What Happens After Rush?
After the events held during rush week and the brothers have had ample time to get to know who you are, the fraternity holds professional interviews for all candidates. Brothers will evaluate candidates based on how they contribute to our three principles: brotherhood, education, and dedication. Selected candidates will receive a bid, a formal invitation to join the fraternity as an associate member. Should the candidate accept the bid, they will be invited to a commencement ceremony along with fellow candidates who accepted the bid to become the Iota pledge class of SMD.
I have entered the pledging process. Now what?
The pledge term is an 8-week session within which pledges get to understand what it means to be a brother of SMD. It is utilized to create strong bonds between pledge brothers and actives. There will be many enjoyable and memorable experiences, but also periods when much work is to be done.
I've heard about horrible things happening to frat pledges.
We do not believe that belittling or harming members of our fraternity creates strong brotherhood; therefore, hazing is forbidden.
Will the pledge term be "hard?"
The pledge term is designed to build character and produce a well rounded med-school applicant out of our pledges. This of course will require pledges to work out of their "comfort zone". However no pledge will ever be demanded to perform the impossible. If you work hard during this period, the benefits that come out of it will far outweigh the effort put into it.
I'm afraid that the pledge term will require too much of me and my grades will consequently drop.
As a professional academic fraternity, we have designed the pledge term to have exactly the opposite effect. The pledge term will strengthen the pledge in many aspects as a pre-med student. Required study hours, research of the med school process, among other things will boost grades as well as knowledge for entering medical school. Pledges also have access to our fraternity's notes and tests bank from other actives who have taken the class.
What happens after the pledge term?
Once the pledge term is completed successfully, each pledge will be formally initiated into the fraternity as an active brother.