The Rush Process through the Lens of the Big Five

Openness
Freshmen and sophomores who make the decision to rush a fraternity or sorority here at Wake Forest have a medium to high rank of openness when we evaluate the Big Five. The rush process is sometimes a very stressful event and because of that students who are the most social and confident are the ones who participate. Looking back at past rush events it is clear that only the students who fit the label of having high openness when it comes to the Big Five are the ones who finish the rush process successfully. To qualify as having a rank of high openness the student must be ready to live and learn from social events. It is the experience that they learn from whether it be positive or negative. From these experiences they make judgement calls in which they decide what “group” they fit in with the best and from there can make the decision of joining a Greek organization.

Neuroticism
Freshman and sophomores who rush here at Wake Forest are medium to low on neuroticism and the overwhelming majority of those who receive a bid are low neuroticism. People who score high on neuroticism have a tendency to experience negative feelings are not going to put themselves in social situations, like rush. And those that do make it to rush events are going to be timid and unhappy. People with medium neuroticism may be able to get through a couple rush events but eventually will be unhappy especially around people who are all low in neuroticism. Two aspects of neuroticism that apply directly to the rush process are anxiety and self-consciousness.
Anxiety: People high in anxiety would not go through the rush process. It is hard to meet and talk to people if you constantly feel tense and nervous. On the other hand people with low neuroticism will thrive during the rush process and in the Greek system. You have to be somewhat fearless to throw yourself into an environment where you know you are going to be judged and then picked or not picked based on your time at an event.
Self-consciousness: Someone who is sensitive about what others think of them is not going to rush at Wake Forest or anywhere for that matter. The entire rush process is based off of people in the organization judging those who want to join to see if they meet the requirements. People with high neuroticism are fearful of rejection and ridicule therefore they avoid situations, such as rush, where they know there is a possibility of being rejected. Even though no one is going to criticize or make fun of them at a rush event, people with high neuroticism think that it will happen which makes them stay away from these social situations.

Extroversion
It is very important to be extroverted during the rush process. For fraternities, we have three days of “formal rush” where candidates come to our lounge and we are basically just forced to conversate with them for thirty minutes. During this time, you can really pick out the outgoing extroverts, versus the quieter introverts. Although it is not completely necessary to be an extrovert in the rush process, usually introverts will try to be as extroverted as possible to attract the attention of brothers. I am not extroverted, but I found that during the rush process, I was much more likely to go out on a limb in rush situations, because I knew it would get the attention of the brothers more, and give me a better chance of sticking in their minds, and getting a bid. Extroverts have a better chance of getting to know a lot of brothers, and also benefit from the fraternity party scene. They probably feel more comfortable in our bigger parties, and may have a better chance at getting to know brothers in a crowded, hectic social setting.

Conscientiousness
Conscientious people are those who demonstrate a good amount of self-discipline and control over impulses. During rush, it is important to have fun and do the best one can to be sociable, but it is also important carry oneself with dignity and self-respect. Although fraternities and sororities often get stereotyped as individuals who like to party too much and as people who show disregard for responsibility, Greek organizations are also full of successful people. Thus, this trait is mixed amongst members of fraternities and sororities. Some individuals show control and discipline and make the most of what Greek organizations have to offer, while others abuse the social side of Greek life, demonstrating a lack of control and responsibility.

Agreeableness
The vast majority of people who rush at Wake Forest would score highly on agreeableness. A high score on agreeableness means that one can get along with and cooperate well with other people, while disagreeable people are less concerned with the well-being of others. Greek organizations are highly social groups, where people are constantly in interaction with one another. Thus, it makes sense that members of fraternities and sororities are people who care about each other and take an interest in the feelings of their brothers and sisters, rather than isolating themselves and putting other people down. In addition, one of the largest aspects of Greek life is philanthropy; every fraternity and sorority on campus hosts a multitude of charity events over the course of the year, raising money for causes like cancer research or scholarship funds. Getting along well with people and taking an interest in others is extremely important not only during rush, but throughout the rest of an individual’s time in college as well.