You’re coming to the University of Texas. Congratulations! Now that you’ve finished celebrating receiving that acceptance letter, you may be wondering what’s next. Specifically, you might be considering whether or not to participate in sorority recruitment, informally and unofficially called “sorority rush.”

Being a part of UT Greek life was amazing, and although I’ll admit I’m a bit biased, I’ll give you 10 reasons to join a sorority below. And moms – if your daughters are about to go through UT sorority recruitment, this will hopefully put your mind at ease.

1) Leadership.  Joining a sorority gives you an opportunity to gain confidence and experience through participation in numerous committees and officer positions. As an officer, you learn relevant, applicable skills that strengthen your resume and prepare you for internships. Additionally, sororities encourage members to participate in multiple campus organizations, clubs, and activities.

But you don’t have to be an officer to be a leader. For example, sorority members lead study sessions at the house or libraries where they tutor new members and help them in classes they may be struggling with. Speaking of which…

2) Academics are a priority. A UT sorority girl is more than just a pretty face. In fact, UT sorority women maintain a higher grade point average than their fellow non-Greek, female student counterparts. At the end of each semester, every Panhellenic sorority’s GPAs are tallied and ranked. Last fall (2013), their average GPA was a 3.34, beating the UT’s average women’s GPA of 3.21, according to data from the UT Office of Information Management and Analysis.

Each sorority has specific GPA standards its members must meet. While these requirements vary from sorority to sorority, they all place an importance on academics. New members are encouraged to complete a certain number of “study hours” per semester – aka, study time at the sorority house, where there are a number of resources, including tutors and snacks, to help them succeed.

3) Philanthropy. Chances are, you’ve probably already been giving back to your community in high school. Joining a sorority provides a wonderful opportunity to continue to serve the community and make an impact. Two entire days of rush are dedicated to philanthropy. You will spend a bit of time at each house working on a project that benefits their charity of choice. When you go through rush, don’t be afraid to ask questions about each chapter’s specific philanthropy. The girls will be more than excited to tell you all about it. After all, it feels great to be a part of an organization that’s doing good for the community. Speaking of being a part of something…

4) Who doesn’t want more friends? Over 50,000 students attend UT. As an incoming freshmen, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Joining a sorority makes UT seem a little smaller – a little friendlier. You’re automatically connected to a like-minded group of ladies, many of which will become your best friends, sisters, and support systems throughout college and beyond.

5) Scholarship opportunities. Sororities offer merit-based scholarships, which are grants awarded on a competitive basis to qualified, initiated members pursuing undergraduate degrees. Selection is based upon scholastic excellence, participation and leadership roles held in the chapter, campus and community activities, and recommendations. These help offset the cost of books and tuition. Sororities also offer need-based scholarships to members, in the event of an emergency circumstance or hard times.

6) Networking. When you join a sorority, you’re joining a family. And a family wants to see you succeed. That means you have 200 new friends who are ready and willing to hook you up with that babysitting job, personally recommend you to for an internship, and connect you with full-time job offer upon graduation. Right now, guess who my intern is? My great grandlittle. And she’s awesome.

7) The friends you make here last forever. Remember the 200 women I mentioned above? Multiply that number by however many chapters are scattered across the nation. Wherever you relocate, alumnae organizations make it easy to meet up with fellow sisters, and of course, you’ll always want to keep in touch with your best friends from college.

8) There’s always something fun going on. One of the best parts about joining a sorority is the social activities. Formals. Semi-Formals. Chapter retreats. Date dashes. Mixers. Barge parties, Pajama parties. You name it, it’s yours to attend. There’s always a fun excuse to dress up, and there are plenty of opportunities to bring dates. Every semester, there are several special sisterhood events, like an afternoon of complimentary mani-pedis at the nail salon, a pre-Halloween pumpkin carving, or even a tacky Christmas sweater decorating party. Before TX-OU Weekend, each sorority hosts a painting party so everyone can paint their OU coolers together. (I’ll write a post on OU Weekend later. It’s a BIG deal here at UT.)

9) T-Shirts. Oh, the t-shirts! You’re about to end up with more t-shirts, tank tops, hats, and sorority apparel than you know what to do with. And you’re going to love it. In fact, at UT, there’s a special tradition. Each sorority gives its members matching shirts to wear for the first day of classes. As a freshmen, that first day is intimidating, especially at such a large school like UT. This way, every class you walk into, you can immediately find a sister and friendly face. Bam. You’ve already made a friend in the class. Look who has a study buddy!

10) The House! The sorority houses at UT are gorgeous. All of them. They come equipped with chefs, handsome fraternity boys that work there as busboys and waiters during meals, security guards, study areas, and if you’re lucky, a pool. If you choose to, you get to live there, and many girls opt to do so their sophomore and/or junior years.

Living in the house can be an unforgettable experience. Not only are the UT sorority houses super close to campus, but you’re just steps away from your best friends. Whatever you’re wanting to do, there’s always going to be someone that’s up to join you. That applies to studying, getting ready to go out, or even walking to campus together for classes. And don’t even get me started on the food. When you’ve spent all day in the library cramming for a final, there’s no better feeling than having a hot, healthy meal ready and waiting for you when you get home. Plus, don’t have anything to wear? You basically have access to 50+ closets. Just be sure you ask first. 😉

11) UT Sororities DO NOT Haze. I know, I know…I told you there were only 10 reasons. But I thought of this as I was writing, and it’s a good bonus fact. Sororities at the University of Texas all have strict, anti-hazing policies. I promise. Sororities get super excited for their new member classes (pledge classes), and they want their new members to feel welcome! As soon as you join, you’re showered with gifts, cookies, t-shirts, flowers, room decorations, t-shirts, and did I mention T-SHIRTS? Prepare to be spoiled.

Participating in Greek life is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There are so many positive aspects of your involvement, and college is the perfect time to try new things. When else can you live in a house with your 50 best friends? Give it a shot!

If you’re considering participating in sorority recruitment at the University of Texas, it doesn’t have to be a daunting experience. Get in touch with me and I’ll make sure you’re completely prepared for rush this August. Remember – coaching sessions are completely anonymous, and daughters are welcome and encouraged to bring their moms!

xoxo

The Sorority Rush Coach