IFC Frats

Colleges and Universities A-Z Vanderbilt University
21

<p>^not always possible. There is no spring rush at this school - nothing like rush at most other schools. Bids will be given out - or not - during the Christmas parties the weekend after Thanksgiving. It’s ridiculously horrible for guys. My S did pledge one of the “good” ones, then told me after he graduated that he wishes he had pledged Kappa Sigma. He said the guys in the group he joined were asses and snobs. So…don’t just go on what other people think is cool. Look for yourself. Give everyone a chance. once you’ve found a good group of friends, do you really care what other people think?</p>

<p>No.</p>

22

<p>I’m not sure what you’re saying-- there is Spring rush at almost every chapter. Plus most guys would say rush was one of the most fun parts of college. </p>

<p>But yes, it is very important to join where you actually like the brothers and not based on reputation!</p>

23

<p>What are you talking about? Vanderbilt’s rush for the “top tier” (I hate that term) is OVER in December. It’s all done under the table. For those houses, “rush” days just don’t happen. If they have to go through something “structured” for the university, that’s a farce. I’ve seen this system for years. It truly, truly sucks and really doesn’t do anything for the fraternities or the students going through. Somehow, this got started and I have no idea how they’ll stop it. I’m personal messaging with a parent who is going through this now with her son. It obviously hasn’t changed much since my S went through rush a couple of years ago. It’s horrible…</p>

24

<p>The confusion about fraternity rush stems from the administration’s long time desire to change the fraternity rush process to one similar to sororty rush. As such, official bids are not given until after the winter break. In order to comply with the rules, fraternities hold open sessions in the beginning of the next semester and then give out bids. In fact, rush has been going out for the entire semester and fraternities have already decided who they will be giving bids to usually by the Thanksgiving break. </p>

<p>In the past, an invitation to a fraternity’s Winter formal was an unofficial bid. If you accepted the invitation, you accepted the bid. If you were rushing multiple fraternities this forced you to make a decision on a fraternity without the fraternity having to make a formal bid. I guess in order to make it fairer, the administration prohibited all freshmen from attending the winter formals. </p>

<p>Fraternities are not obligated to hold spring rush, it is dependent on their numbers from the previous semester’s rush. Although most do.</p>

<p>If you decide to rush next semester, belonging to a fraternity is like joining a family. That’s why fraternities maintain that a semester long rush is a necessity.</p>

25

<p>BTW, this practice is not restricted to the top tier fraternities. The only fraternities that don’t follow the practice are either the brand new ones or ones that have been suspended and can’t.</p>

26

<p>As for the current process being horrible, the sorority rush process is different, but no better. It is essentially a week long pageant, emotional distress and bruised egos.</p>

27

<p>NO OTHER SCHOOL I have ever heard of has such a dysfunctional process for men going through rush. I do remember they stopped letting freshmen go to the winter formal. That occurred during my son’s years. What a joke. It just happens at another time. Vanderbilt has done a horrible job in managing this and now it’s out of their hands. It’s out of control. I have lots of friends with kids at lots of other schools. When I tell them about Vanderbilt’s IFC rush, they are shocked. None of them said this happens at the schools their boys go to. At Vanderbilt, no one knows anything else. It’s a joke. It’s a mess. It makes fraternity guys act like girls by excluding as many people as they can. Thankfully, Vanderbilt does have control of the girls’ rush.</p>

28

<p>As far as sorority rush goes, at least it lasts a week. It’s bad, but sorority pledge class sizes are managed by the university. They have 50 girls each. Fraternity pledge classes are in the teens…I have a girl who went to Vanderbilt. At least the stress lasts a week. For boys, it’s often an entire semester. There’s really no up side to what they go through.</p>

29

<p>Swimmer, I think there was some misunderstanding between us-- I was saying there is Spring rush, as in the entire spring, for those people wanting to pledge the following semester. If you want to pledge in the spring, you are correct, it is too late to get involved-- bid night is just a week or two after returning from Christmas break.</p>

<p>All houses have at least one open rush event-- Open Dores. That’s where you walk to all the houses and meet brothers for the first time. After that, it’s totally up to the fraternities how they want to run their rush. Some fraternities put everyone from Open Dores on their rush list and trim it down over time, others just the ones they liked and build up from there. Almost all fraternities have social nights where (at least early in the semester), anyone wanting to rush can show up and meet brothers and have a good time. People rushing a fraternity may also bring their friends to social nights/rush events–fraternities actually recommend their rushes do this to get more exposure to the type of kids they like. There is no doubt that a few top tier fraternities are very strict about letting rushes join late in the semester, but that is definitely not true for most fraternities.</p>

