<p>How is the competition in rushing (for a sorority)? The Beautiful People are just overwhelming it seems...</p>
<p>Only girl’s I know who did it said the process was pretty brutal. Sorority Rush is very formal and can be really grueling, a lot of awkward conversation at mixers, or so I hear (I’m a guy, so this is all second hand).</p>
<p>It does sound overwhelming (did some research today and asked a few friends) in a respect. But it is only a week long and shouldn’t be too bad. I’m not an ego trip and know I’ll be cut from a few houses (who am I kidding - more than a few - but there are 13 sororities so there are a lot of opportunities), but I can only get my recs and portfolio together, and plunge in head first expecting the best but preparing for the worst!
Looks like any SEC school has brutal competition, though.</p>
<p>I think it’s just the fact that that week happens to be so early in the semester, so you’re getting use to being in gainesville, used to the idea of class, used to new living arrangment and new people, then you have to be in reasonably high stress situations for several hours a day.</p>
<p>I certainly wish you luck though!</p>
<p>My daughter is a senior at UF in a sorority. She didn’t rush until sophomore year and that definitely put her at a disadvantage for many of the sorority chapters. That said, she is very happy where she ended up and does not regret having had to go through the process. Being in a sorority makes a large school much smaller. It can be very fulfilling on many levels. Try not to listen to the “tent talk” (negative gossip about specific houses). Just keep an open mind as you go through rush and you will find yourself where you belong.</p>
<p>Actually there are 16 sororities.My d is in a sorority at UF. Recruitment is brutal, not only because you have to make hours and hours of small talk, but it’s usually very hot. During preview, you will get a publication called “Guide to Florida Greeks”, if you go to the session about greeks. You can also get if off the UF Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs website. Read it and pay attention to what they advise wearing. I know it sounds superficial, but given that you will only have a short time in each house during the first round, you need to make a good impression. Also, everyone gets cut from some houses after the first round. Try not to take it personally. If you keep an open mind, most likely you will get a bid, but don’t count on a particular house. Get as many recs as you can. You also need to have a conversation with your parents (if they will be paying your fees) about cost. Sororities at UF are quite costly. Plan on spending $1000-2000 per semester on dues, fees, meal plan, etc, and that’s if you live OUT of the house. Plus, your first semester dues will be even higher. Decide before you rush if it’s financially feasible for you. Do you homework and have fun! My d loves her sorority.</p>
<p>@Zaersz - I think Rush happens a week before school begins so maybe Bid day falls during a school time but…I’m not sure about that.
and seicaln & poeticlicense could I message you about a few questions pertaining to recs/sponsorships?
Thanks for the input. x [:</p>
<p>D’s a member of Sigma Phi Lambda (it’s not part of the panhellenic). It’s a Christian sorority. One of the nice things about it is that, as they put it, “you choose us, we don’t choose you.” So they don’t go through the bid process. They have rush week at the same time as all the other sororities and they do Bigs and Littles and all that, but if you are a Christian looking for a faithbased group … this might be something for you. They do a lot of stuff with Kappa Chi, which is the one of the Christian fraternities, especially during the fall and around game days where they tailgate at the Kappa Chi house. </p>
<p>zebes</p>
<p>@zebes - that does sound really nice! It does seem like a “pick-and-choose” process for the other sororities but I figure it’s worth at least a shot.
I’m not religious or religiously based so I don’t think that’s the right one for me.
Thank you though :)</p>
<p>Zebes brings up a good point. There are many, many groups at UF that freshman can get involved in, not just greek life. My d waited until her junior year to rush, because she wasn’t sure as a freshman it was something she wanted to do. It’s a huge commitment, both financially and time-wise. I’m not sure that incoming freshman, who for the most part know nothing of college, UF, etc, etc, should be put in the position of having to make such a big commitment before they are settled in. I mean rush is before classes even start. Who knows a 18 with only a few days of living at UF and getting to know anyone what they want for the next 4 years? Many schools do deferred rush, later on in the semester or in spring semester. UF and many others do formal in the fall and informal in the spring, which put a lot of pressure on freshmen to decide what they want fast. If greek life is something you think you will enjoy then go for it, but by no means is it your only option at UF. If you are planning to go to preview, many other organizations will be represented. Look at everything, consider all your options. If greek life is for you than go for it and good luck!</p>
<p>DO IT! I regret not rushing my freshman year, not because i’m unhappy with the chapter i’m in, but because i really would’ve like to have the whole four years of the sorority experience. also, it really opens up the doors for involvement on campus. my freshman year was all about one failure after another and i think that having the support group of a sorority behind me would’ve helped me out a lot. conversely, it could’ve made my freshman year worse with all the responsibility attached, but i think it all depends on what kind of a person you are. and being in a sorority won’t make you a ditzy party animal, you get out of it what you want which is why it’s so amazing. i suggest you do it now, as a freshman, instead of later. you have less options once your freshman year is done. but if you do decide to rush as a sophomore, make tons of friends in sororities your during your freshman year by joining organizations or just meeting people in class and keep up your grades (+3.3 or 3.4). it also helps to get recommendation letters from alumni of sororities, and it doesn’t matter if they didn’t go to uf.</p>
<p>good luck ladies!</p>
<p>I am definitely rushing! 
I’m getting my stuff together this Spring Break. Very excited and…with 13 great sororities on campus I’ll be able to find one that suits me best :D</p>
<p>WhoMovedmycheese- Good luck and there are 16 wonderful Pan Hellenic sororities at UF!</p>
<p>[UF</a> Panhellenic Council](<a href=“HugeDomains.com”>HugeDomains.com)</p>
<p>16…oh - even better 
Thank you seiclan and good luck to all the ladies Rushing along with me :)</p>
<p>My daughter rushed this year as a freshman. She went to Summer B so she knew a lot about the school before fall semester. She says rush was very stressful but she did get her first choice and loves her sorority. She met a lot of people and it does make it easier in such a big school. I never was in a sorority at UF and didn’t know anything about rush. It is very costly with dues and all outfits for formals etc. Good luck with rush!</p>
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