I agree ... this is a great topic!! I actually attend the same school as Siobhan, but I have a bit of a different take on the suicide bidding thing ... Rho chi's are told to discourage PNMs (potential new members)from suicide bidding, & to inform them about the risks during the matching process; However, I don't know about suicide bidding being penalized here at our school (University of British Columbia (UBC)), or understand what indeed happened with the situation a couple of years ago. The reason that I say this is because I myself did indeed 'suicide bid' successfully.
What I can tell you all is how scary it was to wait for what seemed like eternity to see if I would get the dreaded phone call. When PNM are not extended a bid at our school, they are contacted before they show up for Bids Day. When I didn't get that phone call, I still wasn't sure ... it was torture waiting all night & day to find out for sure!! But in the end, it did work out for me
) Sadly, I know that it doesn't always turn out like this.
My best advice ... follow your heart, but don't be too quick to cut out a sorority & potential sisters that could very well end up being the right choice after all (if that makes sense).
I swear that I asked everyone as I went through Rush - how will I know which one is right for me? - and the answer was always the same - "you'll just know." And they we're right.
Best of luck to everyone during rush & be sure to keep us posted!!!