Supersize recruitment!!

[hoosieral]

I have been lurking on here for a while and finally decided to post my story. My story may not be like others you have read, but I hope it will be interesting. I wanted to share my experience so maybe other girls can learn something from it (especially for rushing at a big, competitive university!). I went to a big state school where rush is very competitive. There were 20 sororities at the time which I will use countries for code names. Anyone interested? If not, I won't continue.

[sigmagirl10]

Definitely interested! We love reading recruitment stories and I personally am a fan of the retro ones, myself.

[cinder1965]

Yep, bring it!

[hoosieral]

Ok so here is the first part: the whole thing is really long, but I will try to do it all within a few days so that its easier to follow along. The 20 sororities are:
Switzerland
Spain
France
Germany
England
Russia Australia
Hungary
Romania
Mexico
Canada
Greece
Poland
Iceland Greenland
South Africa
Argentina
Italy
Guatemala
Netherlands



So rush started in December and the first round took place over two days. It was exhausting, 10 houses a day, but fun too. The first round we traveled with our rho gamma groups to each house. I don’t remember everything a lot of details from rush because it was a few years ago, but my first house that day was the Netherlands.
I don’t remember the order after that, but things that stuck out: Spain was my legacy house and I really liked them, England was really sweet but I felt like they were trying too hard to get me to like them, a girl that rushed me even said “I could so see you in England” which their not supposed to say. Italy and Mexico had the prettiest houses and Italy is supposed to be the top house, but I didn’t really like them. Hungary didn’t have their house so we met them in a building on campus, they were a brand new-colony at this time and I tried not to let them sway my opinion, but to be honest I could tell I didn’t want to be in them. At Australia, I remember zoning out and I had to be like sorry, what? To the girl rushing me. I remember thinking that I wasn’t going to be invited back there. Greece was everyone’s favorite house-nice girls, and great house. They had to make some heavy cuts because everyone ranked them high. My last house of round 1 was Greenland and I don’t really remember much about them because I was so exhausted, but their known for being really smart and they always are in the top for GPA.

[hoosieral]

Round 2 started after winter break (we had to come back a week early for rush before school started). Lots of cuts were made for GPA. I had a fairly good GPA, way above the minimum required so I wasn’t too worried about it. Round 2 was 14 party -spread out over two days. I got 8 houses back:

Spain
Germany
England
Hungary
Romania
South Africa
Argentina
Guatemala



This was skit day so we got to see a skit by each house.
Spain: Legacy chapter. I was really happy to go back because I really had liked these girls and felt a connection with them.
Germany: I was surprised they had invited me back because I hadn’t felt like I made a connection with the girls rushing me, but this time I really connected with the girls I talked to and loved their skit!
England: This was the house that had the girl that told me I was so an England. I didn’t let that affect me and realized she was just nervous and wanted me to like her house. The girl who rushed me this time was so nice and we connected so much!
Hungary: The chapter with no house, I really wanted to like them, but I knew I wanted to live in one of those big pretty houses that all the other chapters had. They were nice though, a little too eager, but nice.
Romania: I loved this house! Their skit was so cute and funny and I could see myself really fitting in with Romania.
South Africa: I really liked them again too. I was double rushed this round, but I connected well with the rusher and the other PNM. I also thought their skit was the best out of them all.
Argentina: Their house is gorgeous and I really loved the girls I talked too
Guatemala: Loved them. A lot of girls in this house are in my major and we really connected. I was sad to leave this house.


After the second day of 14 party, we had to rank our top 8. Since I only had 8, I just ranked them all top to bottom My list was:
Guatemala
Romania
Spain
Argentina
South Africa
Germany
England
Hungary

[DubaiSis]

I love how every one of us knows EXACTLY which school. There are some schools that are unique in their rush process and number of chapters. No need for anonymity on that point (but far be it from to do the outing).

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

I love how every one of us knows EXACTLY which school. There are some schools that are unique in their rush process and number of chapters. No need for anonymity on that point (but far be it from to do the outing).

Even I know what school it is and I NEVER know

[lovespink88]

The username doesn't quite leave room for anonymity either

[hoosieral]

Originally Posted by lovespink88

The username doesn't quite leave room for anonymity either

Lol true. but maybe I just am from Indiana? Yes You all can figure out what school it is, I just didn't mention it because I wanted it to be more about the process. So continuing on...

