OMG, How do I Prepare for Rush???

Preparing for Rush can be exciting and nerve-racking at the same time. What do I wear? Do I show up early? Do I ask a lot of questions? How do I stand out? Will they like me? The list of questions go on, and on and on, and on....

First off, take a huge breath. You have prepared for this. You've done your research. You realized that this was the PERFECT organization for you. The first thing you want to do is make sure you double, and triple check the location and time of where the event will be held. I have received phone calls form girls crying because they wrote down the wrong date, wrong time, etc... and asking if there is anything they can do. The answer? Nothing other than try again. You can not be granted an interview UNLESS you attend rush/informational. It is essential that you complete this step if you want to be considered for membership.

The next step is finding something to wear. I would strongly recommend that you stay away from the orgs colors, and other sorority/fraternity colors. Wearing Pink to and AKA Rush is a no no,, and wearing blue to a Delta Rush is also not a wise thing to do. Black is ALWAYS a great color or neutral colors. I remember when I attended Rush for Delta, I wore cream and brown. You want to make sure you treat Rush as a job interview. Stay away from loud colors, loud perfumes/cologne, and costume jewelry. You are representing yourself, so you want to be as clean-cut and chic as possible. Light makeup for the ladies, and men if you have worn earrings or have tattoos, I would suggest that you take them out, or make sure they are covered. Have mints available *you just never know*

"To be on time, is to be late" Please keep this in mind when attending Rush. I was the first one there at my rush. This gave me a clear advantage to speak to all of the members, choose a seat and more importantly stand out. So how early am I speaking? Around 20 mins before the Rush begins. Showing up on time can include not getting a seat, or sitting way in the back of the room.

If you are late, then I would suggest not to attend at all, UNLESS you made previous arrangements with the president, or the member in charge of the rush. (This could be due to a class conflict, etc.) In most cases, the organization WILL lock the doors after Rush begins.

While attending rush, ask questions participate in the games, and show that you are interested in the organization. In some cases, there will be a time set aside where you can chat with some of its members, and this would be a great time for you to become noticed.

Some organizations will offer you an application at the end of the rush for those who qualify for membership. I will only take an application IF you qualify. There is no need for you to take an app. If you KNOW, you don't have the community service hours, the minimal GPA, and the letter of recommendation needed for membership.

In conclusion, I would say to listen attentively, look sharp, ask questions, stand out, smile, and be approachable at the rush. You want to make sure you make all of the required deadlines that are stressed at Rush (Application/packet deadlines, etc..) If possible, I would also suggest speaking to as many of the members as possible. Remember for most organizations you will need the majority vote to be invited for membership.