Getting Ready for Sorority Recruitment

Remember when “selective listening” was a bad thing?  This skill, which is often highly developed during the teen years, can be of great use during your sorority recruitment experience.  How so?  By knowing which information is relevant and “selecting” out of the noise.

Let’s look at three factors that may seem important, but only serve to make your recruitment experience complicated and stressful.

✖ Sites that rank fraternities and sororities.

These artificial rankings are subjective and fueled by speculation.  While they may be easy to find, professional looking, and offer what appears to be a simple way to finalize your decision, they are inaccurate, can be outdated, and exist primarily to sell banner ads. This isn’t Harry Potter, there is no magical sorting hat that can instinctively tell you where you belong. It is a decision that requires, time, thought, lots of conversations, and the ability to follow your heart.

✖ Slander posted on social media sites.

Often times people post on sites like this because they are insecure about their own chapter, or feel that the only way to make themselves look better is to make others look worse. This goes against the basic values of Greek life. Don’t listen to the negative stereotypes. There is no such thing as a wrong chapter or a right chapter. There is no site that can tell you what chapter is best for you.

✖ Degrading rumors.

A big mistake during sorority recruitment is assuming the gossip is gospel.  It is not.  While some rumors may have some basis in some fact, more often rumors are comments that have been artfully embellished and misconstrued.  Do you want to base your important decisions on this?  And what if the degrading rumors do not reflect the wonderful sorority you see?  New sisters often come together to work against negative stereotypes and make their chapter better.  If you are a natural change agent, this might actually be a good place for you to make a positive impact.

The only way you can join the “wrong” chapter is by not paying attention to your gut feelings, and instead spending too much time listening to what others have to say. Three smart keys to having a successful recruitment experience are:

♥ Not ruling out groups before you meet them
♥ Avoiding campus gossip
♥ Making a decision based on what YOU think feels right

If you do this you will be far more likely to find a sorority and sisters that will selectively listen to you for all your undergraduate years.

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Kristen A. Rupert is a SureSister.com contributor.  Kristen holds a Bachelors degree in History and Political Science Education from Ashland University and a Masters of Higher Education and Student Affairs from Kent State University.  An initiate of Delta Zeta Sorority’s Theta Psi chapter, Kristen currently serves her sorority as an alumna academics and new member advisor at The Ohio State University, where she is also employed full time.  Outside of Greek life Kristen’s interests include community service, coffee, Ohio State football, and technology and social media.  We recommend getting to know Kristen on Twitter at @karupert and through her personal blog at karupert.com.

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