When new students join college, they often hear other students speaking about “college rushing.” So, exactly what does rushing mean in college? In simple words, it is the process of getting into Greek life, which is also known as fraternity or sorority.
Does that sound interesting? Let’s explore rushing in more detail with our expert help. After all is said and done, here is what you will get from us.
What is rushing? It is a recruitment process in which students explore different sororities or fraternities and find the right fit. It’s a two-way evaluation period in which students decide which groups they like and which students the Greek organizations like. This exciting time usually occurs during “rush week,” a designated period for recruitment activities.
During rush week, college students meet sorority and fraternity members, participate in their different social events, and learn about the values and mission of the Greek organization. The whole process may take up to three weeks, and that’s what does rushing mean in college.
To understand what does rushing mean in college, you first need to understand the basic terms involved in the rushing process.
An applicant student who is interested in receiving a bid from a fraternity and is going through a “rush.”
What is rushing in college? It is the process of getting to know the brothers and sisters in the fraternity or sorority before receiving an annual “bid.” The rush usually happens during the first weeks of the summer semester.
An invitation to become a “pledge” for the fraternity with the promise of initiation if you successfully complete your pledge period.
A non-initiated member of a fraternity. All fraternities have some sort of pledge-ship. Even fraternities that “initiate” all new members immediately, such as Zeta Beta Tau and Sigma Phi Epsilon, have activities for the “new guys.”
Someone who pledges a fraternity alongside you. If your pledge educator is even halfway competent, you and they will be ride-or-die friends by the time you make it to “initiation.”
Initiation is the final step in learning what does rushing mean in college. It is a ceremony when a pledge is officially announced as a full-fledged member of Greek life and introduced to its secret rituals.
Rushing a Greek life helps you make new friends in a fraternity or sorority and gets you involved in community service and philanthropy. Other than this, college rushing is also worthy in different terms.
Greek life provides you with tons of opportunities to do things that you can put on your resume. For example, planning and execution of an event that had more than a thousand participants and raised thousands of dollars for charity.
Suppose you just get a passing grade in college but remain a fraternity member for a long time. In that case, you can still apply for leadership positions on the executive board (often called the e-board), such as President, Treasurer, Pledge Educator, Risk Manager, and more.
80% of Fortune 500 CEOs, 76% of Congress, 40 out of 47 Supreme Court Justices since 1910, and 63% of Cabinet members since 1900 have been Greek. Having a common ground with these men will make it easier for you to befriend them and for them to open doors for you.
The College rushing process for joining a fraternity or sorority involves different steps. Understand and follow each one, as discussed below.
Disclaimer: The above step-by-step process to understand what does rushing mean in college is generic. However, the process may be slightly different for every college. You can contact the college authorities or a fraternity member for detailed assistance.
Greek life demands commitments, financial support, and more from a rushee student. It’s recommended to watch out for the below factors and analyze whether you are the right fit for Greek life.
Pledgeship is like easy part-time jobs for fraternity members demanding a weekly commitment. You are expected to spend around 20-30 hours a week doing fraternity-related activities. If you are too occupied with your academic courses or doing a real part-time job, joining a fraternity/sorority is not the right option for you.
Dues can vary for each house, but generally, they charge around $1000 to $2000 per semester. We have heard that dues at schools like Alabama and Ole Miss reach $4,000 a semester. On the other hand, the dues for one of the fraternities my friend is in at UMich are only $900 a semester.
Don’t lie about things that you are not capable of. Just be yourself and be honest about what you can bring to the fraternity or sorority.
It is hard for students to balance academic work, fraternity-related activities, and social life. That’s why it’s better to list your priorities, such as educational support, philanthropy, or social dynamic, and evaluate each chapter accordingly.
Here are the fraternities and sororities popular in colleges and universities, also known for their lasting impact on the members.
| Sigma Alpha Epsilon | Tau Kappa Epsilon |
| Alpha Delta Pi | Porcellian Club |
| Chi Omega | Alpha Phi Omega |
| Kappa Sigma | Alpha Chi Omega |
| Sigma Sigma Sigma | Phi Mu |
We hope you got enough information to understand what does rushing mean in college. Yet we encourage you to do your own research or consult with professional assignment writers to better understand whether rushing a frat or sorority is suitable for you or not.
We'll revise your work until you're 100% satisfied or refund your payment to make up for the trouble.
