Rush consists of events, usually parties, that prospective members (or "rushees") attend. At some schools, women must attend events at every sorority. At others, they are free to choose which sororities to scope out. There are several rounds of events, and each round may have a theme, such as philanthropy or a tour of the houses. At each round, houses list the candidates they are still considering. In this manner, rushees progress to the next round.
The last few rounds of rush will consist of more intimate gatherings and personal interviews so that sororities can have a fuller picture of the women they are considering and be able to better judge whether they will be a good fit, and vice versa.
First impressions are very important in rush, because sorority houses may consider a large number of women and they will not be able to have in-depth conversations with all of them. It is important, though, that rushees not portray a false impression of themselves. While it may be tempting to do so in order to curry favor with houses, it can lead to difficulties later on if new sorority members realize they do not share the same values and outlook as their sisters.
By the end of rush, sororities will decide which prospects they're willing to accept, and rushees will have to decide, of the sororities that have accepted them, which they'd like to join. Once a woman decides, she becomes a "pledge," signaling her commitment to the sorority. Women are sometimes tempted to join sororities with the highest perceived social status, or ones that their mothers or other family members have belonged to, but but this can lead to a poor fit if the woman does not also feel deeply that she belongs there.