Inside the intense rules Bama Rush pledges must follow or their dreams of joining a sorority will be CRUSHED
The road to rush week at the University of Alabama is a long and winding one filled with many strict rules.
Back in 2021, a series of women who were trying to join the University of Alabama’s Panhellenic community documented their road to being accepted into one of the 18 different sororities at the school, and uploaded it all to TikTok under the hashtag #BamaRush.
Their videos quickly exploded, and many people on the web became enthralled with watching the lengthy process play out.
Since then, every time August rolls around, #BamaRush goes viral once again, as a whole new set of freshmen hopefuls at the University of Alabama and other Southern schools put their best foot forward to vie for the chance to get accepted into the sororities on campus.
This year’s was no different, and millions watched on as the newest recruits documented their extremely pricey and glamorous looks throughout the nine-day process, before it officially came to an end last weekend and this year’s sorority members were chosen.
But behind the glitz and the glamor of Bama Rush, did you know there’s actually a slew of intense rules the girls must follow or their dreams of joining the sorority will be brutally cut short?
That’s right, if any of the women break the severe regulations set by the Alabama Panhellenic Association (APA), they will be axed from the event altogether.
From strict dress codes to social interactions, FEMAIL has rounded up the long list of requirements that all sorority pledges must follow.
From strict dress codes to social interactions, FEMAIL has rounded up the long list of requirements that Bama Rush pledges must follow. Some of this years recruits are seen
You must ‘self-identify’ as a woman
According to the Alabama Panhellenic Association (APA), potential new members (PNMs) looking to join a sorority must be ‘a full-time student at University of Alabama.’
They must also ‘consistently live and self-identifies as a woman.’
Men can rush in IFC fraternities if they want to participate in Greek Life, but are not welcome in the sororities, per the association.
Rush events have a strict dress code
If you couldn’t tell from the GRWM TikTok videos, what hopeful members wear during rush is extremely important.
The incoming freshman class attract attention every year when they show off their expensive outfits on TikTok, sometimes spending thousands of dollars on looking the part.
There are eight days of rush week at UA, with specific dress codes for each one.
But behind the glitz and the glamor of Bama Rush, did you know there’s actually a slew of intense rules the girls must follow? Some of this years recruits are seen on the final day
The first day is the Convocation and Open House and it has a ‘casual’ dress code, with the APA saying: ‘Please come as you are. T-shirt and shorts are appropriate.’
Philanthropy Round which lasts for two days is the start of invitation-only parties, and during this round of of recruitment, PNMs will have the opportunity to visit up to 12 chapters for 30 minutes each.
Students are asked to wear the two philanthropy t-shirts they receive at Convocation, which they can wear with causal bottoms and comfortable shoes.
Next the Sisterhood Round is next, where the PNMs attend a series of parties to meet with the girls in each sorority.
‘During this round, you may attend a maximum of seven parties, each of which is 40 minutes long,’ the APA stated. For this round, ‘a nicer dress and wedges or heels’ should be worn.
Preference Day is next and is the most formal round of recruitment; if girls are invited it means the sorority is ‘very interested’ in them becoming a member.
Pledges must ‘consistently live and self-identifies as a woman.’ Some of this years recruits are seen on the final day
In this round, potential members are encouraged to ‘wear a nice dress and heels or nice wedges,’ per the association.
But ‘you will not want to wear a dress that is too short or tight,’ it states.
The last day, Bid Day, students can choose comfortable clothes.
‘You will being sitting in Bryant Denny Stadium and running home in the heat so dress in something comfy and cool!’ the APA notes.
UA students have to rush in the fall
Potential new members of the sororities at UA are only able to rush in the fall semester.
This isn’t the case for all colleges, with some also having sorority recruitment in spring semesters.
However, the University of Alabama holds their primary sorority recruitment in the weeks before the start of the school year.
‘If you are unable to participate in fall primary recruitment, but are interested in joining a sorority, you may participate in Continuous Open Bidding (COB),’ the APA said.
Upperclassman can rush – not just freshman
While it’s mostly freshman looking to join the sororities, you actually don’t have to be a freshman at the college to rush at the University of Alabama.
The APA says it ‘utilizes a secondary quota that separates [upperclassmen] from incoming [freshmen].’
The system is in place to give older students and transfer students ‘a greater opportunity to pledge during Primary Recruitment.’
Prospective members should ‘adhere to scholastic standards’
The APA states, ‘Each (chapter) must consider a woman’s ability to adhere to the chapter’s scholastic standards’ Some of this years recruits are seen on the final day
While the university doesn’t have an average grade requirement, the chapters are encouraged to pick women who ‘adhere to its scholastic standards.’
‘Each (chapter) must consider a woman’s ability to adhere to the chapter’s scholastic standards,’ the APA states, noting this process is heavily considered when selecting students to join their sorority given the large amount of hopefuls who rush.
‘It is highly recommended that women participating in Primary Recruitment or COB have at or above a 3.3 cumulative high school or college GPA at the time they are seeking membership,’ the APA adds.
You can’t rush a new sorority if you have already been initiated into another
If you’ve already been initiated into a sorority, you cannot rush for another.
Even if it was at another campus.
The APA states that students are only allowed to participate in fall primary recruitment at The University of Alabama if they ‘have not been initiated into a National Panhellenic Conference sorority at UA or on another campus.’
You have to pay for registration in advance
Students must pay a registration fee to rush, and all registration fees are nonrefundable, no exceptions.
‘This is clearly stated on the recruitment registration payment link, so before you register for recruitment, please take this into consideration,’ the APA stated.
The registration fee goes towards the cost of publications, transportation, facility usage, security and two recruitment t-shirts used during rush week. In 2025 the fee was $375.
You must sign a one year binding agreement
Potential new members must sign a one-year binding agreement when ranking chapters after the final round of Preference events during the Primary Recruitment process.
Prior to signing the MRABA, PNMs have several options to consider and reflect on with regard to membership options.
You don’t need a recommendation letter to rush
While a recommendation letter is recommended so to speak, it’s not mandatory for every sorority.
These letters can be written by a teacher, guidance counselor or principal, with the APA stating they ‘could be particularly beneficial for women unable to identify alumnae from each of the 17 Panhellenic chapters to write an official letter of recommendation.’
While a recommendation letter is recommended so to speak, it’s not mandatory for every sorority. This year’s rushes are seen after learning which sorority they were joining
Prospective members also need written permission from a parent or guardian and must provide answers to a list of prompts.
PNMs can’t contact active members after May 1
According to APA’s Greek Chic Recruitment, PNMs can’t have any contact, with regards to recruiting for a specific chapter, with current sorority members after May 1.
‘Sororities cannot have gatherings for recruitment that include potential new members after May 1,’ the site states.
‘It is OK to continue pre-existing relationships; however, we ask that you do not discuss the panhellenic recruitment process,’ it adds.
This includes letters, emails, phone calls, texts or comments on social media.
There are strict rules at recruitment parties
During the process, PNMs are prohibited from drinking alcohol and have to keep the recruitment parties confidential.
‘Consumption of alcohol and/or any illegal substance use during the week of primary recruitment, on Bid Day, and up to 24 hours after Bid Day events have ended, is strictly prohibited by APA and may result in APA disciplinary sanctions and/or University of Alabama disciplinary sanctions,’ the Potential New Member Behavioral Contract states.
‘When attending recruitment parties, PNM are also not allowed to bring any items, including including but not limited to bags or phones unless previously approved otherwise.’