<p>As most other schools, rush happens for one week or less and then you pledge a fraternity. The pledges and brothers alike have little idea about the people they are picking. If the brothers end up not liking a pledge or visa versa, the pledge drops and then has no shot at Greek life-- or the pledge stays and is in an awkward limbo for 4 years. I think our system is much preferable, and most guys at other schools agree.</p>

<p>I’m not sure I understand your negativity. Rush is not stressful for guys. It’s fun. The up side is meeting tons of people (guys and girls), getting served food and beverages, being taken to events like hockey games and paintball, attending date parties… </p>

<p>How does rush work at the other schools you’re referring to and what makes it a better process? Again, most of us really like how the process works here. I would not extrapolate, say, SAE’s rush process to the rest of Greek life. If you come to Vandy set in joining SAE and rush nowhere else then yeah, you’re going to be disappointed. But that’s your own fault.</p>

30

<p>You are very naive. It isn’t fun for many, many guys. When they walk up to a house in November and are told at the door they’ve been “cut” and can’t come in - that’s not fun. They panic, because they feel they will have no other options. Few - and I mean VERY few - can rush more than one house at a time. There just isn’t that kind of time…You obviously had a good experience. Some do. My S ended up just fine. However, for many guys it isn’t fun…maybe from the inside looking out, it’s 'fun". It makes for a very stressful semester. Vanderbilt lost control of this long, long, long ago and now it will be close to impossible to reign it in. Ask at what happens at other schools. Vanderbilt is unique, and I don’t mean in a good way.</p>

31

<p>Houses other than SAE have intense semester-long rush processes. I won’t name houses, because that’s not fair. Been there…done that…glad my 3rd kid chose another school. Rather than me go over rush at other schools - you ask around.</p>

32

<p>Swimmer, I’m sorry that your son joined the wrong fraternity, but his experiences are not necessarily representative of others.
As for my Greek experience, I visited all the houses multiple times, decided to rush two, was not cut by either and rushed both to almost the bitter end. Rush was indeed time consuming, but I enjoyed it. I pledged a top tier fraternity and have to say it added something very special to my Vanderbilt experience.
As for calling Pancaked naive, I find it funny coming from someone looking in from the outside.</p>

33

<p>My S also pledged a top fraternity. I’m speaking for the countless guys who are dropped all during fall semester. They are told there is spring rush, but that isn’t the case. You are lucky. Lots of guys are lucky. Lots are not and many have bad experiences that could be avoided if the system was managed better by the university. Again, look at what other schools do. Vanderbilt isn’t typical. Guys don’t have screaming tantrums and don’t want attention called to them - they just go away and don’t say much. It’s a very hurtful process for many guys. You have to admit that to some degree, even though it worked well for you.</p>

34

<p>Swimmer, I don’t know what to tell ya. You’re calling me naive, but I’ve been in the Greek system here for 3 years. I rushed at more than 6 houses, and actively rushed 3 up until Christmas and 2 up until bid day. I was cut at a few and was okay with it. Because of my position, I have worked closely with IFC and rush chairs from a number of houses, so I hardly think I’m naive about the process. You are a parent of one student and are sitting behind a laptop in your home, far from campus! C’mon now. I am not naive.</p>

<p>The experience of the majority of the people I talk to/know involves rushing numerous houses. It can be stressful in the sense that you feel you need to go out a lot when time might be better spent studying, but it’s still fun. Vanderbilt does not have any control of the process, and that’s how the fraternities want it. I mean, what do you mean by “better management?” Fraternities are going to take the people they want and cut the people they don’t, no matter what Vanderbilt’s role is in the process. There are naturally fraternities at the bottom who will take anyone who walks in the door, and naturally those that are highly selective. There’s a place for anyone who wants to be a part of Greek life. </p>

<p>As for being “cut at the door,” fraternities are actually required to send either a form letter or a personal message when removing anyone from their rush list. This does not always happen. Granted, sometimes you walk into SAE wearing sports shorts and a tank and they cut you at the door, cause well, that’s not their culture. It’s harsh but there’s no doubt you would never have been comfortable there.</p>

