Learn the rules of rush--and follow them. Most campuses have strict rules when it comes to rush. Violating these rules, whether knowingly or not, is considered a major faux pas and can hurt a rushee's chances of being invited back to one or more sorority houses, or even cause her to get kicked out of rush. Few schools have the exact same rush policies, but a few common rules include not talking to any sorority sisters outside of rush events and not discussing sorority houses or rush events with students who are not participating in rush. Whatever she does, a young woman participating in rush should never ask a friend or even a biological sister already in a sorority to "pull strings" on her behalf.
Keep an open mind. You may be a "legacy" of a certain sorority-meaning that your mother or your grandmother pledged there. Or you may have simply heard around campus that a certain sorority is the best-the most popular, the most fun, or the most committed. The truth is, sorority and fraternity reputations change from year to year, and from mouth to mouth. The only way to know for sure which house is right for you is to get to know each first hand. Talk to as many different women as you can. And always be attentive and polite to the women you are talking to, even if you have already decided against pledging their sorority. Talk travels fast on sorority row, especially during rush. Plus, you'll want to have friends outside your chosen sorority.
Be proactive in learning about each sorority. Don't be afraid to ask questions-the sisters expect you to want to know about their organization, and are eager to talk about it with you. Questions show interest, and help keep the conversation flowing. Keep a notebook where you can jot down your impressions between houses so that you can go back and review them later on. (As the days of rush wear on, it can all begin to seem like a blur.) As rush progresses, sororities shorten the lists of rushees they're inviting back, and rushees, in turn, whittle down their preferred list of sororities. Once a woman cuts a sorority from her preferred list, she is usually cut from that sorority as well. In other words, there's no going back, so you'll want to do your research carefully.
Watch your mouth. No matter how comfortable you may feel with an particular sister you're talking to during rush, don't use curse words while talking to her, and don't bad-mouth other students at your school. Even if you're hitting it off famously and feel like you're long lost friends, an off-color joke or mean-spirited remark could seriously taint this woman's impression of you-whether or not she lets you know it. If you simply can't resist the urge to gossip or tell a dirty joke, do yourself a favor and wait until rush is over before you go assuming that foul is fair.
Be yourself. People can usually tell when a person they're talking to is being insincere or putting on a show for them, and it tends to be a huge turn-off. Besides, even if you do gain admittance to your sorority of choice by covering up the "real you," it probably won't turn out to be the place where you'll feel most comfortable or make the closest friendships. Four years is a long time to pretend you're someone you're not.
Keep it all in perspective. It's just a social group after all - you'll have many over the course of a lifetime. Take it for what it is-an opportunity to meet new people-and don't confuse it with who you are or what you stand for. Sororities and fraternities are most fun when they're entered for fun-and not with unrealistic expectations. So take it all with a grain of salt, and don't "rush" to judgment.