rushing as a junior (female)

It's not entirely impossible. If you have a lot of good friends in a certain sorority, you might still have a chance. Your best option, otherwise, might be to COB pi phi after formal recruitment. It will save you from the inevitable rejection that you will face during rush. It's not personal, sororities like to have members that are committed for the full time at hopkins, it really isn't personal, but if you have good friends in a certain sorority, try really expressing an interest In joining/ rushing with them and do it soon!

If you have friends in any chapters then by all means, go through recruitment. Otherwise, consider some hardships you will encounter...you will be two yrs older then freshmen making up most of the new member class, which you will be grouped with for new member education classes. Older members have been together for several years and have bonded over that time... which might feel cliquish. You will have three semesters.

On the flip side, you might have great fun and make new friends!

The reason any sorority would prefer a freshman over a junior comes down to numbers. Every chapter is supposed to be at “campus total” which is the average size of all five chapters. If a chapter is below that total, they are encouraged (and in some cases forced by their national orgs) to COB until they’re at total. Taking on a junior in the newest pledge class messes with the numbers—they have one fewer member in PC’18 than they theoretically should once that junior graduates three semesters later, so they risk being below total.

The honest truth is that, for that reason, you will have a harder time, but as generic as it sounds it is still worth a try. You can always try to COB your preferred chapter later if you get to pref and don’t think you match well with the group(s) you’re left with.