In the first winter sorority rush in two years Sigma Delta sorority added the most members, accepting five new sisters.
Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Delta Epsilon and Kappa Kappa Gamma sororities each welcomed four women to their houses.
The Panhellenic Council chose not to have a winter rush period last year because generally only a few women rush that term, but that decision raised an outcry from members of the Class of 1999 who were off campus during the fall, Panhellenic Council Vice President Ann Marie Nee '98 said.
The sorority system reinstated winter rush in order to support women with varying Dartmouth Plans.
"They should not have to decide between their social life and an educational opportunity off campus or abroad," Nee said.
Three women accepted bids at Epsilon Kappa Theta sorority while Alpha Xi Delta sorority welcomed two new members.
Zeta Beta Chi sorority, formerly Delta Gamma sorority, participating in its first winter rush, is still in the process of selecting its pledge class.
Becky Frost '99, who accepted a bid at Sigma Delt, said she was unable to rush the past two fall terms.
"I was happy to have the opportunity to rush this term because I probably wouldn't have chosen to rush my senior fall," Frost said.
Because it is a group system, the sororities try to maintain an equal number of pledges in each house and keep all the houses on a level playing field, Nee said.
"If a house gets fewer rushees, it doesn't mean that it is weak," Nee said.
Winter rush, which began Saturday, Jan. 10, consisted of two rounds, as opposed to the seven-round fall rush.
In round one, Saturday evening, the rushees attended seven consecutive half-hour parties, visiting each sorority house. Two nights of parties to which all rushees were invited followed on Monday and Tuesday.
After round two, rushees submitted preference cards ranking the seven houses, and bids were given out on Wednesday night.
Tri-Delt President Cara Mathews '99 said that she liked the winter rush period because "it prepares the new officers for [next year's] fall rush."
The winter rush period is generally more relaxed than the fall rush, Nee said.
This fall, approximately 260 women rushed, with each house having a pledge class between 30 and 40 women. Nee also noted that the fall rush is more formal than the winter because it is more closely mandated by the National Panhellenic Council.
