Questions from a novice to all things Fraternity

[LaneSig]

1) Try and go to as many as possible. But, if you don't feel the "vibe" at one house, don't waste your time. Move on to the next fraternity. Make sure that you do spend time at the ones you have interest in. But, again - if it doesn't feel right, go to the next one.

2) Khakis and button down are always a good choice. It's a casual Friday look. If you are going to the groups on your own, keep a jacket and tie in your car. If you see other pnms in jacket and tie, you can always go back and put yours on.

3) Talk about normal things: campus sports, classes, your interests, etc. Ask questions about the chapter: pledging process, live-in requirements, national philanthropies, gpa requirements. You can ask about socials, but do it in a way that it doesn't look like you only want to join to party.

4) If you know someone in the fraternity, seek them out. If you don't know anyone, just be friendly and don't act shy. There will be other guys who the groups are already aware of and have "bids in hand". But, many of the chapters are looking for guys to add to the chapter.

My best advice: Walk the line of friendliness with confidence - not shy or cocky. If you go in thinking "I'm not going to get a bid", you will set yourself up for failure. Good luck. Come back and let us know how it goes.

[wareagle93]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

1) Try and go to as many as possible. But, if you don't feel the "vibe" at one house, don't waste your time. Move on to the next fraternity. Make sure that you do spend time at the ones you have interest in. But, again - if it doesn't feel right, go to the next one.

2) Khakis and button down are always a good choice. It's a casual Friday look. If you are going to the groups on your own, keep a jacket and tie in your car. If you see other pnms in jacket and tie, you can always go back and put yours on.

3) Talk about normal things: campus sports, classes, your interests, etc. Ask questions about the chapter: pledging process, live-in requirements, national philanthropies, gpa requirements. You can ask about socials, but do it in a way that it doesn't look like you only want to join to party.

4) If you know someone in the fraternity, seek them out. If you don't know anyone, just be friendly and don't act shy. There will be other guys who the groups are already aware of and have "bids in hand". But, many of the chapters are looking for guys to add to the chapter.

My best advice: Walk the line of friendliness with confidence - not shy or cocky. If you go in thinking "I'm not going to get a bid", you will set yourself up for failure. Good luck. Come back and let us know how it goes.

Couldn't have said it any better. Also, if you can find out what each Fraternity stands for and their philanthropy efforts, try and tie your extracurricular activities into it, provided that they apply (trust me, this can be a big thing).

Good luck!

P.S. Like LaneSig said, if you don't get the greatest vibe with some of the brothers at a particular house, don't feel bad. There is bound to be ATLEAST one that fits you, so don't hesitate to go onto the next house.

[Football74]

Thanks for all the help, but I did not receive a bid at any of the fraternities

I spent the most of my time at 2 of them, and it just sucks that neither of them gave me a bid. I don't mean to sulk, but it really sucks. I have no idea where I'll live next year and my social life is shot...

Would you recommend re-rushing next semester? UGH I hate this

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Football74

Thanks for all the help, but I did not receive a bid at any of the fraternities

I spent the most of my time at 2 of them, and it just sucks that neither of them gave me a bid. I don't mean to sulk, but it really sucks. I have no idea where I'll live next year and my social life is shot...

Would you recommend re-rushing next semester? UGH I hate this

Ouch, sorry, that can really suck, but trust me, you can have a social life without a fraternity.

Should you rush next semester? Well, that depends on what might be different. Nobody can know why you didn't get a bid, but you can do your best to assess what may have happened. Are your grades low? Did you get totally wasted and hit on a brother's girlfriend? Did you limit yourself by only visiting two chapters and not giving others a fair shot (your earlier posts ping this one for me, but obviously I have limited info)? Do groups on your campus just not traditionally give a lot of spring bids?

[lucgreek]

How are your grades? Did you only look at the two "top tier" groups?

I bet you can have a great social life without being a member of the Greek community. If you're not socially awkward and can handle potentially getting rejected again, look into rushing in the fall. In the meantime, make friends with people in fraternities so you'll have an active member as a personal reference.

Like DBB said, tons of variables as to why you weren't given a bid. We'll never know.