<p>People who have a bad experience are those who put all their eggs in one basket and get cut. People who are disillusioned into thinking they fit in somewhere when none of the brothers feel the same way. People who are trying to be something they are not. People who have very high opinions of themselves and don’t get into a top tier house. Some people think they are too good for house A B and C but get rush/ get cut at D E and F and never even tried G, H, I, and J, then feel they have been screwed. Well, not really.</p>

<p>Anyone who goes into rush being themselves with an open mind can get a bid at a place where they will fit in. I agree that it doesn’t work out for some people, but that is a minority, and it’s not the end of the world. </p>

<p>Like I asked in my last post-- What do other schools do that makes their systems so much better? You keep referencing them. As I have said, people I know at other schools far prefer the Vanderbilt system. The IFC coordinator and Greek Life coordinator here agree, and have worked at a number of schools.</p>

<p>And for the last time, there is Spring rush. Spring rush is for people wanting to pledge the following semester. It exists. Almost every fraternity on campus takes a pledge class in the Spring (who rushed in the fall) and a smaller pledge class in the Fall who rushed in the Spring.</p>

35

<p>I had to register just to make a comment on this. I agree that many of the Vanderbilt students are very naive on the fraternity rush issues. If not naive, then disingenuous. My son actively rushed the fraternities and was cut from every one of them. He isn’t mean, awkward, ugly or offensive. He wasn’t trying to get into a top tier frat. He rushed middle tier and bottom tier. He made friends with brothers, he had fun. He went to many events at the frats, and was very active with 3 of them, including bottom tier frats. He had good grades. He dressed nicely. But apparently, he wasn’t up to snuff. He was heart broken, but of course, he didn’t go around whining about it. For the students in fraternities to pretend that this is not happening is just wrong. Pancaked is wrong when he says there is a fraternity for everyone who wants to join. My son was shut out of greek life. Over time he has gotten over it, but he still wishes he could have joined. I say good riddance, but I guess it’s hard when it’s in your face every day. To think the fraternities encourage you to join, cut you, then have the nerve to call you a GDI.</p>

36

<p>VUMom2000, DTD and Phi Psi will accept anyone who rushes. My friends and I received a bid at Phi Psi after going to a single rush event.</p>

<p>The system is exclusive, that’s the nature of it. But anyone who commits the time to meet brothers and is open minded can get a bid, and I stand by that.</p>

<p>One thing freshman should know that they probably don’t: The majority of cuts occur because rushes haven’t met enough brothers. People think they are fine in rush because they come by once a week, but they spend most of their time at rush events with their freshman friends or with the same couple of brothers. Will never get ya a bid.</p>

37

<p>Pancaked, you are wrong. I read the cut emails myself. You don’t know everything about the fraternities at Vanderbilt.</p>

38

<p>I am not claiming to know everything. I am certain your son was not cut at DTD or Phi Psi.</p>

39

<p>Pancaked - congratulations on being one of the few that this system has worked for. The truth is…Vanderbilt has fall rush for fraternities. Cuts are made all semester. Bids are handed out under the table before the Christmas break. Every house? no…but most of them. there are less than 10 fraternities on that campus and the number of kids pledged averages about 15 to 20 each, would be my guess. It’s all about the fraternities, yes the fraternities. They want to have their “first choices” pledge and not have to fall from that list. This is all about protecting themselves. It’s not “fun” for most guys. Of course, there are a handful of groups who don’t get enough pledges or don’t work as hard during the fall to get them. They might have some events in the spring. I have heard countless stories - sad stories - from my S and Daughter over the years. Like I said, if this were happening with girls, they would be protesting loudly and a system would be put in place. Guys are quiet about it and walk away. </p>

<p>Look over this website carefully. What other schools have people commenting this harshly on the fraternity rush system? This system is broken. I met with Kristen Torrey when I was there - I think she got married and changed her name - she doesn’t care. At the time, seemed to favor KA and SAE. I am wondering if she’s still there, since I saw KA was recently in trouble. When I told her about actual “cuts” being made in the fall at the most popular houses, she denied it and said they all have spring rush. My S will tell you they didn’t. He was very vocal about the system while he was there, as he talked to friends at other schools. He said Vanderbilt is “f*%ked” in terms of fraternity rush.</p>

40

<p>Vanderbilt would benefit from having actual, formal fall rush. It should occur in October, last a week, and every house should have to take at least a set number of guys. Then, I would have respect for the system.</p>