Question about recommendations
 

Hi all! Ok I will be transfering in January to a school that does deferred recruitment. I have everything lined up so that I will be eligible to rush in the spring rather than waiting. In order to make myself stand out from the girls that are currently at this school, I want to have the best recommendations possible. I have a recomendation from one sorority we will call it Ravenclaw. This recommendation comes from my mom's best friend since high school. One of the other sororities that I am really interested in (based on an open house school event last year....but not ruling out any other sorority that is at the school until I go through rush) we will call them Gryffindor, I actually met one of the ladies who is an alumnae and is an officer at the national headquarters. I met her through my job as a cashier, and when she mentioned her job, I told her I was rushing. She gave me her card with her e-mail address on it. So after this rediculously long story here is my question: Would it be "appropritate" to e-mail her and ask to arrange a meeting so that she might consider writing a rec for me?

I would say yes. If I gave a woman my card with my email on it after she told me she was going through recruitment, I would expect an email. If you prefer, you could ease into asking for a rec by asking some questions about recruitment. What's it like, why did you choose your organization, what was your favorite part about being in a sorority, what was your favorite part of recruitment (as a PNM and as a sister), etc.

like

Can members currently in sororities write recs or only alumni?

Each group has different rules on this.

It depends on each sorority's inter/national policies. And there are restrictions; e.g. a specific sorority may permit an active to write a recommendation for a PNM who is not going through recruitment at her campus.

Like I said, it depends on each sorority's policies (I use chapter in place of sorority, in case you're confused). And this is referring only to NPC sororities.

ETA dang AlphaFrog you speed typing or what?

I'm training my auto-correct to do whole phrases that we are forced to repeat ad nauseum on here. ;)


(Would that it were so!)

I'm pretty sure that every group requires that only members currently in sororities write recs. Now, as to whether those members can only be alumnae members or whether they can be collegiate members as well can vary from group to group.

:p

I think your headquarters person is a gold mine and you would be crazy not to ask her straight up. She's probably very busy and doesn't need to develop a lifelong friendship with you before you get around to "making the ask."

Hi, we met, you told me what you do, I am really looking forward to rush, any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Here are some questions I have... I have attached my resume here for your consideration. Would it be too much for me to ask for a recommendation? I'm glad to get together with you to discuss my credentials or we can talk on the phone. Whatever works best for you.

Of course, fancy it up and make it personal, but I would spit it all out in one email.

smarty pants. :D

Now, now. It's never too early for the PNM to learn that membership is for a lifetime. ;)

I agree.