High school seniors in the Brazos Valley or upperclassmen from the Brazos Valley are invited to attend. Visit with local collegians. Find out how to show up well during the recruitment process. Understand the benefits of affiliation.
Sorority recruitment is an opportunity to develop relationships with other women. Not only will you get to know women in the different chapters, but also you have the opportunity to meet other women going through recruitment. Having conversations is done face-to-face and there are no cell phones involved in these conversations. Leaving a positive impression is key. How do you do that? Making sure you stand tall and confident, smile, have good eye contact and self-promote, meaning you can talk about your accomplishments. Might I suggest you log onto this site and read a few more reminders.
Sorority recruitment may seem
intimidating or strange from the outside, but thankfully, there are women all
around the country who have already stood in your shoes and want to help. While
the recruitment processes and chapters vary across the country, there are
pieces of advice that can help every potential new member. That's why Teen
Vogue tracked down sorority recruitment insiders from coast to coast at
public and private universities to glean their best advice for those who are
going through the process of joining Greek Life — AKA rush week.
1. They’re Just As Nervous As You
“The girls that are rushing you are
most of the time JUST as nervous as you are. Be yourself! Ask the girls you are
talking to questions, even have some prepared beforehand if you get stuck. The
more you run the conversation, the more impressive you come off. Remember:
first impressions are everything in this world.”
— Tiffany Trilli, recruitment board member for Delta Delta
Delta at the University of Central Florida
2. They Aren’t Looking At Your
Outfit
“Keep true to yourself especially in
regards to your recruitment outfits. Don't go shopping right before recruitment
for a whole new wardrobe of clothes you think a particular sorority will like.
Girls often worry too much about their rush outfits, but in reality, as a
sorority member on the other side of recruitment, I usually didn't pay
attention to what the girls were wearing.”
— Macey Cleary, Alpha Chi Omega at
Auburn University
3. Real Conversations Are OK
“During recruitment, you will hear,
‘Where are you from? What’s your major? What residence hall are you in?’ an
unimaginable amount of times. Those questions are fine, but they are not what
makes a lasting impression. Recruitment is not an interview; you don’t have to
sit back and answer whatever question is asked of you. Instead, control the conversation;
ask the questions you actually have. Questions like, 'What are your
organization’s values? How has your organization challenged you or pushed to be
a better version of yourself?' are absolutely appropriate, and even encouraged.
Without the deep and meaningful conversations, it is difficult to truly get to
know a chapter and its members, making it hard to see yourself as a member.”
— Morgan Patrick, assistant director
of recruitment at University of Alabama
4. What Sororities Are Looking For
“Express interest — sororities are
looking for women who are committed, engaging, scholarly, and seeking
friendship. Yes, social events area part of membership, but if that is the only
reason you want to go through recruitment, Greek life may not be your thing.
Greeks are actually the most involved students on campus and if this is what
you’re seeking — then you’ve come to the right place.
— Lauren Cook, recruitment advisor
for Chi Omega at University of California, Los Angeles
5. Don’t Just Follow Your Roommate
“Don't try to join the same
sororities as your roommates or friends just so that you can hang out with them
all the time. Joining different sororities does not mean your friendship will
end! Try to find the right sorority for YOU, and if your friends also end up
there, great! If not, even better — now you'll have double the friends you had
before!”
— Kirsten Hurley, Sigma Kappa at
Pennsylvania State University
6. Look Beyond the Glitz and Glam
“Remember to be yourself. You will
be in this house for four years if you start as a freshman, and you want to
enjoy the like-minded women around you. Going through recruitment try to look
past the glitz and glamour and really see if you want to be friends with these
girls for the next four years.”Top of Form
Bottom of Form
— Erin Brown, former VP of recruitment for Delta Delta Delta
at California State University, Long Beach*
7. Don’t Bring Up Boys
“Don't talk about boys. It's neither
the time nor the place and will ALWAYS backfire. You're rushing a sisterhood,
your current boyfriend, or crush, or favorite fraternity is irrelevant. Trust
me when I say you'll have plenty of time to talk boys after rush is over.”
— Alyssa Almeida, former recruitment
executive board member for Kappa Delta at University of Maryland
8. Tell Them About Yourself
“Be yourself, but share yourself.
The sorority members want to get to know you, so be ready to share your
qualities, interests, and passions that make you YOU.”
— Alissa Zito, national recruitment
chair for Delta Zeta Sorority
9. Take Good Notes
“Your recruitment counselors will
tell you to do this, and it seems easy. But when I was going through recruitment
all I wrote down were things like, 'funny, friendly, cute.' My notes started
looking the same for each house and when I had to think back to my
conversations, I started to blur them together which made it difficult! Write
things down that will help you differentiate things (like the color of their
clothes, maybe certain features of the house, or certain conversation topics) —
this will be a huge help if at the end of the night you feel overwhelmed and
want to recap the day! Especially for those of you attending campuses with many
sororities!”
— Florencia Bondi, Gamma Phi Beta at
University of California, Santa Barbara
10. Make Your Own Decision
“Make a decision of the sorority YOU
want and not what others tell you. I felt really pressured during my
recruitment experience, and sometimes wish I would have ultimately followed my
heart instead of listening to others' input.”
— Kayla Hockman, Sigma Kappa at
University of La Verne
11. Choosing the Right House
"Look at the girls sitting
around you during preference rounds. If you can imagine them as your sisters
you're in the right place, if not go with your other choice."
— Rachel Lee, Pi Beta Phi at Indiana
University
12. Be Nice, No Matter Where You Are
“When I was a freshman who was
making my rounds at rush, a senior who I knew from my hometown said to me, 'Be
sure to make an effort with everyone no matter what sorority they are in
because you never know who knows who.' I took that with me and showed interest
in every sorority, smiled, and was friendly, regardless if I felt like they
weren’t the right fit for me. As a result, I received a bid from every single
sorority at rush.”
— Jana Glowatz, former recruitment
chair for Sigma Delta Tau at the University at Albany
It is hard to realize how hot it gets in August. Most of us have the
option of getting into our air conditioned cars or going inside when the
temperature soars. Not so during recruitment. You get to hang out in a
tent that shelters you from the sun but does not provide much breeze.
Watch this video for thoughts on how to survive the heat.
For information from a PNM that survived recruitment 2018, go to this you tube video.
These pictures will give you an idea of what to expect during recruitment. Even if you are not going to Texas A&M, you will experience some of this if you are going through recruitment in the fall.
