Recommendation question
 

My daughter is rushing as an out of state student at a Southern University. Knowing it would be competitive, I worked hard to secure recommendations for as many houses as possible--particularly those she was interested in. I was surprised when she was cut from a couple of those after the first round, despite multiple recommendations.

In my chapter, back in the early 1980s, we extended a "courtesy" invite to the second round to any girl we had received a rec for. I'm not sure if this was national policy or our own local custom, but I had assumed it was standard practice.

I am curious to hear from others about various groups' policies regarding recommendations.

Because it falls under the heading of membership selection, I doubt that you will get answers. Also, no one on this board can tell you what went on during the specific membership selection at your daughter's university - if it is a competitive campus the chapters may simply have had to make cuts which included those with recs ( especially now with the new return system). Sorry.

I hope your daughter finds her home!

I had a similar situation arise when I went through recruitment. I was told by my rec writer that I would be invited back but was cut after first round. As far as I know, how girls with recs are treated depends on the sorority and the chapter.

If your daughter goes where I think she does, the deferred recruitment means recs largely give actives a "head's up" about the girl during first semester, rather than being the main source of information about her. Also, the larger chapters are required to cut a certain number of pnms, and it is likely that most pnms have recs at this university, so it would be impossible to invite back every single girl with a rec.

I hope this makes sense and your daughter ends up in the perfect house for her!!!

Thanks. Having been on both sides of this, as well as an alumni advisor, I am well aware of how subjective and competitive all this can be. This is in no way meant to be a sour grapes thread--just looking for information as I was curious.

Can someone fill me in on what the "new return system" is. I am not familiar.

In a nutshell, the chapters that have the highest rates of women returning to parties have to cut more girls more quickly. The cutting may seem harsh compared to back in the day, but it prevents the sororities from stringing along women that they have no intention of bidding (or just plain don't have room for).