Kylan Darnell became an overnight celebrity in the TikTok niche that documents the glitzy, ritualistic recruitment process for sororities. As a 21-year-old rising senior four years later, she's taking more of her sorority life offline.
Darnell has until now been the embodiment of RushTok, a week-long marathon that has teens at schools around the country meticulously documenting their efforts to land a cherished spot in a sorority during the colorful, girly and enigmatic recruitment process known as rush week.
Reactions to the content that once catapulted her to fame — depicting her life as a Zeta Tau Alpha member at the University of Alabama — had become so negative that it was affecting her mental health, she said.
“This year it was just like a whole different level of hate," Darnell said.
Citing a need to protect prospects from harassment, many sororities have made similar moves, issuing a de facto ban against talking to the press or posting on social media during rush week at Alabama, where almost 13,000 students participate in the nation's largest on-campus Greek life.
Across the country, rush is typically a 10-day event where “prospective new members” try out sororities through rounds of activities prescribing a strict slate of outfits and etiquette. In the lead-up, girls often submit "social resumes" and letters of recommendation from sorority alums.
Participation often requires an eye-opening price tag.
After spending sometimes tens of thousands of dollars on outfits, makeup and plane tickets, each of this week's 2,600 recruits paid $550 to participate. It's non-refundable if they don't get picked. If accepted, they'll pay an average $8,400 a semester to live in the sorority house, or $4,100 if they live elsewhere, according to the Alabama Panhellenic Association.
The pressure can be so intense that an industry of consultants now helps girls navigate the often mysterious criteria for landing a desired sorority. can Some charge up to $10,000 for months of services that can begin in high school.
By contrast, the University of Alabama says traditional accommodation in one of the campus dormitories can range from $3,000 to $5,300 per semester. For example, a traditional residence hall room, which is double occupancy with shared bathroom, can cost between $3,000 and $4,500 per semester. More premium options like single occupancy rooms in newer buildings or apartments can reportedly range from $4,900 to $6,500 per semester.
Throughout rush, many events are invite-only. At any point, girls can get a dreaded call informing them they’ve been dropped — that a sorority is no longer interested in letting them join. Matches are finally made on bid day as prospects rank top choices and sororities make offers.
Morgan Cadenhead, now 20, gained such an audience on RushTok despite being dropped that she covered most of her tuition with income from social media. Then came the social cost as she was slammed online for criticizing Greek life. Now the marketing major — featured on Lifetime’s “Sorority Mom’s Guide to Rush!” — said she's looking for offline work.
Campus life at the University of Alabama apparently attracting national attention. A recent study by the website NICHE ranked campuses across the U.S. The University of Alabama was listed at number five for campus life, ahead of Yale, Florida State, and Oklahoma. Georgia, UCLA, and USC topped the ranking.
