Pre-pledge or post-rushee? What do ya'll think?

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by SiKeS
So I'm laying here staring at the ceiling and a question crossed my mind...

Lets say that a fraternity or sorority (may exclude some sororities since most do formal recruitment) extends a bid to a rushee (informal rush)... The rushee signs the bid, but does not start school under the next school semester.

What would this guy or girl who signed become?

Would you consider him/her a rushee still? a post-rushee? a pledge? a pre-pledge?

Is there already a name for this type of fellow?

What do you all think? I'm leaning towards maybe a cross between the rushee and the pledge... Possibly a plushee..

Hehe lemmie know what ya think..

-Matt

Quite frankly this is a ridiculous idea. Why would you extended a bid to someone who was not yet enrolled in school?

If this person was truely worthy of being a brother, you would wait till he was in school to give him a bid.

I think the reason there is no term for this is because it's not done. Or it's so rare that it's not worth naming. Why don't you stick to searching for quality college educated men then wait for some guy to enroll in your college you can pledge him.

[SiKeS]

Originally posted by Lady Pi Phi
Quite frankly this is a ridiculous idea. Why would you extended a bid to someone who was not yet enrolled in school?

If this person was truely worthy of being a brother, you would wait till he was in school to give him a bid.

I think the reason there is no term for this is because it's not done. Or it's so rare that it's not worth naming. Why don't you stick to searching for quality college educated men then wait for some guy to enroll in your college you can pledge him.

*Most* of the guys who rush, rush during the summer and may be extended bids anytime during that... Guys move into houses right before school starts.

The early rushing usually happens with the local guys who go to highschool here. Since March, many fraternities here have been having rush parties bringing future students from all over missouri... (they contact guys on the massive rush list created by everyone who checked "yes" for greek life on their mizzou application) It's just like anything else you do.. If you do it early, you get more time and thus better results.

I don't think theres anything wrong with an early bid. It'd be the same as bidding someone during the summer, just a little earlier. Mizzou's greek system is very competitive and if you don't snatch up a quality rushee, one of the other 27 fraternities will.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by SiKeS
I disagree. Your brother's friend's uncle's father's cousin's roommate has not signed with this fraternity.

After your fraternity extends a bid to someone, do you also view them as of no significance to you or your fraternity? I truly hope not. That person will most likely become your brother. After all, you chose him.

I'm assuming that you are saying that you don't know of any term which describes someone who is signed a house but has not started school yet...

Thanks!

-Matt

Most national fraternities are discouraged from having any kind of official contact with non-matriculates. I can almost guarantee you that there's an IFC rush rule regarding bidding non-matriculates.

Therefore, what this fraternity has done is essentially let you know that if you want to join 'em, you're in. It's much like how athletes give a "verbal commitment" to a certain program before signing day. It's completely non-binding.

As of right now, to them, you are just a potential new member. Many chapters do this. Summer rush is what makes or breaks us during rush -- Fall rush just lets us get the guys that everyone else missed also. This organization is interested in you. I'd still encourage you to shop around. That's what formal rush is all about.

I apologize if my remark sounded flippant. It was. I was just trying to illustrate my point. I hope my explanation here is an improvement.

[SiKeS]

Originally posted by ktsnake
Most national fraternities are discouraged from having any kind of official contact with non-matriculates. I can almost guarantee you that there's an IFC rush rule regarding bidding non-matriculates.

Therefore, what this fraternity has done is essentially let you know that if you want to join 'em, you're in. It's much like how athletes give a "verbal commitment" to a certain program before signing day. It's completely non-binding.

As of right now, to them, you are just a potential new member. Many chapters do this. Summer rush is what makes or breaks us during rush -- Fall rush just lets us get the guys that everyone else missed also. This organization is interested in you. I'd still encourage you to shop around. That's what formal rush is all about.

I apologize if my remark sounded flippant. It was. I was just trying to illustrate my point. I hope my explanation here is an improvement.

Oh its cool, I see what you're saying... They had me sign a bid-card though which was also signed by both of the rush chairs.. I was given the carbon copy.. I figured that pretty much meant that it was official...

So it really is non-binding? Nothing was really explained to me.. I was taken out to dinner with a big group of the guys, they had me sign, they told me I was the first (#1) to sign, and that was that..

About continuing to rush... Wouldn't that piss off the fraternity I signed with? They told me long before I signed to keep rushing and find where I fit in best.. then when and if I decided I wanted to join them, to tell them and they'd sign me...

Thanks a lot for the info, ya learn something new everyday... I appreciate it.

