how early do i start rushing?

I would like to know the same thing. Bump.

advise to start contacting fraternities in early May. Most "top" fraternities seem to have informal rush events quite early and May is a good time to show your interest. As far as "middle tier" while it won't hurt to contact them early you could probably wait until mid July to do so. If you do get a bid, I would say think about it and don't rush into an accept. BUT accepting early does two things; 1. makes you look good to the brothers (you aren't waiting for better offers) and 2. you have SOME say in who your pledge brothers will be. The actives will ask you about rushes and what you think of them.

The above commenter has a lot of good points, but I would start earlier than May. If you know someone on the inside (an active in a fraternity), you may be invited to events as early as March or April. This doesn't always happen, but letting the rush chair know you are interested that early on ensures you will get a call as early as possible, therefore, giving you a leg up in the race. Only accept if you are 100% sure however. There are a lot of good fraternities on campus. Take all reviews and banter you see on this site with a grain of salt. One thing I always found helpful would be to ask any sorority girls you know on campus. All that being said, you are getting a good start. Best of luck with rushing. War Eagle.