A State-ly Sorority Recruitment

[ElizaB]

Hello All!

I am posting my recruitment story from 2010! This school is a large University will about 30% greek life, but not a particularly competitive greek life.
There were 12 sororities participating in FR and one colonizing sorority participating in Open House and then doing their own process a month and a half later.

The houses are:
Florida
Alaska
Kansas
Texas
Colorado
Maine
Utah
Ohio
Iowa
Vermont
Delaware
Nevada
Rhode Island :The colonizing sorority (I won't really talk about this sorority, but their presentation on Open House was really cute!)

Open House was over 2 days, then we had Philanthropy(up to 9 houses), House Tours(up to 6 houses), and Pref(up to 3 houses)

[ElizaB]

Honestly I wasn't particularly nervous for recruitment. I was extremely excited! I had been waiting to do this for years and was thrilled to finally start the process (this school does a deferred/2nd semester recruitment which was such a tease!) My Rho Chi group seemed really nice. I didn't know any of the girls in mine, but I am still friends with a few of them now!

Florida: As a whole these girls were known to be the trashy/party girl types, but I didn't see that at all. The actives who rushed me definitely seemed "done up" but not fake. I had relatable conversations with every girl I met and left feeling really confident!

Alaska: I was really excited to meet these girls. They were extremely visible on campus all year and seemed so sweet. Definitely a more southern-seeming house compared to others. Open House did not disappoint! They were not as done up as the first house but kind of radiated a really attractive confident quality that I was totally seduced by. Love.

Kansas:My roommate had a lot of high school friends in Kansas and was hoping to pledge this house and I was definitely looking forward to meeting them. I just didn't jive with them. The girl who picked me up passed me off to her identical twin which was really confusing to handle because twin 1 ended up coming back later and I couldn't tell who was who. (They whole house was wearing matching outfits with the same hairstyle... did not help the twin thing!) And another active referenced how they are by far the hottest girls on campus. It was just uncomfortable and I was not a fan. Maybe it was a bad experience? PNMs regard Kansas as a 'top house' so I kind of wanted to go back and see them again. But kind of not...

Texas: I am a legacy to this house and it is another highly desired house by PNMs so I really wanted to fit in here. They weren't as involved seeming as Alaska, but I did really like the women who rushed me. I seemed to fit well, but it wasn't as natural feeling as Alaska. It was somewhere between Alaska and Florida for me.

Colorado: They were a huge surprise for me. I didn't know anything about them going in and didn't have any expectations for them. But it was amazing! The girls were funny but didn't seem to try too hard, and pretty without being fake looking. I was practically doubled over laughing the entire time. I fit so well here and was dying to back the next day.

Maine: I liked these girls fine. Unlike Colorado, they did seem to try really hard to be likable. It just didn't feel as natural but I still enjoyed myself.

Utah: This felt really similar to Maine. The girls were really nice but talking to them was kind of like listening to a sales pitch. It wasn't homey feeling. But I didn't want to rule them out at all because the girls I knew in it were really great ladies. I thought maybe it was just an off day?

Ohio: Several girls from my hometown are members of this Ohio chapter. I was picked up by one of their VPs and was passed off to other sorority officers. It was really flattering to me. I also felt that I meshed SO well with these girls. They were really sporty which I liked because I'm really sporty.

Iowa: I didn't have many notes on this house. They were pleasant and cordial but nothing stood out. After several of the other houses I had been to, I was really looking to click with the actives rushing me, and I didn't seem to find that here.

Vermont: I didn't like this house very much. It was really hard to keep the conversation going and I didn't relate to many of the actives. I did not particularly want to see more of them in future rounds.

Delaware: I really enjoyed these girls! They were very girl-next-door types and seemed happy with what they had going on, but not cocky. It was extremely hard to hear in this house, but I did have fun conversations with the actives. I wanted to go back tomorrow.

Nevada: These girls seemed to really try to be fun, but it was just so uncomfortable. We were rushed at a 3PNM:1active ratio which was a weird dynamic. The PNMs I had been paired with were really introverted, as was the active, so it was hard to balance the conversation. I didn't fit with anybody.

Rhode Island : We saw a presentation about this sorority and their colonization plans. The presenters were super sweet but I wasn't sure if that was the experience I wanted. I wouldn't rule it out, but it was not my first choice situation.

My rank at the end of Open House was

Alaska
Maine
Texas
Colorado
Delaware
Florida
Kansas
Ohio
Utah

And the houses I wished to drop were :

Iowa
Vermont
Nevada

[ElizaB]

*I mixed up my placement of Maine and Colorado just so you know! It doesn't make a big difference, but for anybody who is keeping score haha*

I woke up totally ready to go! I'm a horse show kid, so early mornings didn't phase me at all. I was so excited to see my party list! My Rho Chi pulled each of us aside privately to give us out lists and talk over any questions/comments we might have. I was delighted to find my list for the day and felt badly for girls who didn't fare as well. A few girls were only left with 1 house and were completely distraught.

My day went as follows:

Maine: I had a much better day here than before. The girls who rushed me were way more down to earth and it eased my reservations from the day before. I'm very passionate about their philanthropy and they all seem to be too.

