Ah, interviews; they’re the bane of just about anyone’s existence with their deceivingly simple yet difficult questions: “Why did you choose your current institution…” “Tell me about your major…” and, of course, “What are you looking for in a sorority?”

At PenningPapers, it’s not that uncommon for our clients who were looking for college admissions consulting services to later come back to us for help with interview prep.

And, well, let’s face it: interviews kind of suck.

You’re asked questions that seem easy on the surface; but, if you think about it for even 2 seconds you start to realize how hard of a question you’re being asked. It’s the same for MBA interviews, internship interviews, college admissions interviews, and even sorority interviews.

Perhaps one of the most common questions our clients struggle with is “What are you looking for in a sorority?”

Deconstruct that question for a second.

It’s really asking: as someone in their early 20s, what do you want out of this that you’ll be dedicating the next few years of your life to?

Most students can barely even figure out what they want to major in.

In fact, most students can’t even figure out what they want to eat for lunch: Burgers? Pad Thai?

Side note: It’s okay. Even adults have a hard time figuring out what to eat for lunch. Even the ease of Doordash doesn’t save us…

Alright, so let’s face it. When you’re asked, “What are you looking for in a sorority?” realize that you’re being tasked with an impossible task that can’t be perfectly answered. But, just because a question can’t be perfectly answered does not mean they shouldn’t ask it.

The question “What are you looking for in a sorority?” can still unravel interesting things about yourself that may help your interviewers understand you, regardless of how “right” your answer is.

Nonetheless, we’ve compiled 5 important points to consider when thinking about how to answer the “What are you looking for in a sorority?” interview question.

Ready? Let’s get to it.

Table of Contents

1. Let Go of Your Sense of Control.
2. Don’t Be “The Right Person.” Be “Good Friend Material.”
3. How to Answer “What Are You Looking For In A Sorority?”
   • Look At The Big Picture. What Do You Want Out of Life?
   • Use Personal Experiences That Connect to Your Goal.
   • Think Of How The Sorority Helps You Achieve Those Goals.
   • Be Specific! Be Specific!
4. How NOT to Answer “What Are You Looking For In A Sorority?”
   • Vague and Unhelpful Answers.
   • Negative Topics.

Let Go of Your Sense of Control.

Yeah, yeah. We know.

This is going to sound a bit too hippy-like and New Agey; but, it’s an important point.

In order to succeed in your sorority interview, you need to let go of your sense of control.

Now, what do we mean by this?

Oftentimes, you’ll find yourself looking for ways to fish for the right answer in an interview. “What if I say this?” “Can I make them think I’m smart, cool, funny, etc.?” “What if they don’t like what I say?” Is there a special way of answering the question that’s an instant acceptance?

Chances are, if you’ve had any of these thoughts, you’re unconsciously trying to force interviewers to accept you into their sorority.

This doesn’t work.

If you’re navigating an interview whilst trying to force an outcome, you’ll find the flow of conversation inorganic and disingenuous. People can smell that inorganic-ness a mile away, and it’s not just sorority interviewers.

MBA interviewers smell it when you’re trying to make your resume more impressive than it actually is. Moms smell it when we try to make our mistake seem less damaging than it actually is. Everyday people smell it when politicians try to make their scandals seem less daunting.

Even we smell it when men ask us out and can’t accept no for an answer because “there’s gotta be a way to get her to say yes!”

Yuck…

So, here’s a general rule of thumb you can follow: think of the interview as an open opportunity to just open up as a person. You’re not trying to force an outcome and you’re not trying to say the right combination of words.

Remember, the interview is an opportunity to learn more about you. So, you should take this as a chance to let the interviewers get to know you more instead of prying your way into an outcome inorganically.

This isn’t just a good sorority interview rule.

In fact, it’s actually a general business, consulting, and marketing dictum that translates into many different mediums and industries. And, funnily enough, it’s one of the rules least talked about. (Save for Getting the Bid, shoutout to their fantastic guide as well!)

