Question about eligibility to receive a bid after attending pref...

[eagleseleven]

I'm currently going through informal recruitment at my school (formal is in the spring) with two chapters. The way informal works at my school is that the chapters who are participating each have two open parties, and then an invite-only pref party. I preffed at both chapters and would accept a bid from either one. If I don't receive a bid, I was planning on rushing again in the spring, when all of the chapters are participating.

However...I've been told by more than one person at my school that if I even attend a pref party, I'm not eligible for a bid for another year, even if I don't receive a bid at all. I'm very confused because, having read around on GC, I thought it was only if you received a bid that you couldn't go through recruitment for another year. This concerns me, because while I would take a bid from either chapter, it is entirely possible that neither one will bid me, and next year will be my last year in college, so it would be pretty difficult and really kind of pointless to join for only a year.

So I was just wondering if going to pref makes me ineligible for another year? I'm guessing that this isn't the case at most schools, but is it possible that my school has a different rule or something? And would that rule even apply to informal recruitment?