Iowa: I wasn't as excited to go back here (I had put them in my drop list) but did want to give it a shot! I'm a sunny side up kind of girl and figured maybe Open House wasn't their best impression. I was pleasantly impressed by how much better I liked this house. The girls seemed more personable and comfortable, which in turn made me feel more comfortable. No fireworks, but it was a positive change which left me curious.

Ohio: I am really passionate about this sorority's national philanthropy and also love the event this chapter holds to benefit the cause. I was thrilled to be invited back because Open House had gone so well and was glad to find that this round was positive as well. I didn't have any big aha! moments this round, but still really liked these girls.

Alaska: I was thrilled (and kind of honored?) to be invited back to Alaska. I had another wonderful day here and really liked their philanthropy. The girls seemed a little more 'fake' than the day before but I wasn't really bothered by it. They were great in my book.

Florida: I talked to the sweetest ladies here. I was matched with an athlete and we bonded over that. She seemed so down to earth and it really improved my perception of this house.

Colorado: I had another great day with these girls. I really fit well here and loved the laid back vibe of this house. Two of the girls who rushed me the day before came over to say hello and how glad they were to see me back. It was a really good experience.

Texas: I was happy to be back here and had so much fun with them. We actually did a philanthropy craft, which really made this house stand out in my mind. I felt as though I bonded with one of the actives who rushed me and really wanted to go back to this house.

Delaware: These girls kind of faded in my mind. I didn't make any real connections and they didn't seem enthused by their philanthropy which was odd to me because it is a really big and well backed philanthropy nationally. I was confused by the stark contrast between the two days with this house.

Utah: They were nice. Very nice. But they seemed kind of sterile to me. I didn't have fun connections or personable talks... everything seemed too rehearsed. They do a great job philanthropically, both supporting their cause and others, which was a big plus to me. No other house had referenced their involvement in other events and I did want to be in an involved sorority.


My rank after this round was:

Alaska
Colorado
Texas
Florida
Maine
Ohio

And I wished to drop:

Utah
Iowa
Delaware

[aephi alum]

Originally Posted by ElizaB

Nevada: These girls seemed to really try to be fun, but it was just so uncomfortable. We were rushed at a 3PNM:1active ratio which was a weird dynamic. The PNMs I had been paired with were really introverted, as was the active, so it was hard to balance the conversation. I didn't fit with anybody.

Wow. I would think that a chapter expecting a 3 PNM to 1 active ratio for open houses would bring in some assistance in the form of local alumnae or members of a nearby chapter, to even out the ratio. I don't blame you for having felt uncomfortable.

Also, btw, yellow is kinda invisible against the white background. Perhaps you could use a different color for Ohio?

Anyway - keep it coming! Lots of us enjoy reading rush threads, and you don't exactly get a lot of live rush threads in June so a retro thread this time of year is good to see.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by aephi alum

Wow. I would think that a chapter expecting a 3 PNM to 1 active ratio for open houses would bring in some assistance in the form of local alumnae or members of a nearby chapter, to even out the ratio. I don't blame you for having felt uncomfortable.

Some CPH's have explicit rules against this. I know mine did.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Some CPH's have explicit rules against this. I know mine did.

Also, some chapters don't have lots of alumnae nearby or any chapters, either.

[MaryPoppins]

Originally Posted by ElizaB

Nevada:We were rushed at a 3PNM:1active ratio which was a weird dynamic.

With deferred recruitment, if it's in the middle of a semester, it is difficult to pull members from other chapters due to academic concerns.

[ElizaB]

I was really excited for house tours round. So far, I was having a really great time with rush and wasn't stressing like many peers. I was definitely fortunate.
Our Rho Chis had warned us that the cuts between Philanthropy and Tours were the largest, and to expect some holes in our party lists.
Luckily, I didn't have any holes... but my list had definitely changed a bit. I had been cut by two of my favorites, Alaska and wellColorado, as well as Ohio . I was really bummed because I truly saw myself at either Alaska or Colorado. But I shook it off. I had a full schedule of houses that did want to see more of me, and I was anxious to see more of them.

Florida: I was probably most excited to see these girls. Standing outside in line, I looked around at the other girls and thought that I could see myself in a PC with them. I was greeted by a really cute and bubbly active who gave me a tour. I was then passed to another girl and we sat and chatted for a while. Things were going really well until 2 actives trotted up to my rusher and started gossiping about another PNM at this party. It was kind of jaw dropping... It seemed so bizarre and nasty to me, not to mention that I was also being completely ignored. I was rescued by the active who greeted me at the door. She apologized for their behavior and wrapped the party up nicely, but the whole situation kind of tainted that house for me.

Utah: I had a really great time at this party. I was picked up by a girl who was trying out for the equestrian team which I competed on. We had a lot to talk about and swapped horse show horror stories. It was really fun. I got the sense that these girls were not judgmental and really valued their sisterhood. Utah was rising in my book.

Maine: This was my favorite party of the day. I really saw more of the chapter's personality and I felt at home. The girls who toured made me feel really valued and welcome. It was a feeling that I knew would be hard to beat.

