how hard/competitive is rush?

Recruitment is stressful and difficult to many, but if you are yourself and you are open to all of the amazing chapters here, you will be fine ( Honestly, our low tier chapters are considered similar to THE BEST chapters at other large universities). The girls who seem to suffer most during rush are the ones focused on only a couple chapters, then get cut, and ultimately drop. Within a few months, many realize their mistake and decide they want to COB a house they thought they were too good for and shunned during recruitment, then those houses have no use for those types of girls. Being from Canada will not be an issue. Being closed-minded, not yourself, or not giving all chapters a shot will be an issue because let's face it, it has been said a thousand times, every chapter has the homecoming queen, cheerleaders, dancers, bookworms, commedians, sleazes, nerds, athletes, etc.

Bring your "A" game, keep an open mind, have some recs done ahead of time and you will do fine. One bit of advice: I am from a northern state (Michigan) and I was blown away by how hot it was during rush. August in Columbia is roughly the temperature of hell. Missouri girls know this, but I didn't. I had a wonderful roommate who gave me two hints: wear prints instead of solid colors because they don't show the perspiration (and you WILL perspire) and put some blotting powder and a brush in your purse to touch up the shine between parties. I pledged a GREAT house and, best of all, so did my sweet and helpful roommate!

I am from out of state and didn't know a soul but I had a blast during rush and got into a good house. I think people who don't know anyone actually have an advantage. While all of the clique-y private school girls from St. Louis think it's the shizz to recruit people just like themselves, the rest of the house just wants someone who will add a new dimension to the house. That's where we come in! Then, while the clique-y St. Louis girls are alienating people right and left, we rise to the top. There are some sororities who LOVE out-of-state girls, and they are among the best houses. So enjoy, because you have a clean slate and no one is mad at you for transgressions that happened three years ago that don't matter anyway.