Sororities have 355 new sisters

They came, they saw, they chose and they were chosen. Three hundred and fifty-five women accepted bids Sunday to join the Panhellenic Council's nine sororities as rush came to an end. Seven sororities made Panhel's quota of pledges, which was set at 44 this year, eight below last year's figure. Pi Beta Phi received 41 pledges, but Pi Phi President Meredith Fein said she was still "very pleased" because it was the first formal rush for the newly-founded sorority. "We feel that we had a successful rush," the College senior said. "[The pledges] seem really great -- we're really looking forward to getting closer to them and having a great time." Kappa Delta sorority suffered again this year from a very small pledge class. Both the sorority's president and its visiting national officer refused to comment on the exact size of the pledge class, but someone who asked not to be identified said only six women accepted bids to the house. "Kappa Delta is extremely confident with her membership, excited about her new pledges, and looking towards her plans for the semester," said College junior and KD President Jessica Gross. "Kappa Delta does not view [the exact pledge numbers] as news." All of the other sororities said they were very happy with the results of rush, according to their respective presidents. "I think rush went really well, [and] we ended up with a fabulous pledge class," said Chi Omega President and December 1992 graduate Julie Wang. "We're totally psyched for the upcoming semester." "Overall, I think rush went fantastically," said Phi Sigma Sigma president and College senior Audrey Miller. "Panhel ran it really smoothly. Our pledge class is super, and our whole house is very excited about it." Many presidents said the entire rush process helps to create a stronger bond between the current sisters. "Every year I think rush brings sisters together," said Delta Delta Delta president and Nursing senior Jennifer Meyer. "It instills a lot of pride in one's house no matter what house you're in." Where the sisters' opinions differed, however, is on the topic of rush being extended to two weeks. Traditionally a one-week process, the event was extended another week this year to provide extra time for academics. Alpha Phi president Karyn Yeske said she thinks the extra week benefitted the sisters but not the rushees. "From the sisters' prospective it was easier because we didn't get behind in our schoolwork," the College and Wharton senior said. "I think that it may have made a little more difference to the rushees. They had a lot more time to listen to stereotypes and comments that in a shorter week they wouldn't have heard." Sigma Delta Tau president Jill Levine seemed to disagree. "The two weeks dragged it on for the sisters, [but] it made it easier for the rushees," the College senior said. Sisters who received bids were obviously happy with their rush experience. "I'm really happy with my choice," said Wharton freshman Malkah Buchweitz, a Phi Sigma Sigma pledge. "I think that the three days in between [parties] were good because you had a chance to catch up on your work and your friends. I don't know that I would have been happy with a week because I would have gone through the whole week lost." Others said they decided in the middle of the rush process that sorority life was not for them. "It seems so superficial to go into a house and meet someone for five minutes and base your judgement on that," said Wharton freshman Tomiko Kubo, who dropped out of rush after Open House. "And it took too much time, and I didn't have that.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.