poll: where does your family fall?

Yes, they do.

I would describe myself as slightly above middle class and was in a sorority that is known for being wealthy (just graduated). If you are the type of person to get bothered by not having the next best thing, this may be hard on you. If you are that type of person, being thrifty is your friend— poshmark curtsy etc will all help you “look the part”

While I never spotted a designer belt or drove a luxury car, I never really wanted for anything growing up. So seeing girls spending outrageous amounts of money on pointless things (outfits for date parties, going to nice dinners during the week, etc), I never felt like I was being judged for not having these things... maybe I was, but never to my face and never felt like I was. Many of my friends were significantly wealthier than my family but most people don’t talk about money.

People won't talk about money but you will know and they will know.

This bothers some and doesn't bother others. Some spend themselves into a hole and fake it but people with real money can spot the fakes a mile away. Be yourself. Rush if you know you can afford the $4k a semester. If you are not into keeping up you can have a great experience without spending too much more than your dues. If you go in knowing that you can't pay that much just save yourself the heartache and stress and don't rush. There are some houses that are down to earth and much kinder to all their sisters. They will understand and you can still have a great experience without a ton of money. There will be other houses where you won't.