rushing as an out of state girl

You'll be just fine! Yes, you will be released from some chapters but this is the way it goes for the majority of pnm's so you'll be in good company. But you will still have great options in recruitment even if you don't already know bunches of sorority members, every chapter here is good. Focus on the ones that invite you back and not on the ones that release you.

The Philanthropy round invitation lists will have already been decided by the sororities over the summer based on pnm's registration materials and members' opinions of the pnm's they already know. You will watch the chapter videos and rank your choices, but rush started way before you set foot on campus so some of those chapters, including your faves, aren't going to be a choice for you. Wait and see who you get back and know where you will actually be rushing before you get too invested in any of the chapters.

Keep in mind that the sororities do the choosing, not the pnm's so much, and they do not take pnm's ranks into consideration during their selection process. They don't ever see the pnm's ranks, they are choosing who they are interested in based on the best fit for their chapter. So your very favorites will release you, and your least favorites will keep coming back on your schedule. Pnm's don't drop chapters, they only rank them - a pnm's lowest ranked chapters only drop off her schedule if more sororities want to invite her back than she has room for in a round.

Being dropped sure can sting but it really is not personal, it's all just a numbers game. Any discussions or rankings of pnm's in a chapter's selection process is actually positive and focused on pnm's good qualities, not about finding fault with anyone. The sororities are given the number of pnm's they can invite back each round, so a pnm not making a house's cutoff number has nothing to do with being judged as not worthy or being inferior to them, and doesn't mean they won't want to be friends with girls they have to cut. It is strictly all about numbers.

Plan on being released from Chi O, KKG and Pi Phi on night one. At least those three.

I know for a fact the Chi O’s put names on the owls they give out on bid day during the work week (the week before rush starts).
So don’t let it get you down…if you were going one of those three, you’d know it by now.
Did you go over to Fayetteville during the spring and sleep over in the houses? Rush started a long time ago.

Not telling you this to worry you; just to get this info out there because everyone wants to keep it hush hush.

Depending on your grades and activities, rush will start with ZTA, Tri Delta and KD. Those are very solid, good sororities that have high standards, but aren’t unreasonable to get a bid to.
Good luck!!

This is very solid advice. Beware of posts bashing another sorority, calling out another sorority, etc. The honest truth is that you will find great girls in every house on campus if you want to.

The top 3 require strong connections because each member in every house has a girl they want. So having multiple and deep connections or being someone's "top" at a house will get you through at first. Zeta, tri delt, phi mu, and kd are also fairly connection based, but you will likely have the chance to go to their houses if you have good grades, a good resume, etc because they don't have to cut as many girls.

Try not to stress about this, be yourself, have fun and meet other girls going through rush. Some of your best friends will be from your dorm, your classes, etc.

Of course, it will feel like rejection if you don't see a house you like on your list each round, BUT it is not personal. The houses are not "cutting" you, they have a list of a certain number of girls that they are allowed to keep and it all depends on where you fall on that list. If you see it through you will find your sisters!!