why does sdt get such a bad rep?

They are not bad---they are just sorta uninvolved and don't have a physical sorority house. As a group, they seem really tight-knit, generally pretty and like to have fun. However, they are pretty stand-offish to other Greeks, in my experience. They also tend to be very particular about who they want and then seem to fill the rest of their pledge class with (somewhat) random girls in an effort to fill quota. Many girls are negative toward them when rushing mostly because they don't have a physical sorority house so being an SDT is a not a traditional UW sorority experience. All that said, go through rush and see if you luck with the girls---that's what's most important when choosing a sorority. As for being a legacy, just remember that sorority organizations differ from campus to campus. Your mom's chapter of SDT could be TOTALLY different at her school. If that's the case, you may have to explain that to your mom if you decide that the UW chapter is not for you. Good luck!

Nooo just don't do it. They're very cliquey and hang out borderline exclusively with AEPi, Sammy, and ZBT. They are embarrassingly involved in the Greek community (e.g. being with them for homecoming is like being with yourself), and the girls can be quite rude. I had such a negative experience during recruitment and have only had my suspicions confirmed in my time at Madison so far. Disappoint your mother, please.