The next day was 8 party which took place all in one day. I got back: Spain
South Africa
England
Hungary


I was sad not to have Guatemala and Romania back because I had loved them and felt like (especially at Guatemala) that they had loved me too.


This round was philanthropy and we learned about each chapter’s philanthropy. The order of my parties was:
Hungary: I really liked their philanthropy, but still had my heart set on a chapter with a house so I wasn’t too excited about them overall

Spain: Still really liked them a lot

England: Really liked them. The girls I talked to were really nice and you could tell they loved their chapter. Also really liked their philanthropy.
South Africa: Loved them again. The girls I have met so far in here are awesome and I really connected with them. I could seem myself fitting in well with this group


After that day was over, I ranked them:
South Africa
Spain
England
Hungary

[lovespink88]

I was debating to even comment about the school but figured I would not be the first in this tread. No worries hoosieral!! I'm enjoying your story!!!

[cinder1965]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

I love how every one of us knows EXACTLY which school. There are some schools that are unique in their rush process and number of chapters. No need for anonymity on that point (but far be it from to do the outing).

I have figured this school out too and I NEVER know what school LOL.

[hoosieral]

The next night was pref night where we could go to a maximum of three parties. I got back:


England
Hungary


At first I was really hurt that Spain had cut me, but after giving it more thought I realized I more wanted to be a Spain because a lot of my relatives and family friends were in Spain, but Spain here wouldn’t have been a good fit for me. And I was really crushed about not getting back South Africa! I had really connected with them and it certainly felt like they were feeling the same. However, they had invited a ton of girls back for eight party so they had to do major cuts before pref. I decided to keep my chin up and continue on with pref and give England and Hungary more of a chance.
England was first and their ceremony was so sweet and touching. I realized these girls really cared about each other and weren’t putting on appearances. They had a tight sisterhood. We only talked to on girl this round and I ended up with a girl I had talked to at previous parties and really liked. She was so sweet and made me feel like England really wanted me.
Hungary was last and their ceremony was also really touching and sweet. I was surprised at how close they all seemed even though they had just colonized this year. They really cared about making Hungary the best chapter it could be.


When ranking, I put England first and Hungary seconded. I would have been happy with a bid from either, but I really would have preferred to live in a house than not to.

[lovespink88]

Looking forward to hearing the ending!

[hoosieral]

Bid day was the next day and it was also the first day of second semester! I guarantee all of us PNMS were not even thinking about our new classes, we just wanted to get our bids! Finally, after what seemed like the longest day in history, it was time. I really do not like how they gave out bids and I hope the system will change. We waited in our dorm rooms and our rho gamma would come in and either give us a bid… or not. There was one rho gamma for each dorm floor so it wasn’t like they had to run all around handing out bids, but since they weren’t all handed out at the same time, some girls would be screaming with joy while others had to wait in agony to find out their fate. Worse yet some girls would have no bid and be crying while girls around them were happily celebrating. I personally think the ones that didn’t get bids should have been notified earlier so they would have known not to expect anything.


Finally… my rho gamma came into my room…...........













“I’m sorry to tell you, I don’t have a bid for you today,” she said. I was in shock. Not even Hungary wanted me, I was thinking and England, they loved me, what happened?? In total around 800 girls didn’t get bids. Some were because they had dropped early in the process, some were grades and others like me, there was just no explanation for it. I will never know what Hungary and England were thinking, but to this day I wondered what would have happened if I had ranked them higher in the beginning. I didn’t give them a chance at first, which I really regret because I was buying into the idea of what everyone else wanted.



Indiana uses a unique bed quota system, which mean the pledge classes will only be as big as how many beds they have available. Most houses have a live-in requirement for sophomores and juniors and some for seniors too. Italy and Greece make seniors live in too so their pledge classes are always smaller than everyone else. Quota for all the other chapters is around 40. And while there are 20 sororities, over 1700 girls rush so it is very competitive.

[TPA85]

Didn't see that coming... Sorry hoosieral.
I hope there is more to this story involving COB or a 2nd try at FR.