Frats like having rush in the spring. So why is it creeping into fall?

University of Florida freshman Jason Attermann arrived on campus in Gainesville, Fla. several days before classes began in August.

He didn't want the extra time to settle in, participate in a community service program or even get a head start on course readings.

Attermann was required to be on campus early so he could join a fraternity.

At Penn, freshmen cannot rush until second semester, but that isn't the case on all campuses.

So what's the better way to do it?

Attermann would prefer Penn's way. He doesn't have enough time now to make friends outside the frat he is pledging - Alpha Epsilon Pi - he said. He added he didn't have much time to explore his other Greek options before having to commit to one house.

"I like the idea of spring rush better because you can go to the frats and hang out with them and see if you like them," Attermann said.

And the Greek leadership at Penn agree with Attermann that putting off rush until the spring is easier on everyone.

"There's almost a complete consensus that our system is stronger because [rush] is done in the spring," InterFraternity Council president and College senior Max Dubin said.

At Penn, upperclassmen looking to join a chapter often rush during the informal recruitment process in the fall, but most students join frats and sororities during formal recruitment in the spring.

The approach taken at the University of Maryland seems to prove that students prefer to have some time before they have to commit to a fraternity or sorority.

At Maryland, freshmen can be formally recruitment if they matriculate with Advanced Placement credit for four or more classes; other freshmen have to wait until they have taken 12 credit-hours of courses.

And yet most freshmen at Maryland wait until second semester to rush anyway, Maryland sophomore Ariel Bigio said.

"I am grateful for the semester where I have to think about it," said Bigio, who pledged Sigma Kappa during spring semester. "It's important to see things other than Greek life."

But the fact that rush is in the spring at Penn doesn't mean Greek organizations aren't staking out potential pledges in the fall.

Dubin said frats often try and get freshmen to learn about Greek life by inviting them to watch football and hang out with brothers at the house.

Greek organizations on campus even planned a "getting to know the chapters" barbecue for freshmen during New Student Orientation. The barbecue was rained out, but other events will happen this fall to show freshmen the ropes of Greek life.

"To try to get to know all of [the frats] and find out the best place for you would be hard to do in just two weeks," Dubin said.

Other students agree, saying the commitment to a frat or sorority shouldn't be made in a rush.

"As of right now, I'm still figuring out what classes I want to take next semester and not how I want to identify myself formally," College freshman Aliza Kempner said.

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