-Matt

[Lady Pi Phi]

I don't understand what you're saying.
So this fraternity offered you a bid, but you're not in school?
Were you the only person they gave a bid to? Was this not a rush period for them? Had you even chosen a university to attend yet?

As I understand, some colleges have their fraternity rush in the summer, before school starts. But these are all men that have accepted a place in the particular university, have paid their tuition, have found a place to live...they are enrolled students, classes just haven't started yet.

The way you pose your question was that theis fraternity is handing out bids to guys that aren't even in the school yet. You made it sound as though they were giving a bid to every Tom, Dick and Harry who stopped by the fraternity house.

During fraternity rush they can hand out bids anytime during their recruitment period. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

So what is it that you are asking? Are you some guy they randomly gave a bid to or are you actually enrolled in this school for the next semester and you're waiting for school to being so you can officially start your pledge/new member period?

[SiKeS]

Originally posted by Lady Pi Phi
I don't understand what you're saying.
So this fraternity offered you a bid, but you're not in school?
Were you the only person they gave a bid to? Was this not a rush period for them? Had you even chosen a university to attend yet?

As I understand, some colleges have their fraternity rush in the summer, before school starts. But these are all men that have accepted a place in the particular university, have paid their tuition, have found a place to live...they are enrolled students, classes just haven't started yet.

The way you pose your question was that theis fraternity is handing out bids to guys that aren't even in the school yet. You made it sound as though they were giving a bid to every Tom, Dick and Harry who stopped by the fraternity house.

During fraternity rush they can hand out bids anytime during their recruitment period. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

So what is it that you are asking? Are you some guy they randomly gave a bid to or are you actually enrolled in this school for the next semester and you're waiting for school to being so you can officially start your pledge/new member period?

Sorry if I hadn't made my post very clear... The fraternities don't even rush you if you aren't going to attend school at the university. They get ahold of you by the rush list which is made up of students accepted to the university and who have declared that they'd be interested in greek life...

The fraternity offered me a bid. I do not attend the University yet, but I'm accepted, I have a major declared, and I'm set to start school Fall 2004.

I was their first to bid for the fall 2004 semester, though their "rush period" is year round. THe majority of it takes place in the summer.

They do not go rushing random people off the street. It is guys who attend or will attend the university.

I thought I had made that clear.

Bidding/signing is a mutual process decided by those in the fraternity and the rushee. If Tom, Dick and Harry had also received bids, it would be because they posessed good characteristics which the house was looking for and showed a great interest in the house... and vise-versa.

Hope this clears things up a bit

-Matt

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally posted by AchtungBaby80
Here, you couldn't rush unless you were enrolled in school, so we didn't have that dilemma.

Isn't that usually the way it is?

Now with Fraternities who might give a bid during the summer (I believe that's allowed) it might be different.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally posted by SiKeS
Once I found a certain one that really clicked with me, I was like you described... at all the events... I rushed that fraternity for about ummm 6-7 months on and off believe it or not until I signed a bid.. I definately got to see what the guys were like and after that there was no doubt that i'd fit in fine..

Plus fraternities around here like to start early... get em while they're young

yupp

-Matt

Sounds like the stories my bf likes to share with me about when he went through rush (he's 37)..........

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

This actually does sound exactly like what the bf tells me happens with the men's rush at his alma mater. He received a bid during the summer too.

But from what the guys on here have already said, it sounds pretty normal but I think it is binding.

Now did the chapter turn in your name as now having received a bid and no longer "available"? I ask because when the bf got his bid, they didn't turn in his name "so he could continue going to summer rush parties and get free beer" and it sounds like that was a normal thing back then. But, I only know stories and no 1st hand knowledge.

[SiKeS]

Originally posted by SmartBlondeGPhB
This actually does sound exactly like what the bf tells me happens with the men's rush at his alma mater. He received a bid during the summer too.

But from what the guys on here have already said, it sounds pretty normal but I think it is binding.

Now did the chapter turn in your name as now having received a bid and no longer "available"? I ask because when the bf got his bid, they didn't turn in his name "so he could continue going to summer rush parties and get free beer" and it sounds like that was a normal thing back then. But, I only know stories and no 1st hand knowledge.

Wow lol that actually does sound a lot like me... I'm not sure if they've turned my name in or not. I know since then, I've received a few calls from other fraternities asking me if I'm still interested in greek life...

While I would like to continue to get free refreshments and ride out the rush, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to... So I always just tell 'em straightup that I've signed...

I dunno.. Do you think it would be wrong of me to continue to rush even though I've already signed?
The problem is that I'd feel like I was taking advantage of them... & wasting their time and money...

