rec letters?
by: ?How important are rec letters for joining a sorority? I do want to rush this fall, but I will likely not be able to get rec letters for most if not all sororities. Will this basically eliminate my chances of being in a sorority, especially a more selective one?
#1 by: don't worry
Rec letters allow a sorority to learn a little more about you than they might be able to during a brief rush party. Not having a rec letter will not eliminate your chances of receiving a bid from a competitive sorority. When I rushed as a freshman, I had several rec letters for the sororities I thought I wanted, but I did not have a rec for the sorority that won my heart. Thankfully, I received a bid anyway. Just smile, relax, & most importantly, be yourself! You'll do great!
Comment#2 by: Answer
Not having recs will not eliminate your chances, but it won't help you much either. If houses can learn something about you early on it will help you from falling through the cracks. Some sororities are required to have a rec for each girl to get a bid. They will reach out to get one for you themselves if they have to, but you can make it easier for yourself by trying to get some. You would be surprised how many people are connected to sororities. Ask your parents' friends, your teachers, people you know at church and everywhere. Men know sorority women too. Most are happy to write a rec.
by: @?May 16, 2017 9:33:13 PM
Some sororities have a policy where they can't extend a bid without a rec. So their advisor or someone will write one for a girl so that she can continue on. You're right it isn't a personal rec because it's written by someone who doesn't actually know her but we call them info-only recs and they still count :)
Also @OP, keep in mind it's rare for us to do this (secure a rec for you) because most of the time our top girls put the time and effort into getting recs on their own. It shows that you're interested and prepared. I was in a similar situation to you but I was still able to get recs for 4 out of 7 chapters.
Yes this isn't Bama or Ole Miss where recs are absolutely crucial, but it's still good to have as many as you can.
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by: AnswerMay 17, 2017 7:40:50 AM
To add to what @@? said - It would be an indirect recommendation from an alumna who would reach out to the sources listed on your resume/recruitment form and at least verify the information you provided. It's not nearly as useful as a personal rec, but it fulfills our basic requirement. It's a lot of trouble, and we only do that for girls we really love and definitely want to bid, ie only a few, so PNM's without recs can just slip through the cracks. Look, PNM's are on a bell curve for each house - some we know we really want, some we know are definitely not a good fit, but the majority just fit in the middle. So for those middle PNM's, we need to make decisions, and the girl with the rec is going to have a slight edge. She made the effort to get a rec for us. So if you care, you will do all you can to give yourself the best chance.
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by: GTMay 23, 2017 7:33:54 PM
by: Need to agreeMay 29, 2017 8:14:23 PM
#4 by: Answer
There are local alumnae chapters for every single one of our sororities all over the country. Reach out to the ones near you and they will help you out. You can also reach out to the Atlanta area alumnae groups if you need to; they are happy to help out their local collegiate chapters by providing recs.
by: bumpJul 9, 2017 8:19:51 AM
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by: ?May 16, 2017 3:18:14 PM
I'm confused. There may be a really simple answer to this, so I might be overthinking it. If a girl isn't able to obtain a rec on her own, isn't it safe to presume that she doesn't know any house members or alum (or she doesn't know any who are willing to write a rec for her)? So how would a sorority "reach out" to get a rec for a specific rushee, "if they have to"? If no one knows the girl personally, what would the rec be based on? And how would a credible rec be obtained given the rules barring preliminary &/or outside contact with rushees?
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