Southern Thetas post for rushees in the Rush forum should be helpful in accquainting you with formal rush at large schools.
I went to USC and we had a 7 day long formal rush my first two years which consisted of 2 conversation days (4 days total) at each house, skit day, house tours, preference and bid day. My junior year it was cut to 5 days, and conversation days you visited each house once. EACH EVENT WAS MANDATORY. If you were invited back to a house, you had to go, up to and including preference. The first cuts we made after conversation days. The dress code for rushees was nice dresses, hose, heels--church type clothing--and this is 90 degree heat in August weather. Rush took place the week before classes started with bid day typically being Labor Day morning when we'd take our new members to the Kickoff Classic football game against Penn State. Sorority members were required to be moved into their houses and ready for "rush School" two weeks prior to the start of rush. We had posterboards with each rushees name, activities, picture, and whether or not she was a legacy. We used them like flashcards--name on one side, photo and info on the other and played memory games with them until we had each and every rushee--and we're talking 600-800 women, memorized. We knew who you were before you even walked thru the door--we knew all about you in some cases--no we did not choose our members prior to the start of rush, but we were certainly familiar enough with your resumes to be able to carry on conversations with you and to then remember you when it came time to vote. ("Heather Smith"--she's the one in the green t shirt holding her cat in her photo, Santa Monica High School, cheerleader, cotillion... and we'd instantly know who was being talked about) We were so schooled by the time Rush started we were exhausted.
But well prepared! To this day I can see a woman at the mall and recognize her and remember her stats--its sick.
Formal Rush is a big deal at schools with large and competitive greek systems. The house you choose to become a member of--at USC--well, it could make or break your social experience. ABC sorority only has mixers with DEF and GHI, But the girls of JKL, they have mixers with MNO, PQR, STU, VWX, and YZ and are the Sweethearts and Belles of the various fraternities with those titles. And ultimately--none of that matters--and I say this as an alum who's been out of school for 10 years--what matters is the home you find within your chapter, the sisterhood you feel with your chapter--and with sisters from all over--NOT what kind of social life your chapter may afford you. And that is what I hope all Prospective New Members keep in mind as they go thru Rush this fall-- it is NOT important what ANYONE ELSE thinks about your prospective sorority. If that is where you find a home and sisters--then you have chosen the absolute right place for you--no matter if it is the "best" or the "worst" house on campus.
There are houses that party, and houses that study, and houses that are into bonding, and houses that are only into the advancement of their social lives at every school--sometimes one house can be all those things. Each person will take away what they put into their greek experience. Whatever you are looking for you will find. I wanted girlfriends I'd have for a lifetime--I found that. I wanted a sisterhood I could share -- I found that. I wanted a chapter whose ideals were close to my own-- I most certainly found that. And that, is what I consider a successful rush. That is what I remember. Our sisterhood and our events, not what fraternities we mixed with or what the general impression of us on campus was. Becuase when you've found a home like that and you know its right-it doesn't matter.
And if I may speak for us GC old timers, I think that is why we get annoyed at the "what's XYZ like" and "what are the best houses on your campus" threads. I know when you're in the midst of it, you're curious, I was too-- but it is not what matters.
And speaking from the lofty alum place (ha ha) -- I was on campus at USC last fall, and was noticing the different members--knowing what is considered an A house and what is considered a D house-- and while you are in the midst of it, you may think you can see a difference-- there really is no difference--once again -- it is where you feel a bond that you belong.
[This message has been edited by amycat412 (edited June 27, 2001).]
Could someone clear this up for me?
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