pre-recruitment friendships

wouldn't say you lose your chances but I would say that a majority of girls in top houses now, knew people going in to rush, and in some cases a lot of girls. if you aren't one of these people, you won't be one of the most sought after pnm's in the house, so try and make a great impression while you are in the rounds! if it is meant to be, it will typically work out through the system, especially with top tier houses. most have a particular type they are looking for and can easily detect this out in a girl.

It's not too late to start but yeah, if you want to be in one of the sororitys with the highest return rates it helps to know a lot of girls going into rush

Even if you are not bid to join the home of a sorority acquaintance, you may be making panhellenic friends for life thru meeting NPC women this semester before formal recruitment.

But if you nurse the idea that making friends in the top houses will get you an automatic top house bid, that is never a fact guaranteed for anyone. ALL sororities have the greater power of choice in recruitment over pnms. You will only get your chances to choose after the groups have made their choices. And at your formal MRABA signing, your choice still must be matched to a sorority's choice (and hopefully you both will end up happy!).

For your best recruitment always listen to your counselors, maximize your options, look forward but never behind, be confident and accept any bid as gold.