5 Tips for Girls Going through Sorority Recruitment

With school rapidly approaching, many sororities and fraternities all over the country are preparing for fall recruitment. Also known as “rush” (but frowned upon by PanHellenic when referred to as such), this process is designed to help young men and women find their places in school and become plugged into local campus life. As a sitting sister of a sorority, I know how difficult and emotionally draining recruitment can be, and especially for women. It’s hard to find that perfect match, and even harder to accept that you may not end up where you originally thought. Though I can’t give specific instructions on how to handle recruitment, since really every university and rush system is different, I can give a few helpful and general tips that apply to many women about to undergo the daunting process of rushing (sorry boys, I know little of how the frats do it). Here are just 5 quick tips on how to handle your fall recruitment process and make the best of a rather long and intimidating week.

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1. Go into recruitment with an open mind. Though this is hard for many to wrap their heads around, it’s very important to do. You don’t know where you’re going to end up and there are no guarantees pertaining to which house you’ll get. Go into every house with a blank slate and base your opinions on the women you talk to. Do NOT judge beforehand. You may not fit in with the sorority you thought you wanted and could find a home in the last place you thought possible.
2. Do NOT tell others what your favorite sororities are. This is crucial. Other than family members, you should keep these things to yourself. When you tell other girls, the information is officially out, leaving the possibility of sitting sisters hearing of your opinions and using them to their advantage. This often means the cutting of girls early on in recruitment, since the sororities really can’t afford to rush girls whose hearts are set in other places. They won’t want to waste their time on a lost cause.
3. Put in the effort at each and every house. Though the sororities are quite divided during recruitment, girls in different sororities are still friends. This means that they could talk about potential new members and how they’re faring at various houses. It’s often unusual, since sororities don’t want to give up information concerning their favorite girls, but they could share things like if you were rude or dismissive at a house. You don’t want Susie from Pi Phi telling Anne from KD that you were impolite one day and didn’t make the effort to talk or be friendly. This could reflect badly on you and hurt your chances in other houses. Trust me, girls talk.
4. Don’t tell sitting sisters that their house is “the one.” It’s awkward when this happens since we’re technically not allowed to tell you that we want you too. PanHellenic specifically tells PNMs (potential new members) NOT to do this, so when you do you look kind of cocky. Avoid the awkward topic and instead express how you just love the house in general (without telling them it’s your favorite).
5. Ask lots of questions! When you ask questions of whomever you talk to, it gets the conversation flowing and lets them know that you’re actually interested. Not only will you learn more about the sorority, but it will also reflect well on your character. Don’t act like you’re leading an interrogation… Take your time and listen to what they have to say.

Though simple, these tips should help you breeze through your upcoming recruitment. It’s a long process, but is more than worth it in the end. It helps you find your place and it also introduces you to a lot of different people. I salute the girls about to go through recruitment, and wish you the best of luck. Maybe I’ll see some of you soon or even talk to you… Regardless, I hope you find your place and make new friends in the process!