Sorority recruitment can be incredibly overwhelming and scary because of so much unknown! I get it! You are probably looking for tips and advice on sorority recruitment so I hope that I can answer all of your questions about sorority rush as a current SEC sorority girl.
Hey, y'all! My name is Isabella, and I’m a college student learning how to navigate adulthood right alongside you!! Today I am going to be giving you some of the best advice and tips I received and have learned throughout sorority recruitment.
Review your resume
Be prepared to talk about the topics you put on your resume. Here's a little tip: the sorority girls already know these things about you and will use them as conversation starters.
Have good answers to why you did what you did in high school, what you want to do in college, and why you want to do it. This is something you will have to do all throughout sorority recruitment.
Your resume will prompt most of the questions the sorority girls ask, so just review the specifics of what you put on it and be prepared to talk about it.
Ask questions
Go beyond surface-level conversations & ask them questions! This is not only them assessing you, but you are also assessing them.
Try your best to figure out if you genuinely have anything in common with who you’re talking to and if your values align with the sorority's values in general. You can do this by having questions prepared to ask them and even some that are slightly unusual (ex: “What is one thing you love and one thing you don't love or would change about your chapter?")
Go into each chapter with an open mind and ask questions you genuinely want to know the answer to. This is especially applicable to the later rounds.
The further you get into the rush, the more personal questions you can ask as you start to eliminate sororities.
Avoid discussing the 5 B's (Boys, Booze, ballots, Beliefs, or Bucks)
Boys: Do NOT talk about boys. PLEASE, do not do it. Regardless if it's about your boyfriend or all the boys you’re excited to meet in college. Please do not bring up boys. (Unless it's a family member that is meaningful to you.) This is because the sororities want to get to know you!! They are not interested in learning how you are excited to go to your boyfriend's date party or how you can’t wait to go to frats and meet lots of boys.
Booze: This means don't talk about how excited you are to party, go out, drink, be free from your parents, etc. There will be plenty of time to talk about anything like this after sorority recruitment, but right now, they want to know who you are as an individual!
Ballots: This means not to talk about politics because even if your political views are fundamental to you, they will vary by individual, so one girl’s political views aren’t representative of the sorority. Therefore, at least in the early rounds, it’s best to steer clear. However talking about politics in general is not frowned upon. For example, if you want to work in politics one day or if you are interested in it in general.
Beliefs: This means not to talk about your religion because, as I previously stated, it varies greatly by individual. However, this is a rule that I did not completely listen to. I took the advice with a grain of salt and waited to talk about it in the later rounds. It was crucial that I find a sorority that pushed me to grow in my faith and walk alongside me in my journey, so I thoroughly discussed it in the later rounds.
Bucks: Don’t brag about material things, and don’t try to work your family’s wealth into conversations. It is fine to brag about your academic achievements, sports, or other accomplishments, however. In fact...you should!
TAKE NOTES
Especially after the ice water tea round and philanthropy round because this is when you'll have the most choices and need to start differentiating them.
Immediately after I left a sorority house, I jotted down one thing I liked, one thing I didn't like, and how that chapter made me feel.
I carried a notebook around with me in my rush bag for this purpose! However, you can also just jot this down in your phone's notes app!
First impressions
Make sure to carry yourself well! First impressions are everything!
No matter how nervous you may be, walk in knowing that any chapter would be lucky to have you and whatever sorority house you enter is not your identity.
Take a deep breath before walking in, stand up tall, shoulders back, chin high and confident, slap a big smile on your face and keep it there!!
When you leave, say how much you loved meeting and talking to them. Simply use your manners. While talking to someone at a party, hold eye contact and be engaged in the conversation.
The girls can tell if you don't seem genuinely interested in a chapter and won't want to waste their time getting to know you if you aren't being open-minded. What you put in is what you get out.
Outfits
What to wear...and what not to wear! Think modest - almost church attire. Remember, this is not the time to show off your body but to present yourself well.
Regarding accessories, please do not wear an Apple watch or electronic watch of any kind. You aren't allowed to take your phone in the chapter rooms, and because it is still seen as electronic, it is frowned upon.
In terms of shoes, I would recommend making sure they’re cute and comfortable. At some parties, you will be standing the whole time, so make sure they are shoes you can stand in for at least 30 minutes.
Lastly, you can re-wear the same outfit every day of a round! You only go to each chapter once during each round, so this is a great solution if you’re trying to save money.
If you are somewhere you'll sweat (like anywhere in the South!), you probably shouldn’t re-wear your t-shirts from Philanthropy unless you plan on washing them daily. Just keep this in mind.
If you want more advice, check out How To Put Together The Perfect Sorority Recruitment Outfit.
(A sneak peek of the outfits I wore for recruitment!)
My Advice
When ranking the chapters at the end of a round, think back to each party and remove the decoration and glamor.
Especially think about how that chapter made you feel at the end of the day.
Did you enjoy the people you talked to and the overall sorority, or just one or the other?
Look around you
Once you approach the end of rush week, like in the sisterhood and preference rounds, ensure you look around and talk to people in the lines before the houses.
Ask yourself if you think you can get along with the people you're surrounded by because they might be your future sisters.
don't base your decisions on others
Don’t base your decisions on what your friends are doing. It’s best to keep who you talk about rush with to a minimal close-circle group.
I only talked about it in depth with my mom, and this is especially helpful if your mom has rushed before. It does not have to be family, but you should find someone you can trust and who will listen to you.
don't confide in strangers
When you are in line outside the houses, don't confide in strangers about how you "have to have" that one house you are going into or how much you hated talking to sorority member XYZ.
You never know who knows who, and people love to talk, which can put you in a sticky situation.
It is best to keep these thoughts to yourself an your minimum close circle group to discuss with for now! I promise. Don't overshare.
My encouragement!
Lastly, here are just some words of encouragement: TRUST! THE! PROCESS! You will hear this over and over throughout the week, and y'all, I know it sounds like such silly advice because it is so stressful and challenging to relax and trust the process.
I'm not telling you this in hoping that it will calm you. However, I'm telling you this because when you have doubt and anger at yourself for maybe saying something you think sounded juvenile or for tripping when walking into a party, remember you are human.
God will place you in the chapter you are meant to be in, or maybe he'll take you in another direction of life that doesn't involve recruitment. However, I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason: it is God's plan for your life.
When you're waiting in line to go to these houses, please, please do not compare yourself to others because you are a unique individual, and therefore you will bring something new to whatever chapter is lucky to have you.
Girls! Please don't take getting dropped personally, and as much as I hate to say it, be ready to accept some disappointment. Above all else, remember that recruitment does not define you, so try your best to have fun! You’re meeting so many wonderful people along the way, so make the best of it!!
I hope the tips and advice I have learned throughout my experience with sorority recruitment will help you. For more help on sorority recruitment check out my other sorority recruitment posts for posts such as 14 Must Know Sorority Recruitment Tips & Advice.
With Love,
Isabella XO
