1. Don’t be selective.

Don’t set your heart out on only one or two houses, because nothing is ever guaranteed. It could take just one guy in the house who doesn’t like you because of an outdated high school rivalry to ruin your chances of getting a bid.

2. Dress accordingly.

Don’t go overboard and dress up in a full suit or anything too flashy and don’t come to rush in a hoodie and sweatpants. Make sure that you find a nice medium, wear some khakis, throw on a button-down and you’ll be fine.

3. Broaden your horizons.

Don’t limit yourself to the houses where your friends from high school are and don’t just rush the houses where your friends are rushing. Check out as many houses as you can and get to know the guys, that’s the best way to end up where you belong.

4. Take notice of other rushes.

Look at the guys who are rushing the houses that you're rushing and maybe even talk to them a little bit. These are the guys who are your potential pledge brothers, so make sure that you like the kids that are rushing the same houses you are.

5. Don’t be “that guy.”

When I say, “that guy”, I mean the kid who everybody notices for all the wrong reasons. Play it cool and don’t be too over the top. Nothing good will come from negative attention.

6. Talk to the brothers.

It’s their job to talk to you so don’t make it hard for them. Make sure that you talk to the guys, ask them questions, seem interested, and find a common topic to talk about. Without talking to these guys and letting them know who you are, they wont have anything to reference when deciding to give you a bid. So whatever you say, make it count.

7. Leave an impression.

Leaving an impression is one of the most important parts of rush. When they decide who they want to invite back, you want to be sure that you’re one of the first guys they think of when they make that list. Talk to as many guys as you can and let them know that you have something to offer to their house.

8. Make sure that you like the house.

Another underestimated part of rush is making sure that alongside like the brothers, you also like the house. One of the best parts of being in a fraternity is the experience of living in the house. If you hate the place you’re living, you’re not going to get the full experience.

9. Don’t get discouraged.

If you end up not getting an invite back to one of the houses you were hoping to get a bid from, don’t get too upset. The houses that you did get invites back to are inviting you back because they think you fit in. So focus on those because they must have really seen something that they liked in you to give you the invite.

10. Be yourself.

This sounds like terrible cliche advice that most people would ignore but it’s more important than you know. You want to be yourself because if you pretend to be someone you’re not, you might end up in a house full of guys that you don’t even like. I have friends that have done this and they’re miserable. Don’t put yourself in that situation.