Once you let go of your sense of control, you’ll ironically find it easy to say things that are much better than you otherwise would by controlling the conversation!

Don’t Be “The Right Person.” Be “Good Friend Material.”

Sororities are often looking for people who are going to be a smooth fit into their circle.

Accordingly, this makes a lot of students think they need to have particular traits, quirks, and beliefs in order to get accepted into a sorority. “How should I craft my social media?” “How should I dress?” “What answers should I give during my interview?”

And, while these are all technically right, you also need to disregard the desire for the “right person.”

Remember what we mentioned about being good friend material? Sororities (and fraternities for that matter) want to accept students who they believe would make good friends in their circle.

What do you think makes a good friend?

Good friends have the following…

• Empathy: Demonstrate that they’re paying attention (Think Carl Rogers’ Reflective Listening method to demonstrate empathy)
• Honesty: Can show that they’re not willing to stretch the truth.
• Fun to be around: Sometimes you can share funny stories or even just be a pleasant person to have a conversation with.

Although Well, it’s not just that good friends have similar interests. You’ll also notice even in your friend circles that your friends have interests that are outside of what the circle knows. Some have a deep passion for fields and hobbies that others aren’t really interested in at all.

And… that’s okay!

The important thing about being good friend material is that you’re not just trying to be interested in everything your interviewers are interested in. If you guys share the same passion for movies, cool! But, you need to think of yourself as a person who is open-minded and friendly enough to fit in with the sorority as a good friend.

How to Answer “What Are You Looking For In A Sorority?”

Now that we’ve gotten the big mindset elements out of the way, it’s time to talk about answering the “What are you looking for in a sorority” interview question.

The following sections will help you come up with good content and topics to answer the question in a way that helps you connect with your interviewers. Additionally, if you do all 4 of these elements correctly, you’ll stand out from the rest of the interview pool.

1. Look At The Big Picture. What Do You Want Out of Life?

This is one of the most important things to consider before you start answering questions in the sorority interview.

Most students have a more narrow-minded view of what they want out of their goals.

They may be applying to colleges with only a vague understanding of the benefits it can afford them. Or, they may be applying to sororities with some semblance of how it may benefit their social and career future.

If you really zoom out, you’ll find that the benefits of getting accepted into a sorority may have massive impacts on not just your social life and career life; rather, those benefits can snowball into great things for your life that can help you help others (and, if you’re daring enough, help society.)

Here’s an example:

Let’s say you zoom out and look at the big picture of attending a sorority you’ve been vying for for quite some time. Let’s also say that you’re looking to pursue a more entrepreneurial approach to your career in the future. The world of entrepreneurship is hard. And, not only that, but it’s also lonely.

Very lonely.

Most entrepreneurs can’t make it without the help of a great, supportive community. If you’re looking to create a venture that would hopefully create meaningful value for the world on a massive scale, but you also admit that you’re someone who is too young to quite know what you’re really getting into, you can demonstrate to your fellow sisters both a sensible humility and powerful passion connected to your reasons for attending their circle.

Additionally, looking at the big picture shows interviewers that you’re serious about attending and can connect your passion for sorority life with greater aspirations.

2. Use Personal Experiences That Connect to Your Goal.

This is a bit more straightforward of a point. Nonetheless, it’s important.

If you connect your reasons for attending a sorority with some of your personal experiences, you’ll have a deeper reasoning behind your goals. You’ll also show interviewers that you have reasons for attending that are beyond just ideas and theory alone.

Personal experiences are, well, personal. And, when you mention this in the interview, you’ll have a deeper connection with your interviewer as they listen to your story.

Also, opening up about your personal experiences shows interviewers that you’re willing to get out of your shell during the conversation. It’s one of the opportunities for you to be open to interviewers, and in turn for them to greet your openness with empathy, compassion, and camaraderie.

3. Think Of How The Sorority Helps You Achieve Those Goals.

Not every sorority is made the same.

