rush tips

I second this

Sorority or fraternity?

Dress up and dress well - like you would for a first date.

Be good at conversation - practice chatting up girls on your floor and other PNMs. Keep hydrated, caffeinated and rested.

Go out of your way to be kind, gracious and outgoing with people you meet around recruitment, especially other PNMs and Rho Gammas.

Be especially kind and gracious to the sisters of every house. You are a guest in their homes. No one should go in with the attitude that they're better than any chapter.

UCLA sororities are looking for women who are poised, easy to talk to, funny/fun to be around, and attractive. Being attractive doesn't always mean that you were born pretty - it also includes being able to groom yourself well (hair and makeup that enhance your features) and dress stylishly.

This school gets a lot of academic types who don't know how to hold a great conversation - so that's going to be one of the key things chapters look for. Keep your energy up, be enthusiastic (but not over the top, obviously), have interesting things to talk about like your interests for the next four years, favorite activities, vacations, tv shows/movies/books, and pop culture can usually provide some good conversation topics.

Most sorority women will be following the classic rules of good conversation: people like to talk about themselves. So if you get stuck with a sister who is just no good at it - then use that rule yourself to ask her about her experiences, her favorite activities at UCLA, etc.

They say that talking about certain things is taboo (Boys, Bucks, Bible, Booze, and 'Bama), but if something like your religion is important to you, you don't have to shy away from asking if any of the sisters in that chapter are involved in church groups or certain on campus groups. Partying can also be delicately mentioned - most Greeks party, but they don't want to bid sloppy drunks or tramps.

Listen to your heart more than rankings or the "tent talk" you hear from other PNMs. Rankings change - not many years ago, Kappa wasn't making quota and Theta was blowing them out of the water in rush every year. Now it's different.

One or two pledge classes can really change things for an entire chapter - for the better or for the worse. So if you find that you're really underwhelmed by a "highly ranked" chapter, you might find out that they are royally messing up their rush with all the PNMs. Same in the reverse if you unexpectedly love a mid- or lower-tier house.

At the end of the day, which chapter you belong to will NOT influence your ability to get involved with prestigious organizations on campus, who you party with, or the opportunities you have after school. It's all about who you want to be around - so pick the group that you really enjoy.

..Also... most PNMs will get dropped by at least 1 or 2 of their favorite chapters at some point. Dust yourself off and be a big girl about it. You'll make new favorites, I promise.