Texas A&M Rush as a Sophomore

[aggiegirl14]

Hello everyone on GC. I have been reading lots of threads on here but never decided to post until now. So here is my situation that I hope you can all help me with...

Last fall I went through rush as a freshman. The process was so overwhelming to me since I have no family members that are greek, that I dropped out in the middle of rush. I had my favorite house still asking me back, and my third choice as well. Some of the other houses that were my "top picks" did not invite me back however. I realize now though that through that whole process I was trying to be the "perfect rushee". I look back now seeing how much of a cookie cutter I was, and understanding why I was cut. After getting accumulated to college life and joining some other organizations, I realize now that I really wish I would've gone greek when I first rushed. I understand that next year If I decide to rush again, that it will be difficult because I would be a sophomore.

I thought that background information would give you more about me. I hope you don't bash all of what I just said though!

Now for my questions: How do you think sororities view re-rushers? Would they even remember them? Also, do you have any non-blunt advice that you could give me? I say non-blunt because I've seen some people on GC get pretty antsy and I would prefer not to have that if at all possible!

Thank you so much guys!

[FSUZeta]

i don't think that too many pnms are remembered from rush one year to another, at a college that has lots of girls rushing.....unless the pnm does something to make themselves memorable(good or bad).

if you have not already done so, get involved on campus with an organization that interests you and/or is in your major. do some volunteer work. make sure you have a good gpa, or study hard and bring it up. get recommendations lined up and sent off in a timely fashion.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by aggiegirl14

Hello everyone on GC. I have been reading lots of threads on here but never decided to post until now. So here is my situation that I hope you can all help me with...

Last fall I went through rush as a freshman. The process was so overwhelming to me since I have no family members that are greek, that I dropped out in the middle of rush. I had my favorite house still asking me back, and my third choice as well. Some of the other houses that were my "top picks" did not invite me back however. I realize now though that through that whole process I was trying to be the "perfect rushee". I look back now seeing how much of a cookie cutter I was, and understanding why I was cut. After getting accumulated to college life and joining some other organizations, I realize now that I really wish I would've gone greek when I first rushed. I understand that next year If I decide to rush again, that it will be difficult because I would be a sophomore.

I thought that background information would give you more about me. I hope you don't bash all of what I just said though!

Now for my questions: How do you think sororities view re-rushers? Would they even remember them? Also, do you have any non-blunt advice that you could give me? I say non-blunt because I've seen some people on GC get pretty antsy and I would prefer not to have that if at all possible!

Thank you so much guys!

So, in other words, you want rainbows and sunshine and someone to hold your hand and tell you that it will be alright, and you'll get a bid to your top choice...

Sorry, not gonna happen here.

[AZTheta]

You asked what we think. Here's my thinking on your questions:

You are going through recruitment as a sophomore. There are numerous threads on GC that address that topic. You likely know the status of sophomore PNMs at your school. That's the bottom line. You've already answered your own question, in all honesty.

Each chapter will maintain its own records re:recruitment and that is not something that anyone can give you information about in the global sense that you're seeking. Can't comment on how chapters (other than my own) view re-rushers or whether or not you'd be remembered. For some chapters, no big deal; for others, kiss of death. Sorry.

Advice: what FSUZeta said in her second paragraph. Your recruitment outcome will be your own individually, and you do have some influence over the factors she listed.

(And I think you meant "acclimated" instead of "accumulated" )

[dnall]

Sorry for busting in... My qualification to answer this is pretty limited, so just take this for what it's worth & if these girls say I'm wrong, listen to them instead.

Don't lie about having gone through rush before. You don't have to shout it from the mountain tops, but don't deny it. Assume they know. If you assume it'll come up, you have time to prep a few responses. You can VERY effectively spin the reasons for not having taken a bid before. Just don't outright lie to people. They may see a lot of rushees, but they aren't dumb.

In the meantime, and in addition to the advice above, make friends with people. Go to fraternity functions & philanthropy events. Sit by and talk to greeks in classes. The advantage you have now that incoming freshmen don't is you can network with people. That and you know a lot more about the orgs and rush process. Some things may be working against you, but others are more in your favor if you make the most of your opportunities. Take the glass is half full view of it, cause the alternative doesn't do you any good.

Originally Posted by AzTheta

You asked what we think. (And I think you meant "acclimated" instead of "accumulated" )

Beat me to it.

[LadyLonghorn]

You have already been given your best shot at joining a sorority at A&M. As a sophomore, your choices will be much more limited and you will need to go in with a very open mind.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by dnall

Sorry for busting in... My qualification to answer this is pretty limited, so just take this for what it's worth & if these girls say I'm wrong, listen to them instead.

Don't lie about having gone through rush before. You don't have to shout it from the mountain tops, but don't deny it. Assume they know. If you assume it'll come up, you have time to prep a few responses. You can VERY effectively spin the reasons for not having taken a bid before. Just don't outright lie to people. They may see a lot of rushees, but they aren't dumb.

In the meantime, and in addition to the advice above, make friends with people. Go to fraternity functions & philanthropy events. Sit by and talk to greeks in classes. The advantage you have now that incoming freshmen don't is you can network with people. That and you know a lot more about the orgs and rush process. Some things may be working against you, but others are more in your favor if you make the most of your opportunities. Take the glass is half full view of it, cause the alternative doesn't do you any good.