That is the downfall of signing early... I'm pretty sure that after the rushing stops, so does all the freebies and special treatment..

-Matt

[kddani]

Originally posted by SiKeS
Do you think it would be wrong of me to continue to rush even though I've already signed?
The problem is that I'd feel like I was taking advantage of them... & wasting their time and money...

Personally I do think that it's "wrong" of you to continue to rush if your bid is actually a "real" bid (not saying it is or isn't, i haven't followed your process too closely). By signing that bid you indicated that you wanted to be a brother of THAT fraternity, and not any others. Maybe you sold yourself short by signing so early and not getting to see a lot of the other fraternities? I don't know, IFC rush is so different that NPC.

But in any event, a bid is a committment, and it's rude to look elsewhere, IMHO. That's great that you're straight up with them that you've already signed a bid, but it still doesn't seem right. And if the bid were as binding as you seem to think it is, I don't see why other fraternities would be bothering to rush you?

In any event, stop worrying and thinking about greek life so much. Enjoy your last bit of high school memories and a summer or freedom. College and your involvement in fraternity life will start soon enough. As anyone here can attest to, it's VERY easy to get burnt out on greek life. Just relax, have some fun, and worry about the fraternity come August.

Good luck to you, wherever your pursuit of greek life takes you!

[TSteven]

I'm sure this will be as clear as mud after I'm done, but here is my understanding of summer and early fraternity rush as it is currently.

In general, fraternity recruitment is usually less formal and less structured than sorority recruitment. Also, there are no binding IFC rules for extending bids per say. Thus, this does not apply to every campus nor every fraternity.

Some campuses may have rush during the summer. This may be similar to rush at the start of the fall semester at most campuses but is usually not as structured or as formal in nature. It is open to incoming freshman and returning upperclassmen. Those contacted by a chapter, or Greek Affairs, or have expressed an interest in fraternity life. Otherwise, like fall rush, they may just show up to an event.

An "early" rush happens before the summer rush and usually targets local high school seniors who have been accepted or enrolled in the college AND expressed an interest in fraternity life. (As is the case with SiKeS.)

A campus that has rush at the start of the school year (fall) may have an early rush during the summer as well. To add to the confusion, this too may be called summer rush. And as before, it usually is the recruitment of local seniors who have been accepted or enrolled in the college and who have expressed an interest.

Now depending on how it's fraternity recruitment works, on most campuses it is possible for a rushee to receive more than one bid. Usually the rushee has a time limit - a few days to a week - to either accept or decline the bid. During that time, he may continue to attend events at other fraternities.

But once a rushee signs a bid card to a fraternity, then it should be binding to that specific fraternity. Now when or how the chapter turns in his name - and makes it binding with the campus and or HQ - may depend on the campus' rules for recruitment. Some bids are binding with the campus the moment you sign your bid while others are not binding until either the start of "formal" recruitment - be that in the summer or the start of the school year - or the start of fall classes. Which is why many fraternities provide a carbon copy of the bid to the rushee.

In any case, until it is binding, a rushee is still open to being rushed by any chapters. However, in my humble opinion, a man who has accepted a bid should not attend any rush events for any other fraternities.

As to what to call someone who signs before the school term, usually he is commonly referred to as a pledge.

I hope this helps.

[SiKeS]

Well put TSteven!

Thanks a lot to everyone who has replied to my post. I appreciate it.

-Matt

[Betarulz!]

Okay...obviously people are confused about the summer rush thing...particulraly the way it is done at schools in the Big XII North (Nebraska, K-state, KU, Mizzou being the ones where it is most prevalent). At Nebraska, KU, and KSU in particular, summer rush is pretty much the only rush.

Check my thread about summer rush last summer for an in-depth discussion of the process. There is a pretty informative post at the top of the second page.

Here, we usually say that a guy who is given a bid (definitely coming to school here, just not enrolled) and has accepted it is "signed." It's not really a term used as a noun, just an adjative, like in "Hey this is Bob, he's signed." Officially, though that person is a pledge in the University's eye, and the bid card that's been signed by the rushee and the rush chairmen of the chapter is a binding invitation to join and be a part of that house when the school year starts.

As for a new term...for this in-limbo person...I'll say poshee, a combination of post and rushee. The term Po-Ru is also acceptable.

[TSteven]

Originally posted by Betarulz!
Check my thread about summer rush last summer for an in-depth discussion of the process. There is a pretty informative post at the top of the second page.

This should be a "must read" for any man thinking about summer rush. Or rush in general.

Great job!