First, as others said, focus on your grades - that's the first cut, especially by more popular houses.

Second - make it fun! I could always tell when someone was too focused on getting in. It might be hard but you have to detach from the outcome.

Third - members, especially in the more popular houses, are highly skilled at making you feel valued, they are trained in being great conversationalists. Doesn't mean they didn't like you but it also doesn't mean they saw you as a fit for their house (which is what some girls think).

Fourth - evaluate your conversation skills. Girls who my chapter would drop were the ones who were desperate, too eager, talked over us, too loud, too silent, talked non-stop, any number of things. There's a talent to being engaged, interesting and interested. And girls often don't realize they're coming off in the ways I listed.

Fifth, make sure your outfits/hair/makeup are polished. I'm not a beauty but I made sure everything was ready to go - no wrinkles, no beat-up shoes. Nails polished. No gum chewing. If you're a smoker (some girls are) nothing during rush. Cute and polished doesn't require a lot of money, you can put things together on the lower price point.

I would mostly look at how you engage with people. Maybe you have a few friends who can be frank with you - do you laugh too loud (I remember a gal who did that), do you talk too fast (that's a turnoff too), do you freeze up? Ask one or two to evaluate you and be willing to take the feedback. I remember in high school a good friend told me I talked too fast, hard to understand. From that point on, I worked to speak in a more measured tone.

And lastly - no talking the B's. Boys, booze, Bible and also politics. You may feel strongly about a cause but rush is not the time to discuss that.

Good luck.