Northwestern Rush Documentary

[AnatraAmore]

Agreed. I wish more girls saw this BEFORE going through recruitment... too many girls come into recruitment thinking that it is all rainbows and sunshine, and then wonder later, "Why not me? Was I not good enough?" Maybe. But more likely, you had unrealistic expectations about sororities getting to know the real you in the 5 minute conversation that we had with you. The whole process is superficial, but it's what we have. I feel like every PNM should be critical about each group they see and the process they're going through to find that group - this is a group you're about to commit yourself to for life!

I also thought that Anonymous was pretty entertaining... I know that her (Inter?)National Office probably wasn't happy about her talking about information that's typically considered ritual, but it was kind of nice to hear someone say the things that we all know are true about the sorority side of recruitment...

[KappaKittyCat]

I liked it. I can't say for certain, coming from a small school, but from what I hear from my sisters who went to big schools, everything they talked about was spot-on. And maybe this is what separates me from the masses, but I think a healthy dose of cynicism can be beneficial. I say this knowing almost for certain that many of my chapter sisters and I wouldn't have made it past first set in any house at most big schools. If any of us had gotten bids, we definitely would never have been Kappas. I can tell just by the looks on the faces of sisters from other schools. I can tell by the reaction that I got the first time I wore my letters while taking summer classes at a Big 10 school where Kappa's a top house. It was like we found a back door into our group, which can be something wonderful. So really, I just have the cynicism and the love, and they coexist, and I think I'm better off for it. I will encourage any daughter of mine, should I have children, to rush. If she goes to a school where Kappa is I'll make sure she's got her legacy letter and I'll hope beyond hope she likes Kappa and they like her. But I'm sure as hell going to teach her that rushing isn't all sunshine and puppies. And at least she'll be a little better prepared.

My potentially unpopular 2 cents.

[exlurker]

Originally Posted by KappaKittyCat

I liked it. I can't say for certain, coming from a small school, but from what I hear from my sisters who went to big schools, everything they talked about was spot-on. And maybe this is what separates me from the masses, but I think a healthy dose of cynicism can be beneficial. I say this knowing almost for certain that many of my chapter sisters and I wouldn't have made it past first set in any house at most big schools. If any of us had gotten bids, we definitely would never have been Kappas. I can tell just by the looks on the faces of sisters from other schools. I can tell by the reaction that I got the first time I wore my letters while taking summer classes at a Big 10 school where Kappa's a top house. It was like we found a back door into our group, which can be something wonderful. So really, I just have the cynicism and the love, and they coexist, and I think I'm better off for it. I will encourage any daughter of mine, should I have children, to rush. If she goes to a school where Kappa is I'll make sure she's got her legacy letter and I'll hope beyond hope she likes Kappa and they like her. But I'm sure as hell going to teach her that rushing isn't all sunshine and puppies. And at least she'll be a little better prepared.

My potentially unpopular 2 cents.

Well said, KappaKittyCat. You touched on a reality that sometimes gets forgotten: every NPC and NIC group has some chapters that are "top" on their campuses, and others that are very different from the "top" ones. Sometimes it's easy to think too locally about Greek life.

Even with alum hindsight and experience, I occasionally have to surpress a "whaaaat?" reaction to some GC posts. There still can be a sudden jolt when news of recruitment difficulties (low numbers, hard to make quota / compete) or serious trouble with the law is posted, and the GLO(s) in question are ones that are "top" house or milk-and-cookies / straitlaced ones at my campus or at the university in my home town.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by exlurker

Well said, KappaKittyCat. You touched on a reality that sometimes gets forgotten: every NPC and NIC group has some chapters that are "top" on their campuses, and others that are very different from the "top" ones. Sometimes it's easy to think too locally about Greek life.

Even with alum hindsight and experience, I occasionally have to surpress a "whaaaat?" reaction to some GC posts. There still can be a sudden jolt when news of recruitment difficulties (low numbers, hard to make quota / compete) or serious trouble with the law is posted, and the GLO(s) in question are ones that are "top" house or milk-and-cookies / straitlaced ones at my campus or at the university in my home town.

This is the problem with this video. Yes, there are groups out there who focus entirely too much on which girls will make the "hottest" pledge class, but I think it's disrespectful to the entire system to say that this goes on everywhere. It is a superficial process, but it's superficial on both sides. If the girls coming to rush weren't thinking about being in only the "top" sorority on campus (i.e. Ole Miss,) then we wouldn't have this obsession. Unfortunately, no one has been able to come up with a better solution. I think explaining the ins and outs of rush to a rushee may make them feel better, but in the end will it change the outcome? Probably not since the most important part of membership selection is private and secretive. At many chapters, including mine, we were simply trying our best to get to know the girls in a short period of time. How about highlighting the pressures on a chapter that force them to make quick, unenlightened decisions? Can you really blame a group for adapting to the circumstances?

[LOVEinZTA]

I feel like the guy who created this video was trying to make it appear like a look at the process from an outside, unbiased view but really he was just trying to perpetuate his own anti-Greek system view.

I agree, many of the things the rush chair pointed out are completely true, but I still have to wonder how someone who was so involved with her chapter could become so cynical so fast (it says she was a 2006 graduate) and feel the need to 'warn' pnms of the horrors of recruitment.

I also agree that if someone followed around more pnms and had more interviews with people in different positions it would make a great tool for educating pnms about the REALITY of recruitment, instead of showing the process in a consistently negative light.

[Hopeful_Bubbles]

Coming from the perspective of a pnm it kinda dampens the excitement for recruitment. Didn't really get the point of the "I say [insert greek letter here] - you say ho/slut/Bush supporter/ etc segments. Aesthetically I would have liked to have seen it follow Allie through all the rounds- skiping straight from the round one montage (sp?) to "she joined Tri-Delt" left me with a wth feeling. But 'interesting' on the whole, I guess.

[AOE2AlphaPhi]

Ditto about following Allie through the rounds. I also was kind of upset about the focus she said we have on physical beauty, because that definately has not been my recruitment experience.

[KyleMcGuire1983]

Originally Posted by sangers

Agreed. I wish more girls saw this BEFORE going through recruitment... too many girls come into recruitment thinking that it is all rainbows and sunshine, and then wonder later, "Why not me? Was I not good enough?" Maybe. But more likely, you had unrealistic expectations about sororities getting to know the real you in the 5 minute conversation that we had with you. The whole process is superficial, but it's what we have. I feel like every PNM should be critical about each group they see and the process they're going through to find that group - this is a group you're about to commit yourself to for life!

I also thought that Anonymous was pretty entertaining... I know that her (Inter?)National Office probably wasn't happy about her talking about information that's typically considered ritual, but it was kind of nice to hear someone say the things that we all know are true about the sorority side of recruitment...

You know this is why I sometimes question the concept of "dry rush". Because while it's important to not get people who just want to party....as a member of exec in my chapter I really wish we knew in advance how each pledge would act under the influence of a party atmosphere....are they going to be creepy date rapists? will they start fights and shit talk other houses and cause rivalries?

Then again I also understand the reasoning for dry rush...

wait a minute....what on earth does what I just said have to do with this topic?