Rushing again and scared

[juniorgrrl]

Last year I went through Rush as a soph and withdrew on before pref. I had a bad experience last year by getting cut from most of the houses on the first day. I want to go through again, but I'm scared that I won't get a bid, because I'm a junior. anyone been in this situation before?

[SoCalGirl]

juniorgrrl- If you already know some girls in sororities or maybe have classes with some, consider COB. COB is informal and held in semesters or quarter without formal rush and sometimes immediately after formal rush. COB parties are much more laid back and you can visit for as long as you like. The parties are usually publicized in fliers around campus.

If you decide to go through formal again dress appropiately for each night (you know by now what that consists of at your school). Make sure your comfortable and be yourself.

Since this isn't your first time you should already know what kind of questions to expect. Practice your answers so that it just flows out of you. You'll come off very assured of yourself.

Make a list of qualities that you feel that you can bring to a chapter. Then figure out a way to bring it up in conversation. This is the job of the members, but after talking all night girls don't tend to mind a rushee that can control the conversation.

Finally, check your GPA. Is it well above the minimum? Panhellenic might require a 2.0 to rush but quite a few chapters require at least a 2.5 As a junior, if you have a fantastic GPA, you'll standout.

[juniorgrrl]

I had a "fantastic" GPA last year (3.5) and don't think it helped one bit. This year its even higher, almost a 3.7.

I'm also scared because i hear the rumor that if a house cuts you once, you'll automatically get cut again.

My school doesn't COB because all the houses are HUGE (its the south). One house had a series of informal rush parties. One of my longtime friends was in it, and she invited me. I went, was cut after the first party (there were gonna be four, over 4 weeks), even though she said that it was pretty much a done deal. they said it was "because I rushed before" i know that's not true, because 1.) she can't tell me the reasons 2.)rushing does not mean you have to wait a year, only accepting a bid causes that.

I guess i've got a lot on my mind about this, and worry about being one of 10 or so juniors in a sea of 1000 freshman women.

[JellyBean00]

I am in the same boat as you juniorgrrl, I too will be a junior and am wondering if it is with going through rush again. If you want to compare experiences email me at herhighness78@hotmail.com, I would love to talk to someone who is in the same situation.

[Texas Alum]

Hi junior rushees! Because of the unfair prejudices toward non-freshman rushees, I agree that COB might be the way to go. If that is NOT an option... SoCal's advice is excellent.

There is no Panhellenic or national rule on how often you can rush. But, regardless of what Panhellenic or advisors or alums tell you, I know for a fact that many sororities have an unwritten policy that if you've been cut from them once, they have to cut you again. It's not exactly fair, but it's "out of respect to the original voting decision of the sorority".

Ask around to a couple of older Greeks on campus that you trust - try to find out what the standard policy is. The fact that your longtime friend couldn't tell you why you were cut indicates to me that it was probably based on your first rush experience.

Good luck to you!!