Delaware: I was hoping to have a similar "open house" vibe from this house. I had really enjoyed them on the first day and wanted to reclaim that feeling. Unfortunately, I didn't. I was rushed by two girls. The first had rushed me the day before... but didn't remember me. It was a little off putting. But maybe she had just rushed 129484274238 PNMs and we all got a little jumbled. No big deal, right? She passed me off to a girl who wouldn't look me in the eyes at all. It was really hard to hold a conversation with her because she was extremely introverted and seemed amazingly uncomfortable with me. Not my favorite.

Iowa: These girls did surprise me a bit. I had a really lovely time talking with several of them and thought that maybe I could be an Iowa. I did kind of sense a divide amongst the sisters (and a couple actives throughout the process had hinted at one)-- a really sweet/classic/good girl chunk v. a really wild and crazy party-happy chunk. I wasn't sure how I felt about the line in the sand, but I had enjoyed the time I spent there and liked the girls I met.

Texas: I was also extremely excited to go back to this house. My grandmother is a Texas and being invited back made me realize how special it would be to share a thing like this with her. The girl who greeted me was okay. She seemed a little fake, but was still enjoyable to talk with. I was bumped to another girl who was not as enjoyable, but still pleasant. We were standing at the front of a room when their VPR rang a bell and announced that they were now going to show a sisterhood slide show. Actives began to file their PNMs into the rows of chairs. I thought that since we were at the front of the room, I would be guided to a seat near the front, but was actually taken by my active to the back of the room. In a corner. Half behing a large Ficus Tree. I was actually BEHIND the last row of chairs in a lone seat... which was really weird because the rows were not even filled! It was not a charming position to be in.

I was really confused about how to rank my houses. Ultimately, I ended up with

Maine
Texas (because I had great parties prior to this)
Utah

I wished to drop:
Iowa
Florida
Delaware

[amIblue?]

This is a great story, and thank you for not dragging it out.

[ElizaB]

Our Rho Chis told us that the cuts before Pref would be hefty and not to worry if our schedules are not full. We would hear from our Rho Chis by 11:00 pm after Tours if we were released.
I woke up at 5:00 and was elated that I didn't get any late night calls. By 6:00 I was all but a pair of pumps away from prefs when my phone rang. It was one of my Rho Chis... She said she was so, so sorry and has no idea how this happened... but no houses invited me back for pref round. I was completely distraught. I didn't understand how that could happen (I was having a pretty smooth rush) and why I was finding out now?! She didn't know. She didn't receive any notification from the computer matching system about mismitching last night, and when she went to print my schedule this morning, I had no parties. She said she would put me on a snap/ COB list, but that those options were not likely as there were a record number of PNMs participating.

I texted my best friends who were rushing and wished them well, gave my roomie a hug, and drove home for the day.

[MaryPoppins]

Oh EB, how awful! It makes me want to cry.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by MaryPoppins

Oh EB, have awful! It makes me want to cry.

I don't think her story is over yet.

[ElizaB]

Mom felt so badly for me. She was really confused by how I could have been released (I'm sure no mother understands how their daughter could be released!) and was really irritated that she was not notified by Florida, her sorority, per their guidelines. Apparently her mom, the Texas, was not notified either... We were unhappy campers all around.

I had never been so happy to attend a school only 2 hours away from home. Mom and I had a nice girly day: shopping, movies, chocolate, more chocolate. She said to keep my head and standards high. There is no way to come out on top when you feel beaten down.

Later in the evening, I drove back to school. My roommate had prefed at Kansas and Iowa and was suiciding Kansas.
My best friend prefed at Texas Utah and Ohio and ranked them in that order.
Other friends had Kansas Maine and Florida.
I was happy for them all, but was completely jealous. It was a really difficult situation to be in for me.

I spent all day of bid day at the barn prepping horses for a show. Roommate accepted her bid from Kansas along with 4 girls on my hall. Best friend got Texas. I put on my best happy faces for them and kept on truckin.

[ElizaB]

Bid day was a Sunday, and Monday we resumed classes for the semester. I was in a lot of upperclassman classes because I tested out of most base science, math, and english courses required by my major.
I swear every sorority girl on campus sported letters for the entire week. The Rho Chi I was closest with (we had 2 per Rho Chi group) texted me a bunch during the week to check up on me and to let me know that no groups would be participating in COB unless a significant amount of NMs dropped. It wasn't the news I was hoping for.

I ran into several of the actives who rushed me during the week. The Maine who I liked so much during tours ran up to me, gave me a hug and asked where I ended up. I told her that I had been released and she looked perplexed and said that Maine didn't cut me and that she was planning on prefing me. I thought maybe she was just trying to cheer me up? But it was a strange interaction.
I didn't take much of our talk to heart until I ran into a Texas in my chem class. She greeted me, asked how I was, and asked why I ended up withdrawing from rush? Again, I explained the situation as delicately as possible.

I called my mom when I was through for the day and told her about the actives I ran into. She was also confused by it and totally felt for me and how hard this all was.

[KDCat]

Oh, no!

Was there a mistake? Did you get get a bid? What about the colony?