This was actually spot on. See, busting in is good.

[dnall]

Originally Posted by 33girl

This was actually spot on. See, busting in is good.

When prefaced with a comment about busting in, stating a relative lack of qualification, and deferring to people who the conversation is directed toward, then sure busting in can have it's place.

[adpiucf]

I'm going to caution you not to hang out too much with the Greeks at your school for the simple reason that you will make a fool of yourself at a party or a bar where they are present. The lower the profile you maintain the better.

If you happen to make Greek friends in the course of your daily life through classes or organizations you join, then those are good contacts. Don't just start going to Sig Ep house parties or LXA's Watermelon Bust in the hope of making connections with sorority girls. It will backfire.

As others have said, you need to make sure you have recs and know coming in that you are going to have far fewer options than you would have as a freshman. Go in with an open mind expecting heavy cuts and stick it out through the end. Here is the thing about sororities: every campus has their top, middle, and bottom chapters. Realistically, every chapter has 50-150 members, and you can't find a niche in ANY group that size then, no, sorority life is not for you.

As a sophomore, consider that you are rushing to join the Greek System and get involved with Greek Life. Take the bid from the chapters that are available to you if you want to experience sorority life because you will not get your pick of the litter second time around. I would actually suggest this to any freshman, too. Seriously, if can get along with a group of people, then you can be comfortable in any sorority. Unless you're overly opinionated or have an over inflated sense of self. Take advantage of the opportunity to be a Greek if the opportunity presents itself.

[ADPirate]

There were a ton of girls rushing at Baylor this year that are sophomores. It's not frowned upon, but it does make it a little harder to get in. Here we have a point system (not sure if it's the same at A&M) and freshmen are worth the least amount of points (just one) and sophomores are more. Each chapter has a minimum amount of points and a maximum amount of points and if you take a bunch of sophomores you can't get as many girls. So there's that. However, you do have an advantage because you know the school better, and you've had more opportunities to meet girls from the sororities on campus. There isn't anything wrong with rushing as a sophomore.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by ADPirate

There were a ton of girls rushing at Baylor this year that are sophomores. It's not frowned upon, but it does make it a little harder to get in. Here we have a point system (not sure if it's the same at A&M) and freshmen are worth the least amount of points (just one) and sophomores are more. Each chapter has a minimum amount of points and a maximum amount of points and if you take a bunch of sophomores you can't get as many girls. So there's that. However, you do have an advantage because you know the school better, and you've had more opportunities to meet girls from the sororities on campus. There isn't anything wrong with rushing as a sophomore.

This is very specific advice that really probably only applies at Baylor and a handful of other schools. In fact, some schools have "free" sophomores that don't count AT ALL against your Quota (I don't know if this applies at A&M). Also, while there's nothing "wrong" as rushing as a sophomore, at some schools, it's pretty well downright useless.

Please do not give advice unless you are sure it applies. Also, check dates of threads before you post - I noticed in another thread, you answered a question that was 6 years old. That person is probably no longer in school - or if he is, he's probably a doctor.

[knight_shadow]

LOL

GC is serious business.

[SWTXBelle]

It also bears mentioning that the Corps, for good or ill, has become an increasingly smaller percentage of the student body.They comprise only 3.4% (1,740 in 2010) of the student body. Of course no fraternity will ever be able to compete with it in terms of local history and campus culture, but the Corps lifestyle is not appealing to many fine young men, who do find a home in a fraternity.

[dnall]

Oh my dear Lord...

This isn't t-ball where everyone gets a trophy. Greek life isn't perfectly equal everywhere you go. Like everything else in the world, it's better in some places than others. That doesn't mean if you aren't at the very top of that ranking that you or your chapter or your college or whatever we're talking about is terrible, it just is what it is. Most people accept that and make the very best they can of it.

I didn't go to a tier 1 university for my undergrad, and greek life there reflects that. Both the University and greek system there have grown and improved exponentially since I was there, but neither will ever be in the same universe as something that might be considered a pinnacle university/greek system/etc.

That doesn't mean that I, my chapter, my greek system, or my university are or were worthless. It just means we accept where we are on the totem pole & try to make it better.

I'm very familiar with the A&M greek system. VERY clearly my comments were directed at it. It is a VERY unusual place. If you can imagine sororities from a tier 1 university/greek system, the corps filling the role of fraternities from a tier 1 university, and the IFC fraternities being like the ultimate frisbee club... that's about what it's like. A lot of sororities there, both as orgs and individuals, do not associate at all with fraternities or anyone in them. There are notable exceptions, but on average that's how it is there.

Hence, when I tell this girl she might consider putting herself in some social situations where she can network with sorority girls and with guys that have pull with sorority girls, at A&M, most fraternity parties don't fit that bill.

Can we please quit dissecting every word of every sentence trying to find fault where none is intended or exists.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by dnall

Oh my dear Lord...



Can we please quit dissecting every word of every sentence trying to find fault where none is intended or exists.

But this is what makes GC GC. How else do you think most threads easily reach 20 pages.