Image and rush

[coffeemug]

Ok we have all seen the posts "what do you think of XYZ group" obviously the replies reflect image --they are cute and fun, they are not cute not fun etc.

I was hoping to have a dialogue about how other's image (fraternity and campus rep in general) of your sorority effects rush. Does it???

[twinstars]

i'm sure it does. my house definitely knows where it stands in rushees' minds in relation to the other 4 groups on campus. we know who our main "competition" is. if a rushee goes "there" and to our house on pref night, it's really a toss-up as to which house she'll put first on her card. there's one house that rushees usually choose over us (if given that choice). we are usually preferred over two other houses. this is all just based on campus rep and fraternity opinions (as in, who mixes with who), but it generally holds true. image means a lot at my school.

fraternities generally like us, and we mix a lot with good houses, so that probably helps our rush. i'd be shocked if i heard that fraternity guys were telling freshman girls not to go theta (what i am).

on the other hand, i know that other certain sororities at my school lose a lot because of their campus reputation and what guys say... upperclassmen realize that it's all b.s., but freshmen really look down on one certain sorority. plenty of rushees choose to be independents when it becomes apparent that it's either that one sorority or nothing, which is sad, since that group is made of sweet, genuine girls.



[This message has been edited by twinstars (edited December 30, 2000).]

Because we're the only Panhellenics on campus, we rush and pledge differently than our local counterparts. What we do is basically separated from the others mainly because their pledge period lasts the whole fall semester, while ours lasts a few weeks.

Our new member (we don't call them pledges anymore) period consists of frat education, similar to other Panhellenic sororities. The locals have a reputation of hazing their pledges, and that's why their numbers have been low in recent years. A lot of our rushees were disgruntled DPs from the locals (myself being one of them a few semesters ago). I often talk with some of my local counterparts, and they mentioned that a LOT of their girls were legacies. The local sororities were at my campus long before AGD colonized. Though my chapter is barely 9 years old, we are the largest sorority on campus, as we generally meet the quota during recruitment.

The locals' reputation has a lot to do with their dwindling numbers, and usually in this case, the right thing to do is to change things around. People are getting wind of hazing, and if this gets out of hand, this will be enough for the Greeks to be wiped off campus by the school administration.

when the semesters are almost done we try to get together with all the greeks on campus. us and the TKEs always get together at least once a month. they're also benefitting from the negative reputation of the locals. the locals and the nationals (AGD, TKE, and at one point SigEp and Beta Theta Pi) have never really met eye to eye on things. i know that the locals won't give up their "traditions". my hope is that more national GLOs decide to colonize at my campus.

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*I'm an Alpha Gam...Yes I am, Yes I am!*

[33girl]

Yeah, it definitely affects rush. We generally get fewer rushees than some of the more popular sororities, but I personally don't mind that. I would rather have 5 girls who I know like us for us, than be in our campus's "big" sorority and have to wonder constantly whether the rushees liked me for me or if they were just sucking up to me to wear the letters.

We are the ones who everyone says "they are not the stereotype, they are down to earth and different than most sororities." I'm far prouder of that than I would be of filling quota/total every rush based solely on a cotton-candy image.

[AXO Alum]

Originally posted by OohTeenyWahine:
Because we're the only Panhellenics on campus, we rush and pledge differently than our local counterparts.

Barb -
Just out of curiosity - wouldn't it benefit other NPC groups (at least one or two) to colonize on this campus? It seems that AGD is really taking off there, and I just wondered what protocol was for another group to come in. It just seems ideal for building.

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"Alpha Chi Omega - If you only had 2 wishes, what would your second one be?"

[shadokat]

Absolutely reputation makes a difference. Well, let me rephrase. It makes a difference to freshmen. They come to school and don't know much about greek life, and all the know is what they hear. If they hear ABC group is all the pretty girls and XYZ is all the nasty slut girls, they are obviously going to lean towards ABC. With sophmores and junior rushees, they tend to be a little more open-minded and want to learn about the place before they pledge.

This problem wouldn't be so bad if the dirty rushing stopped, but it won't, so you live with it. By the way, my sorority is a middle of the road group. We never get all the women we want, but we get the ones that will benefit us. That's what's important.

Heather