[DubaiSis]

Going through formal recruitment not only doesn't hurt you when it comes time to go through colony recruitment, but it will provide you excellent experience with the process. And in the meantime, if you find a home, then great.

The concern you're being warned against is that you might take formal recruitment less seriously than you should, not have a good outcome, and go into colony recruitment expecting to be a shoo in. On some campuses colony recruitment is extremely competitive, and it sounds from previous posts on GC that some girls don't understand how competitive it really can be.

My advice is go through formal recruitment with all hopes of finding a home. Do your best, have your recs in order, and have your wardrobe and conversation skills up to snuff. Because you're going to be a junior, no matter what you do you'll likely have tough cuts, but there's a chance you could continue through recruitment with a couple chapters. Then, when the time comes, if going through colony recruitment turns out the right thing to do, go into that as prepared as you were for formal. And maybe as a result of having gone through formal recruitment, you'll be more comfortable in recruitment-style conversation with strangers and have a better outcome than you would have otherwise. Good luck!