During Rush--Question

[ekumeed]

Hi ladies:

I was wondering how does any sorority determine how to cut the number of rushees down during the exciting week of rush. Is it done by a voting process of "yes" and "no" by all members? Or is it done by a majority vote? The reason I'm asking is because I'm curious. During rush, people at most get to chat for only twenty to thirty minutes. So, how could any sorority member vote on anyone? And what do people mean by the term "rush crush?" I hope my questions makes sense. I would really appreciate it if someone were nice and courteous enough to please answer. Thanks.

[33girl]

For many sororities, voting on membership selection is part of their ritual and as such cannot be discussed with nonmembers and not on a message board. Each sorority's process is probably a little bit different.

Many sororities are required by their national polices to cut women whose grades fall below a certain GPA. Again, these vary from sorority to sorority.

"Rush crush" is basically how a sister describes a rushee that she really really likes and wants to be in her sorority.

[kddani]

Hello-
I'm editing this and taking out the reference to KD. I will also be moving it to the rush forum, as it's more appropriate for that forum.

The voting process is a ritualistic process and therefore secretive. Perhaps some people will be able to give you some general answers, but please be aware that they may not.

Thanks!

[gogoaphi]

So, I guess describing the big sumo wrestling outfits that we wear to duke it out over who we invite and who we don't shouldn't be mentioned here?

Seriously ... they are right. There is really no way that anyone will likely give you a serious answer to this question. Also, my understanding is that the method varies quite a bit between the groups.

[sugar and spice]

As said above, for most groups the exact procedure is a confidential process. However, the general procedure is basically common sense. Something that I assume is pretty standard from group to group is that the women that do talk to you either "rate" you (this may be a yes/maybe/no way in hell kind of thing, a number ranking, or something else entirely) on how much they want you, or else they talk about their perceptions of you in front of the entire chapter, and then each member of the chapter rates you based on how they value those perceptions. (For example, if you have a low GPA -- some sisters might worry about this, others might not care, so it would vary & manage to take into account every sister's opinion . . . but if you're straight-out rude, you would probably score low across the board.)

There will be some chapters that, for whatever reason, will cut right away on certain factors (low GPA, lack of recommendations, upperclassmen standing), or automatically invite you back right away based on certain factors (legacy status) simply to minimize the amount of girls they have to rank/discuss, but this varies from chapter to chapter.

(Edited to add: I'm not sure why this question isn't deserving of a serious answer, given that it is a legitimate concern for many women going through rush. Howeverrrrr . . . I honestly feel that if you think about it a little bit, the answer should be obvious -- clearly, with the hundreds of women going through recruitment at some schools, there is going to be a numerical system that determines who gets asked back and who gets cut. Many sororities try to minimize that "just a number" idea, but IMO they shouldn't. We shouldn't try to hide the fact that sometimes the process is a little bit impersonal and faceless, because that's the reality of it. Not every sister is going to meet every rushee, and that part of the rush process should be obvious to everyone from the get-go.)

[Denise_DPhiE]

Since it has been many moons since I was an undergraduate, I think I can be vague enough to answer your question and not divulge too much. There are ritual elements to membership selection. Ritual as in solemn, serious ceremony elements. The actual cutting process can vary.

Girls can be cut based on a chapter grade requirement (obvious) in the first round

Girls can be sorted by a red light, green light, yellow light system by just holding up cards as each name is read. This will not work with 500 girls going through tho!

When you are being "rushed" (the convo), that sister is responsible for representing the rushee to the chapter. When I was Rush Chair (which is was called back then) and we were a new chapter, I expalined to our chapter that you should be selecting girls who you would feel comfortable respresenting your WHOLE group by herself the administration (or substitute priest/rabbi or parents for same effect). If that person does not embody the values you have as an org, then they cannot meet that criteria and would have been cut. So, the girl chatting you up at recruitment has the important job of representing (sellling) YOU to her chapter. Girls can get cut just becuase the person selling them is weak salesperson. Don't read too much into that but you get the idea. You should realize that 100 women do not need to meet you in order to know you are a good fit. One well respected sister (or two or three) speaking on your behalf either way is enough to cut you or carry you to the next round.

Let's not forget the NPC release figures. A group may only be allowed to invite back 120 out of 700 to the next round based on their recruitment stats from last year. Then lots of girls get cut who all meet the green light and grades requirement so clearly there is much more to it.

Someone in one of the rush forums made a great comment early this semester so I will paraphrase it here. Sorry to not give credit!

IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT (SEC SCHOOLS, WHATEVER), EVERY GIRL IS SUPER DUPER GIRL, GREAT GRADES, FORTY ACTIVITIES IN HIGH SCHOOL, HOMECOMING QUEEN, QUADRUPLE LEGACY SO LOTS OF GREAT GIRLS GET CUT AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIVES THEY HAVE NOT "SUCEEDED" AT SOMETHING WHICH IS A BLOW TO THEIR SELF ESTEEM.

COOTB

(Cat out of the bag)

Denise

[PM_Mama00]

Or if you're at a school like mine, the decision process is somewhat secret... but all in all it's a "you choose us, we choose you" mentality. It's a mutual process.

Also, there's no limit on how many girls can be invited back every night.

IMO, hit and run posters do not deserve replies.

But that's just me.

[gogoaphi]

Actually there IS a limit to how many you can invite depending on your chapter's overall rushing strength. In the new system, the strongest chapters are required to release quite heavily in the early rounds. But I believe there are other threads that discuss this subject in length.

Agreed ... the process is one of mutual selection. But chapter strategies on how to make such quick decisions vary.

[PM_Mama00]

Originally posted by gogoaphi
Actually there IS a limit to how many you can invite depending on your chapter's overall rushing strength. In the new system, the strongest chapters are required to release quite heavily in the early rounds. But I believe there are other threads that discuss this subject in length.

Agreed ... the process is one of mutual selection. But chapter strategies on how to make such quick decisions vary.

And please remember that not EVERY school is the same. This may be true for schools who have 100 or so girls signing up and coming through rush. It's NOT the same for a school that has 20-40 girls each year.

I duno how many times I have to say PLEASE DON'T EXPECT AND ASSUME EVERY SCHOOL/CHAPTER IS THE SAME.

[33girl]

Originally posted by gogoaphi
Actually there IS a limit to how many you can invite depending on your chapter's overall rushing strength. In the new system, the strongest chapters are required to release quite heavily in the early rounds. But I believe there are other threads that discuss this subject in length.

I thought of touching on this too, but didn't want to confuse OP more since as Phyllis points out, at some schools it is a moot point.

[gogoaphi]

too true ... i stand corrected. there are many styles of recruitment these days given the variety of systems we have out there. my apologies. i just thought it might be misleading to the OP to think that chapters don't have limits so why am i getting released after a 4-5 minute conversation. you know what i mean?

[adpiucf]

Welcome to Greek Chat, first of all!

I was wondering how does any sorority determine how to cut the number of rushees down during the exciting week of rush.

This depends on the university, the campus Panhellenic group and the number of women going through recruitment. PenguinTrax has compiled an excellent thread on invite statistics that you can read in the Recruitment Stories forum.

Is it done by a voting process of "yes" and "no" by all members? Or is it done by a majority vote?
This varies from sorority to sorority and it is not information revealed to non-initiated members.

During rush, people at most get to chat for only twenty to thirty minutes. So, how could any sorority member vote on anyone?
Recruitment is a weeklong job interview. You meet several women to get a feel for a cross-section of that chapter and they get a balanced impression of you. Just like you don't meet every single person in the company before a company may extend you an employment offer, nor would you meet every member in recruitment. You'd do well, if you are considering recruitment, to read through this forum and to contact your school's office of Greek Life to learn more about recruitment, sorority life and what you can do to prepare for recruitment (get good grades, secure recommendations, do community service, etc.)

And what do people mean by the term "rush crush?"
A Rush Crush is a PNM who is personally favored for membership by a sorority woman. This doesn't mean the PNM will get a bid to that chapter; it just means the sorority woman has met a PNM she would love to have as a sister.

[ekumeed]

Hi. I want to thank all of you who took your time to write your answers. I'm sorry if I asked anything that was meant only as "ritual" information, as I did not mean to have anyone divulge what they think would get them in trouble for telling or wouldn't want to tell. But thanks all of you. I'm sorry for offending anyone, if I did.

Sincerely,
Ek Umeed

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally posted by ekumeed
Hi. I want to thank all of you who took your time to write your answers. I'm sorry if I asked anything that was meant only as "ritual" information, as I did not mean to have anyone divulge what they think would get them in trouble for telling or wouldn't want to tell. But thanks all of you. I really, really hope that if I rush this year, I hope that I get invited back to Kappa Delta sorority.

Sincerely,
Ek Umeed

Well, then you better hope that no one figures out who you are. Because if they do, you for sure WON'T be invited back.