Don't know anyone

[PhiGam]

1. Sorry about your school choice... enjoy four years of fat girls, nerds, and good football teams. Also: Eat Gumby's pokey sticks
2. DO NOT contact rush chairs via facebook, it seems desperate.
3. Read my thread on biggest rush mistakes at any institution and pay attention to everything as you are rushing an SEC school. Granted, its the SEC's bastard child, but SEC nonetheless.

[PhiGam]

Being British would not hurt you at all.

[Wil UK]

Have you got any advice on things I would not to research before considering rushing a fraternity? or things i could do so that i would stand a better chance?

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by Wil UK

Have you got any advice on things I would not to research before considering rushing a fraternity? or things i could do so that i would stand a better chance?

Check some of the older threads out Wil-IIRC that has been covered once or twice here.

[PhiGam]

Originally Posted by SECdomination

I'm going to stop backing you up over in the News & Politics forum soon.

You know I love you

[UGAalum94]

With sororities, the grandmother would send a letter introducing the girl going through to chapter. (I think most groups even have a form for it.) Do you all not do that?

Sorority rush seems a lot more paper-based and bureaucratic generally so it's not really surprising that you guys wouldn't, but in this area it saves the person rushing the problem of how much to hype the connection since you could be sure that the chapter knew it without having to drop the info into the conversation with the right people.

It also might be a way to get the guy's name to the chapter early enough that they could invite him to summer rush events. Would the guy look bad if his grandfather sent such a letter?

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by PhiGam

You know I love you

Awwww. Bromance.

[PhiGam]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

Awwww. Bromance.

Quiet, yank

[gator6288]

I got some great news from my brother today. I'd asked him a while ago if he knew anyone in our family that was in a fraternity. He had told me that my dad's school didn't have them and my uncle quit school and had to quit his fraternity. Today he sends me an email with a link to a website that his wife had found. It was to a yearbook website for a large university up north and listed my grandpa as vp of the fraternity that is my top choice. So now I guess I'm a legacy which should hopefully help my chances a little bit.

[EE-BO]

This could potentially be a plus for you. When you register for rush with UF, make sure you note you are a legacy through your grandfather on the form. I assume they ask for that data as is done at other schools where I am more familiar with the rush process.

Strong southern chapters of some fraternities are very different from the northern chapters- in fact I think this exists to some degree in most organizations which have a strong presence in both the North and South. It is largely reflective of cultural differences at large, not necessarily anything resulting specifically from fraternity members.

I just say that to be realistic and let you know this could help- but don't count on it to make things happen on its own. When I was an active, we once had a guy come through formal rush who made no attempt to do summer rush or anything and just assumed that because his Dad was from one of our small chapters up north that he would be a shoe in for us. He was never invited back. I'm not saying you're "that guy"- just offering the advice to let it be known you are a legacy, but don't assume it will make or break the deal.

That said, if you keep on making discreet inquiries and getting results as you have been- it certainly can only help you that you are legacy. It will be one more plus in an overall solid package.

[gator6288]

I know it doesn't guarantee anything and that it is a bad thing to keep bringing it up over and over during rush, but since I am missing some key things (lots of friends in the fraternity and not going to the "right" hs), it seemed like it was something that could make my rush application stand out a little bit before I even get there. During rush, do I wait to be asked if I am a legacy or mention it once or twice and leave it at that?

[CrackerBarrel]

Originally Posted by gator6288

I know it doesn't guarantee anything and that it is a bad thing to keep bringing it up over and over during rush, but since I am missing some key things (lots of friends in the fraternity and not going to the "right" hs), it seemed like it was something that could make my rush application stand out a little bit before I even get there. During rush, do I wait to be asked if I am a legacy or mention it once or twice and leave it at that?

Make sure you mention it to the rush chairs and if someone asks why you're interested in that house tell them all the other reasons that it's your first choice and mention that you also wanted to check them out because you're a legacy.

I'm also kind of interested in how you know they're your first choice if you haven't been at UF and don't know anyone in any house, but if you have your reasons, ok. I would make sure you at least look at all the top tier too if you think you have a shot at bids at those houses.

All 4 at UF are strong and you want to make sure you pick the one that is the best fit for you, the big 4 (SAE, KA, EX, ATO) are better than the rest of the houses, but there isn't one that is significantly better than the other 3 to the point that it should be everyone's first choice.

Another reason to look at multiple ones is that if you suicide rush and don't get a bid at your first house by late in the week you're out to dry. Spend a good amount of time at any of the houses you would consider taking a bid at if you got one.

[nate2512]

Originally Posted by CrackerBarrel

Make sure you mention it to the rush chairs and if someone asks why you're interested in that house tell them all the other reasons that it's your first choice and mention that you also wanted to check them out because you're a legacy.

To add to this, if you don't mind crackerbarrel, don't make it look like your blatantly using it to up yourself, it'll be on the forms you fill out, so they will know. As far as when to throw it out there, gauge the conversation, like Crackerbarrel said, if someone asked, say it. Don't go around telling every person in the fraternity your a legacy, its a little overkill. Just be smart about it, and use it sparingly and when the time comes. I'm sure you've read other posts about it, but being a legacy does make you entitled to shit. They don't have to pledge you, they sure as hell don't have to initiate you, they don't owe you a thing.

[CrackerBarrel]

Originally Posted by nate2512

To add to this, if you don't mind crackerbarrel, don't make it look like your blatantly using it to up yourself, it'll be on the forms you fill out, so they will know. As far as when to throw it out there, gauge the conversation, like Crackerbarrel said, if someone asked, say it. Don't go around telling every person in the fraternity your a legacy, its a little overkill. Just be smart about it, and use it sparingly and when the time comes. I'm sure you've read other posts about it, but being a legacy does make you entitled to shit. They don't have to pledge you, they sure as hell don't have to initiate you, they don't owe you a thing.

Right, in fact if you make the fact that you're a legacy a big point to everyone you may hurt your chances because it makes it seem like you think you're entitled to a bid.

At our chapter the only legacies who are pretty much assured a bid are younger siblings of active brothers or kids/grandkids of the really big donors who we can't piss off.

[baci]

That's life...sad, but true...isn't it? ^^