Some are more focused on social elements. Others have an emphasis on community service. Interestingly enough, some specifically are known for giving students great connections into particular fields in special industries such as business and finance.

Even if there are different sororities of different flavors, it’s safe to say that the camaraderie and togetherness of each one are going to be very helpful in giving you the support you need to achieve your goals.

But, remember: it’s important not to get lost in vague words and generalities. Make sure your words have substance and that you’re not just saying how it can help you in general ways such as “social-ness” and “networking.” Use specific examples of the resources available at your perspective sorority and how they will help you achieve your goals.

Then, once you’ve done that, connect those goals back to your main overarching and “big picture” goals.

Think of the format like this:

Resources available at sorority → help short-term goals → short-term goals help long-term goals.

4. Be Specific! Be Specific!

We’ve mentioned this briefly in the previous sections.

Don’t be vague.

Please, please, please be specific! You need to be specific when you’re answering any of the sorority interview questions. This is especially important in showing your interviewers that you’ve not just done your research, but that you’ve also thought through why you would like to be a part of their community.

It helps to demonstrate to your listeners that you’re actually taking the topics and questions they present to you seriously. Giving vague answers shows that you haven’t actually wrestled with the content of the questions long enough.

And, worse, it also shows interviewers that you’re not taking the importance of attending the sorority seriously.

Joining a sorority is going to pit you in a world of not just deep connections, meaningful relationships, and camaraderie; it’s also a world of serious tradition. So, show your interviewers that you take this seriously by giving specific answers that demonstrate your depth of thought!

How NOT to Answer “What Are You Looking For In A Sorority?”

Now, we’re going to list a few things you should NOT do when you’re trying to answer the “What are you looking for in a sorority” question.

1. Vague and Unhelpful Answers.

We mentioned briefly that you shouldn’t be vague and obscure in your answers. But, we’re going to give you an example of a vague and unhelpful response to “What are you looking for in a sorority?”

Take a look at this.

Question: What are you looking for in a sorority?

Answer: I think that sororities play a great role in helping fellow sisters feel welcome in the University of Texas. Additionally, it’s important to me to attend a sorority because I’ve come from a long line of family memebers who were also deeply involved in sorority life. It can provide me with the necessary social elements that would be important for everyday life. Additioally, I belive attending a sorority will give me the much-needed connections and networking opportunities to stay connected with others, which is a crucial part of transitioning from college life to the real world. Over all, a sorority expereince will help me be prepared for the real world.

Example of a vague response in a sorority interview

Now, if spoken aloud, this can sound rather reasonable and professional. Doesn’t seem too bad, right?

Well, if you really deconstruct this sentence by sentence, you’ll realize that this response really isn’t saying much at all!

A good rule of thumb is to think of your sorority interview response as a set of instructions. If a 5-year-old were reading it, would they understand what to do? If the answer is yes, you’re solid. If not, change it up to be more specific.

2. Negative Topics.

Here are a few general topics you should avoid when answering your sorority interview questions, particularly the “What are you looking for in a sorority” question.

1. Anything negative about other people.
2. Gossip.
3. Wanting to make a lot of money.
4. Using networking in a negative way (using people to climb ladders without considering deep connections.)
5. Wanting to get into drugs and dangerous lifestyles.
6. Finding a romantic relationship.

It’s not as if people getting into sororities don’t want some of these things. After all, we’re all human. But, it’s bringing these topics up as a topic at all during an important interview that demonstrates what your character and priorities are going to be like.

As someone looking to provide a good first impression, you should be putting your first foot forward. And, the best way to do that is to answer the “What are you looking for in a sorority” question in a civil and sophisticated manner.

If you are still struggling to answer the “What are you looking for in a sorority” question during your sorority interview, don’t worry. We’ve helped students with their college, MBA, PhD, sorority, and fraternity interviews to get them to provide meaningful answers that set them apart from the rest of the application pool. If you want to maximize your chances of success and secure a spot in your targeted sorority, we’re here to help. Contact us to sign up for our sorority interview prep program, and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours!