All Semester Rush

[ASTalumna06]

First, ask yourself a few questions:
1.) What differentiates us from the other fraternities on campus?
2.) What kind of members are we looking for?
3.) What do college students like to do?
4.) What attracts students to organizations?

1.) Plan an activity that is different from what the other chapters are doing. Or, if you notice something that they’re doing right, work with that, but add your own personal touches to it.

2.) Are you looking for guys who are service-oriented? Plan a philanthropy that all students on campus can participate in. Do you want guys who strive for academic excellence? Offer study groups, or head to the library and strike up a conversation with a student who is working there. Are you looking for people who are interested in sports? Start an intramural team with the members you have, and interact with the other teams that you play against. Or ask some potential new members to join your team. Or play a pick-up game of football, and have everyone go around campus for 10-20 minutes asking guys to join you.

3.) You’re trying to appeal to college students. Think about what they like to do. I can tell you that one thing that guys love to do is eat. On my campus, one of the fraternities has a spaghetti dinner every semester, and all students are welcome, girls included. They have it on a Sunday, and in the fall semseter, it usually turns into a casual dinner/football party.

4.) Students are attracted to organizations for many reasons. Leadership opportunities are a major one, along with assistance in advancing their future careers. When a student is looking to join an organization, they’re looking for involvement and activities to keep them busy in between classes, as well as a way to increase their knowledge and experience in a variety of areas. Have an informational session throughout an entire day, scheduling 3 or 4 different times to have a short 10-15 minute presentation by a few of the brothers. Present to potential new members what your organization does, the benefits that are available to new members and brothers, and the life-long connections they will make that will last long after college.

And use the fact that you’re new to your advantage. Like I just mentioned, leadership opportunities are a big plus to joining an organization, and starting a chapter provides a lot of room for growth, and for a myriad of new ideas. Go find the high-quality students who are looking to have a large impact on an organization, and present the idea of Sigma Pi to them by saying that their motivation, creativity, and willingness to create something great is exactly what you’re looking for.

And first and foremost, be a potential new member’s friend. Don’t feel like you have to hold huge, extravagant events to attract people. If you currently have the manpower and money to do that, then go for it if you think it will work. But chances are, if you play a friendly game of football, for example, it will probably be a more effective way of interacting with people on a more personal basis, than if you were, to say, host a large concert.

[Kairav]

Thank you for your help. We are doing most of the stuff that you mentioned in your post. The problem for us us that people who wanted to be greek, have already joined greek organizations on campus. We are having a hard time convincing the non-greek personality guys to join Sigma Pi. But I shall keep in mind stuff that you said.

[CrackerBarrel]

Originally Posted by Kairav

Thank you for your help. We are doing most of the stuff that you mentioned in your post. The problem for us us that people who wanted to be greek, have already joined greek organizations on campus. We are having a hard time convincing the non-greek personality guys to join Sigma Pi. But I shall keep in mind stuff that you said.

Not everyone who wanted to go greek did. That's why there is such a thing as spring rush basically everywhere, because not everyone that wanted a bid got one or even rushed. And don't try to convince the "non-greek personality guys" to join, or else you'll have to wait for all of those tool-bags to graduate before any "greek personality guys" will even think about joining.

At least that's my opinion, I'm in an established house and we rush on reputation so I don't have any first hand experience, but I would think that if you're just taking random losers to get numbers than you're going to have a hard time convincing good kids to join in the future, because they aren't the kind of kids that would want to hang out with your "numbers" pledges.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by CrackerBarrel

Not everyone who wanted to go greek did.

True statement.

You MIGHT be able to say, "Everyone truly interested in Greek life has already rushed this semester," but I guarantee there are still guys out there who will be very good for your chapter. Honestly, some guys might have rushed but didn't receive bids from other fraternities, but they're still looking to be Greek. And that doesn't mean that they're all "losers" or that they shouldn't be Greek. It might just mean that they didn't fit in with a particular chapter, but that they'll fit in with yours.

And I know that I wasn't all about going Greek before I joined my chapter. The key is presenting to people what you're all about, because there could be many guys who simply have no clue as to what Greek organizations do. They didn't rush because they didn't know what they'd be rushing to do. Hence the reason why I said you should "make friends first." See what each potential member can offer your organization. After you've made nice with some great guys, having them join the fraternity will follow.

[Kansas City]

Originally Posted by CrackerBarrel

Not everyone who wanted to go greek did. That's why there is such a thing as spring rush basically everywhere, because not everyone that wanted a bid got one or even rushed. And don't try to convince the "non-greek personality guys" to join, or else you'll have to wait for all of those tool-bags to graduate before any "greek personality guys" will even think about joining.

At least that's my opinion, I'm in an established house and we rush on reputation so I don't have any first hand experience, but I would think that if you're just taking random losers to get numbers than you're going to have a hard time convincing good kids to join in the future, because they aren't the kind of kids that would want to hang out with your "numbers" pledges.

Ditto. I have a hard time buying that everyone that wanted a bid at Georgia Tech received one this past fall. It sounds like you have about 2/3rds of your memebership in place and you are just what, 2/3rds of the way through the fall semester? I will bet that you will be able to find the other 20 guys before the end of spring semester and then participate in recruitment with the rest of the university next scholastic year. It's tough work but don't get discouraged so soon.

[Kairav]

We are not taking in people just to reach our chartering number quota. We started out with 9 and now, a year later, we are 36. Its our third semester recruiting and we are very careful of who we let in because they are going to represent the fraternity and build its core foundations for years to come. We do not want to start off with a 'losers' rep.