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By: Maura L. Johnson, LCSW, PMH-C
In the Fall of 2000, I was just beginning my sophomore year at Clarion University, now PennWest Clarion (but will always and forever be Clarion University). Having decided to change majors and take a heavier course load to get current, the absolute last thing on my mind was joining a sorority. Most of us are at least somewhat familiar with the process, either through our own experiences or what we’ve learned through media representation. A hometown friend asked me to accompany her to an open bid party at the Alpha Sigma Tau house, a place she had been considering since late high school. I never envisioned myself joining a sorority but was very excited to receive a bid, or invitation to join, shortly after attending. It was an exciting and challenging process, one I’m forever grateful to have experienced. You may find yourself considering rushing or supporting a college-age child in the process.
Rush is a period of time, usually at the beginning of the academic year, when fraternities and sororities host events to recruit new members. It's a chance for you to meet current members, learn about the organization's values, traditions, and activities, and see if you feel a connection with the group. So, what can you expect during the Rush process? This may look a bit different across different campuses, especially universities where Greek life is an integral part of campus culture (Bama Rush, anyone?). There are two types of rush:
● Formal Rush: This is a structured process, often lasting about a week, where potential new members (PNMs) attend scheduled events like meet-and-greets, house tours, and interviews. At the end of the week, both the PNMs and the organizations rank their preferences, and bids (invitations to join) are extended. As an initiated member, I recall dressing more formally and hosting more organized events than during my pledge period.
● Informal or Continuous Open Bidding (COB): This is a more relaxed and ongoing process where sororities or fraternities may recruit new members outside the formal rush period, often because they haven’t filled all their spots. This was the process I went through as a PNM, with formal rush occurring during the spring semester at my university.
As far as the process, the following may be more typical of formal rush vs informal:
● Orientation: Your school may offer an orientation session to inform you of the Greek Life organizations on campus, as well as some information regarding the rush process.
● Meet and Greet Events: These are casual gatherings where you can interact with members and get a feel for the different groups/houses.
● Interviews/Conversations: Some sororities or fraternities may have more formal conversations or interviews as part of the process. This may vary, depending on the school and the organization.
● Preference Night: For sororities, this is the final and most formal event of the rush week. It’s an invitation-only event where you’ll spend more time with the chapters you’re most interested in.
● Bid Day: This is when you find out which sorority or fraternity has extended an invitation for you to join. If you receive a bid and accept it, you become a new member (or pledge).
All of this may seem overwhelming, especially to an incoming freshman trying to adjust to campus life. It’s important to consider the time commitment of such a process, as well as the financial commitments that will arise throughout rushing. While there are some straightforward fees up front, many other expenses may crop up, such as clothing purchases, gifts and activity costs. Greek Life organizations also value high academic achievement and expect pledges and members to sustain a relatively strong GPA. Preparing yourself to balance rushing, pledging and studying is an incredibly important consideration prior to making the commitment to rush. Should you run into difficulties during the rush and/or pledge process, most sororities and fraternities have a member dedicated to new member education and support (ours was called the “Pledge Mom”).
What happens if you or your child don’t receive a bid? First, let yourself experience the emotions that come with this. It’s common to experience feelings of rejection and frustration, especially after devoting so much of your time and emotional energy to the process. Lean into your support system and reflect on what you liked versus what you didn’t about the process. Perhaps one type of rush may be better for you, and you decide to try again during that time. There’s also the very real possibility that you decide it wasn’t for you and pursue other things. As a support person to someone in the rush process, be present and encouraging. Try your best to meet them where they’re at with their emotions. This can be a very challenging experience but also a very rewarding one in the end.
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