Rush from the Fraternity Perspective

[MattUMASSD]

So much of this forum is about sorority rush, what about the fraternities out there. My fraternity is doing a spring rush with 2 weeks these tentative events: Hooters, A Game Night, Laser Tag Simpson/Family Guy night, Indoor BBQ. We hope to give bidds to atleast 10 guys.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by MattUMASSD
We hope to give bidds to atleast 10 guys.

How many prospects do you have lined up going into rush?

[MattUMASSD]

5 definite, 2 maybes. People on my campus are anti any organization so well see.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by MattUMASSD
5 definite, 2 maybes. People on my campus are anti any organization so well see.

I would say that you are off to a good start for upcoming rush, and you may be able to exceed your goals. I would extend the bids to the 7 prospects ASAP, and then get them to start recruiting immediately. Pledges know more prospects than brothers do, and they are often more effective as well. Brothers often talk about things that prospects simply don't care about, new pledges will be able to relate with the prospects better.

Make sure that all recruitment activities involve some physical activity. Men have a much easier time communicating while active, than while stationary. Whether you're playing pool, hoops, foosball, or climbing a mountain, the prospects will be able to bond with, and communicate with the members with far greater ease than when standing with a drink in hand.

[MattUMASSD]

Men have a much easier time communicating while active, than while stationary. Whether you're playing pool, hoops, foosball, or climbing a mountain, the prospects will be able to bond with, and communicate with the members with far greater ease than when standing with a drink in hand.

Definitely. Our game night is where we're doing some of that with foosball, poker, a lil mariokart action. in the fall we do ultimate frisbee or football but nature prevents us from doing that but in February nature prevents us from doing that with it being freezing or snow on the ground.

[MattUMASSD]

How does everyone advertise?
We put flyers in the residence halls, and all the academic buildings. We also put ads in the campus newspaper. We have information tables in the campus center. And we all wear letters.

[SigEp42]

The best advice I can give you for advertising is to make sure your brothers and letters are out as much as possible. Try these for starters:


A good impression from a brother goes a long way when someone is deciding to rush and is the best FREE advertisement you can get. If a brother is good at meeting new people use it. We always meet guys playing pick-up foot ball or basket ball not only are you physically active but you are meeting 5 guys on average.


Also getting your brothers involved in clubs, activities and with sororities is an investment for the future. If you aren’t involved on campus now I would advise: investing in future rushes and get your brothers involved now. Not only is it a way to meet new people but it makes your fraternity look better to perspectives.


As always wear your letters as much as possible. Have a letter day where brothers are required to wear letters ( every Monday ect.) It goes along with name recognition if they recognize your letters or nickname they are more likely to come to your events.


I have tons of these ideas as I was V.P. of recruitment for a year. If you need more let me know. These are very general and can be used by almost any chapter There are more for specific settings: do you have a house, are you in a city, do you have a school newspaper, do you have a quad or populated area, are there sororities, ect?


I will leave you with these two questions the answers will help you set your self apart.


What is your competition doing that you can copy? (Events, rush shirts, posters, flyers booklets ect)


What is your competition not doing that you can do? (this is actually easier than you think do they have a personal rush or a group rush, are they out for numbers or do they take time with each rush)


Good luck I hope this helps

[Kevin]

In the Southern/Great Plains states, rush is apparently a much more involved process. We expend most of our rush work during the school year and especially in the summer. Actives meet with prospects, do lunch, hang out, sometimes alums get into the mix as well.

One of our chapters here in Oklahoma actually rents apartments for their rush committee members in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa. These guys basically have the full time occupation during the summer to recruit and select the guys that the house will give bids to the next year (a pretty large number -- the vast majority of the bids offered are accepted).

Our chapter is a little smaller. We generally have received around 15 bids per semester. However, that has been trending upwards. Retention has also trended upwards.

I'm an alum now. Still pretty well connected. Very active in the alum chapter. I also edit the alumni newsletter. I'll probably play a fairly active role in the recruitment process, time permitting.

[Adelphean]

My advice, and what many fraternities do on our campus is to use sororites to your advantage. Figure out which sorority has the reputation of dating/hanging out with the type of guys you want. Make friends with those women, and have them "dirty rush" for you. Ask them to talk you up to guys they meet. Or find a sorority that you can make a deal with. (i.e. If ya'll say go xyz fraternity, we'll say go xyz sorority) If done right it's HIGHLY effective.


-Lindsay

adpi
BB UTC

[sigtau305]

Originally posted by MattUMASSD
How does everyone advertise?
We put flyers in the residence halls, and all the academic buildings. We also put ads in the campus newspaper. We have information tables in the campus center. And we all wear letters.

We do pretty much the same thing as you. Also, we advertise our events during the Student Organizations Fair that's held on the first /second week of the semester.

[DolphinChicaDDD]

Originally posted by Adelphean
My advice, and what many fraternities do on our campus is to use sororites to your advantage. Figure out which sorority has the reputation of dating/hanging out with the type of guys you want. Make friends with those women, and have them "dirty rush" for you. Ask them to talk you up to guys they meet. Or find a sorority that you can make a deal with. (i.e. If ya'll say go xyz fraternity, we'll say go xyz sorority) If done right it's HIGHLY effective.


-Lindsay

adpi
BB UTC

whoa.
i've never heard of this tactic before. i could see how it would be effective, though.
but i could also see if backfiring horribly. and certian chapters (like mine) arguing over which frat to pick.
my second thought, if NPC finds out about this way of rush(the guys pushing girls to go xyz), all contact with men will be gone....lol

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by Adelphean
My advice, and what many fraternities do on our campus is to use sororites to your advantage. Figure out which sorority has the reputation of dating/hanging out with the type of guys you want. Make friends with those women, and have them "dirty rush" for you. Ask them to talk you up to guys they meet. Or find a sorority that you can make a deal with. (i.e. If ya'll say go xyz fraternity, we'll say go xyz sorority) If done right it's HIGHLY effective.

Phi Psi did this at FSU when I was an undergrad, and it is highly effective, but you have to approach this on a personal basis with women, not an organizational one. We esentially recruited women to help us recruit. Girlfriends, susters, and friends. We also encouraged brothers to apply as servers in select sororities for better access. I don't really see this as "dirty rush," unless it violates some silly rule.

Basically, one of the keys to successgully recruiting men is to recruit everyone to be a fan of your fraternity.

When you aproach recruitment properly, then advertising and waring letters becomes far less important, bordering on irrelevance.

Of every tool for recruitment, I remain convinced that the persuasion of sorority women to help, is the most powerful tool available.

[MattUMASSD]

My case is a little different. We are a lopsided campus with 5 fraternities and 2 sororities. We rely on many of our lady friends that arent in sororities to help with our rush.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by MattUMASSD
My case is a little different. We are a lopsided campus with 5 fraternities and 2 sororities. We rely on many of our lady friends that arent in sororities to help with our rush.

Use whatever is effective for you. Don't worry if its different elsewhere. You need to adapt ideas to your environment.