefits to being a sorority.
I spent a lot of time (and money!) getting together my rec letters for rush with printing out resumes, providing envelopes and stamps for my rec writers, labeling pictures, and printing pictures for them to send in. I ended up getting at least one rec and one letter of support (some 2, 3, and even 4 letters of support) for each of the 13 sororities here at UT. I thought I was pretty set and golden with my recs, because for a few of the sororities, I actually had women who were actually in the sorority here at UT write them. One was even the president of the chapter here in 2007-2008 (I got cut from them after day 2 even though I had one of the best conversations with the girl I was paired with on day 2). Another was written by someone who was an active who graduated just last year. (I was cut from them after day 1).
UT does a lot of dirty rushing throughout the summer. I was called multiple times by 2 of the "big 6" sororities over summer to hang out with them at orientation and various other events. At these events, the reality of rush really shined through. I realized just how intense it was. You could tell all of the girls were good friends with the actives and already knew them really well from high school, camp, and whatnot. Itwas intimidating, but I still knew I really wanted to go through rush.
When rush began, I believe 800-900 girls were there on day 1. It was so crazy that there were THAT many girls, because thereality was that most wre going to get dropped simply because theres not a enough room in 13 sororities for all of thesegirls. Day 1 went really well, and I was nervous about getting cut from several houses because I was not a legacy and did not have any close relationships with any of the actives. However, I was invited back to 9 houses out of a maximum of 10 invites, (4 being the "big 6") and I was really excited. Day 2 and 3 went really well. I felt like I had great convrsations at each house, and really connected and clicked with the girls I was paired with at 3 or 4 of the houses. However, I was cut from 8 of 9 of the houses the next day, and was only invited back to one, which had not been my favorite. Many of the girls had been talking about how all of the sororities knew who they wanted at the end and knew who they were cutting and inviting back at each round before rush even began. The last house I had was supposedly the #1 house here at UT and the eptiome of al of this "dirty rushing." They were the one house everyone knew that they knew who they wanted at the very end and were ony inviting girls back becausethey had to to reach their "quota" for each day. I ended up going to that house on skit night with a very positive attitude, since I did hang out with them over the summer and it was my only chance to be in a sorority. I tried my best at engaging in conversation with the girls I had, but I knew they were not interested and I had such a big feeling they knew I was being cut the next day. My Rho Chi called me the next morning saying I had been dropped form rush.
UT's rush is intense, and it really is what they say it is. Many of the girls who girl through rush here are double/triple legacies and are really good friends with a lot of the actives in the sororoities. Here, it's all about connections. Many of the girls I know who ended up getting bids were double/triple legacies and one of them was really good family friends with the sorority's rush captain and the other's boyfriend is the cousin of the rush captain of the sorority she pledged. It's all about who you know. I had great recs, but still it wasn't enough. I also know a girl whose mom was in a sorority here at UT, and she got cut from that sorority after just day 2.
Many of the houses really do who they want. On bid day, the actives come to decorate all the pledges' dorm rooms, and some of the big sororites hang posters with a blown of picture of the pledge and stating facts like what high school they're from and what acivities they were in and etc. on the posters as well as things like TOP GIRL! and MUST BE ONE OF US! and LEGACY! Supposedly they make these posters early in the summer and study them all summer.
Anyway, although I really wanted to be in a sorority, I am upset about not getting a bid, but I am not bitter about it, because the majority ofmy friends rushed and did get bids and are still amazing friends and great girls who are happy and still the exact same. Greek life is a big part, but it defntiey does not dominate UT. There are so many opportunities at a large university like UT, and there's always something going on around here, wheter you are greek or not. I just wanted to share my experience with you all, and best of luck to anyone going through rush here at Texas in the future or anywhere else! Hook 'em!
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