Informal vs. Formal as a sophomore at FSU
 

Hello!
I am transferring to FSU in the spring and I am hoping to join a sorority. The only question is if I should jump right into informal recruitment and risk not meeting every sorority or if I should wait until fall Formal and rush as a sophomore. I think that I would prefer to go through informal recruitment; however, I am unable to get a firm grasp on what it is.
I have seen many comments from FSUZeta on threads saying that I will definitely need letters of recommendation, but I am a first generation in college and I do not have any family members or even friends of family that are currently in sororities. What should I do?
Any help is much appreciated! Thank you!

Recommendations typically do not come from current members nor from members of the chapter at your school. Any alumna may write one. So, ask your teachers, coaches, employers, parents' friends, parents' co-workers, etc...anyone who might have gone to college. If they aren't members of any of the groups at FSU, do they know anyone who is. When you find someone who is, ask if she knows anyone in the other groups. Greek women know other Greek women.

I think you should give spring recruitment a try. If you find a sorority you love and they offer you a bid, why not go ahead and join? If you don't find a match you have fall formal to look forward to. Contact FSU Panhellenic by phone to get the scoop on spring recruitment. It is typically held in the latter half of January, but it is important that you get the information straight from Panhellenic. Here is a link: http://www.greeklife.fsu.edu/Current...ic-Association

As to recommendations, Titchou gave you great advice. You need to exhaust all your possible contacts for recommendations. Some, but not all, sororities allow collegiate members to write recommendations, so in addition to her list of possible rec. writers, you might ask former HS classmates. Even if they can't,they might be able to give you the name of a local alumna who might write one for you. Also be sure to ask neighbors and the parents of your friends.

FYI, AOII does allow collegiates to write recs (MIFs for us) but I think that it is pretty uncommon to have a rec written by anyone other than alumna.

Gamma Phi Beta allows collegians from other chapters to write recs, but my daughter's group (Pi Beta Phi) reserves this right for alumnae.

Has anyone ever compiled a list of NPC groups that allow collegians to write recs, and those who don't? I know policies can change, but that would be helpful info. for PNMs.

Getting back to the original question, adjusting to ACS after recruitment usually opens up some COB spots in the fall after formal recruitment and again in the spring after December graduates.
The advice to contact FSU Panhellenic ASAP in January is sound indeed. You need to get your name out there. Weigh all options!

Think of joining a sorority like finding a husband. You can meet all of them, but what is gained by having done so? If you find one you like, go for it. Remember that it is a lifetime commitment so don't treat pledging during informal as something less serious as if you'd gone through formal. Plus it can give you the opportunity to jump in with less stress and get involved sooner.

Good analogy.

I believe the FSU AOII chapter does not use recs from collegians of that chapter. That us what an active told me this past recruitment.

You are correct, collegiate members can write recs, but not for their own chapter. Sorry I didn't clarify that.

The thing is, I had every intention of participating in recruitment this past fall, but then my mother got sick and I had to stay home. I sent recommendation letters to all of the sororities, but they were from people online because I had attempted to find people that I knew in my hometown.
When should I send the recommendation letters in by? Should I have started hounding them down already?

I think you meant "hunting them down" - right? I bet you're on your phone. Cursed autocorrect!

B/c "hounding" isn't a good idea.

I doubt that most chapters save recommendations that were sent in for fall recruitment. You will need new recommendations.

You don't send the letters of rec. The alumnae who wrote them do.

But the women who know you personally will understand and should be glad to write you a new one. It's not like you're some flake going through rush over and over again. A genuine request and thank you for their additional time should do it.