Rush Week Overview and Tips

rush week tips

If you’re planning on #GoingGreek this fall when school starts, it’s time to start researching Rush Week! This week will most likely look a little different at each school, but the overview is the same- a week where new recruits for Greek sororities and fraternities check out the different houses, meet the members of the organizations, learn about their philanthropies, and try to match up with which one they would like to be a part of for their college career. Here’s what a sample rush week could look like: 

Monday: Meet the members of the houses and get to know one another

Tuesday: Tours of the houses

Wednesday: Philanthropy night to learn more about each house’s philanthropy. 

Thursday: Preference day*

Saturday: Bid day

*Preference day is a day where each house looks at each potential pick of who they want in their house, and the guys and girls rushing also pick which houses they want to be a part of. If you end up matching, you’re invited to a preference night for the houses you match with. This doesn’t mean you’re in the sorority or fraternity yet! This is your “interview” of sorts. 

After preference day is bid day, the day the sororities and fraternities invite those they ended up choosing to join them. Each University and house will have a different number of people they take in, some schools have around a 95% rate of getting in if you rush, other schools can be lower and more competitive to get in. 

Tips for Rush Week

  • Ask a lot of questions. Usually you’re assigned a leader to help guide you through the week, ask the questions and become familiar with the houses and process! 
  • Try not to stress. There’s a lot of commotion and things to think or worry about. But it’s also great to live in the moment and take it all in. 
  • Research the houses before. It can be easier going into Rush Week with a knowledge of what your options are and what these houses mean and stand for. For example, research Alpha Chi Omega, what they stand for, what their philanthropy is, how they started, what their motto is, etc. This will help you decide if this house is right for you, even before rush week begins. 
  • Dress to impress! How you dress says a lot about who you are, this is why we dress up for job interviews. Look at rush week as one week-long job interview, so dress in a way you are comfortable and feel like you, but is also your nicer, more professional clothing. 
  • Keep your purse or bag stocked with essentials. Chapstick, mints, extra clothes, snacks, and maybe comfy shoes to change into. At some Universities, the houses won’t be all right next to each other, so consider the walking time and distance. High heels don’t make the best shoes to walk a few blocks in! 
  • When choosing your final houses on preference day, be honest with yourself. It can be so easy to fall into the trap that you need to be included in every house or that you would be completely fine getting into whichever house offers you their preference or bid. However, it’s best to be honest with yourself and really consider if choosing a specific house would be the right decision for you. 

Good luck with rush week this fall! We are rooting for you! 

Should You Join A Fraternity?

rush week tips

When writing a past article on student housing in college, I referenced a fraternity. While a fraternity does qualify as “housing” in college, it also entails so, so, so much more! There is a whole world of Greek fraternities out there and each of them serves a different mission and purpose to their communities. And on top of this, they come with some amazing benefits! So if you’re wondering if you should join a fraternity, here are some of the multiple reasons they can be a great addition to your college experience. 

A fraternity is a home typically on or very close to campus. Many members will claim it’s one of their favorite parts of living in a frat, because of the close commute to classes and always feeling so involved with events happening on campus. But because housing is never free, it does cost money to live there, and often it can be more expensive than housing that is not in the Greek scene. 

Fraternities can also be a product of rules to follow. By committing yourself to the Greek life, it can mean there is a whole new list of rules to follow. This can turn some away, but may be appealing to others with the consistency and high expectations. 

It can also mean instant friends. Finding your friend group in college can be daunting, but walking into a frat house can ease the burden of finding new friends. A fraternity can also be a product of great leadership opportunities, which turn around to be amazing resume builders.

One of the most long-term effects of a fraternity are the networking opportunities. Members of fraternities have said that years down the road after college they’ve been given internship or job opportunities through members of their fraternity and the companies they’ve networked with.  

Have you had any experience in a fraternity? What other points would you add to this list? 

Should I Join A Sorority?

What is a sorority? 

Here is a rough definition from a Google search. But a sorority is also so much more than just “a society for female students.” A sorority is a place to live, friends, a community, and more. Full of service opportunities, school events, and active involvement. 

So the question is- should you join a sorority? 

Here’s an overview of what it entails.

A sorority is a home typically on or very close to campus. Many members will claim it’s one of their favorite parts of living in a sorority, because of the close commute to classes and always feeling so involved with events happening on campus. But because housing is never free, it does cost money to live there, and often it can be more expensive than housing that is out of the Greek scene. 

Sororities can also be a product of rules to follow. By committing yourself to the Greek life, it can mean there is a whole new list of rules to follow. This can turn some away, but may be appealing to others with the consistency and high expectations. 

It can also mean instant friends. Finding your friend group in college can be daunting, but walking into a sorority house can ease the burden of finding new friends. A sorority will provide multiple, great leadership opportunities, which turn around to be amazing resume builders. 

A sorority can be a great thing! There are so many great products of joining and being part of the Greek world. And if you don’t believe me, take it from a sorority sister herself! Here’s the advice she wants to leave with you:

“For someone considering joining, I think it’s important to just be yourself (cliche, I know) because these are people you will be spending a lot of time with and you should feel comfortable… to be honest, it was just nice to feel like a part of something right off the bat when moving to college.”

A.J. Cutler- Alpha Chi Omega 

Have you been considering a sorority for your college experience?