When Should You Secure Recommendation Letters for Fall 2012?
 

Hello all GCers,

Looking for your expertise on when my daughter should start securing recommendation letters for Fall 2012 recruitment, and when should they be sent to the chapters? Since I pledged 30 years ago and this is my oldest daughter, I'm not sure about this procedure. It looks as if she's decided on Iowa. Thanks so much! :)

As a recent PNM, I think that it's important to start securing recs as soon as possible. After all, as some ridiculous pamphlet I have says: "you'll never wish you had less time."

I mean, I see no reason to wait to start talking to people, but maybe a more experienced person can correct me if I'm wrong.

Securing them as in confirming who will be writing them is a good idea right now, but don't actually send them until at least late Spring. The longer they sit around, the bigger chance of getting misplaced. Is there a local Panhellenic that can give you an exact timeline?

this-i would say wait until school is finished for the spring and then send them right along.

Yes,get your people lined up now. Get her resume done as well. Ask the writers when they would like the resume and transcript - some want to wait for final grades and awards and others will go on with fall semester grades and current awards, etc.

Go Hawks! We had a couple advisers from Iowa on hand last fall and there are a few good Iowa threads. Cutting to the chase, it's more competitive than you think so start preparing daughter for cuts and rearranging her preferences after each round. The chapter size disparity that existed a few years ago is all but gone and I think the Greek system as a whole is doing very well these days. She can look forward to a great group and some day living in a beautiful house, regardless of which one.

If you're from the Chicago area you should have NO problem getting recs to every sorority. I agree that you should start gathering your list now and send them in early summer.

Don't wait for the last minute!!! Last year a woman waited until the last minute, contacted the HQ for the chapters on her campus and in our case her request was sent to our AC president. After calling around, our AC President was able to get hold of me just as I got home from convention and asked me to contact the young woman. I met the young lady at a Starbucks, went over her resume and wrote a bland recommendation based on that meeting. I made note on the rec form that I had only met the woman for 30 minutes and reviewed her resume. Based on the little knowledge I was unable to give a glowing recommendation when I mailed the chapter the rec form.

You want to make sure you get the best recommendations possible, especially if you are going through recruitment at a very competitive school who need rely heavily on a recommendation.

DaffyKD

I was under the strong impression that the potential new member does not gather the recs and send them. Instead, the rec writer sends the rec in.
Or is this something that varies from place to place? Anyone who's recently written recs care to clarify?

The rec writer should send the rec in to her specific chapter. The PNM should not handle the recs. What was probably meant was for the PNM to request late spring sending and to follow up with the rec writer(s).

i always mail(or send electronically) the recs. that i write. i don't know what others do.

I'm a little bit of a nut, but I have already started a spread sheet with people I know personally who are in GLO's. Not sure where my 2013 dd will end up but I want to make sure she is covered. Depending on the school I might wait until late spring. At a competitive school I might do it a little earlier. I can not tell you how many times we have received recs AFTER we have released a girl- I can never figure that out?

when that happens i wonder if the girl discovered she really liked the chapter and decided that she had better get a rec., not realizing that the best thing to do is to get one for every chapter at her school before rush begins.

Thanks for your input everyone!

Not a nut! I'm working on one for my younger sister, who's about the same age. Luckily, as with everything else, I've blazed the trail on Greek life, so I hope I can help her secure a few more recs than I was able to get for myself.

Ok - I have another question. I'm just not sure about getting recs from people you don't know. DaffyKD mentioned that she wrote a bland recommendation based on a 30-minute meeting with someone looking for a rec. At Iowa, there are 14 sororities. I know (and these ladies know my daughter) women who were in 7 of those. Should I really try to find 7 more that don't really know my daughter to write a rec? It seems somewhat odd to me - but remember, I pledged in 1980 and in another state out east. Thanks ladies.