New// Legacy Question & Recruitment Question
 

Hi guys! I do not have any family members that were in a sorority besides my Aunt and a few cousins. Do they count towards legacies or would they just be considered a stronger recommendation than a recommendation? Err, I don't know if that makes sense.

Also, I have been reading these forums for advice, and what to bring info.. Someone posted about how we "Cannot take bags to the houses during rush". Is that true? Because I have also read tips where they tell PNMs to bring mini deodorants and oil whipes! Just want to know if small cross body purses are allowed.

Thank you :)
-TurtleLover95

Legacies are considered mother, sister, grandmother. Aunt/cousin wouldn't strengthen recommendation - unless possibly from that particular chapter.

Not sure about ALL schools, but many do allow small cross body bags.

The legacy policy differs from chapter to chapter. Some chapters consider only mothers and sisters (and steps). Some chapters consider grandmothers. Some chapters consider aunts. You will need to consult the websites of the chapters involved to determine whether or not you would be a legacy.

The no bag ban is usually bringing into the house. Your recruitment counselors usually stay outside with your bags, which should be a small tote with the items in it. Check you school's web site for a recruitment booklet/information on that or they will tell you at orientation.

I know what you meant, but to a PNM, the comments above might be a little bit confusing :-)

The definition of a legacy differs from organization to organization. Legacy definition will not differ from chapter to chapter within an organization....

There actually ARE sororities that consider nieces of members to be legacies. There is no hard and fast rule for EVERY NPC. Some don't count anything beyond daughter and sister.

Thank you guys for all your responses! :) I am a little confused on some of the events and rules but I am sure I will figure it all out soon enough. Open house begins on the 16th! :)

My daughter will be going through rush soon as a legacy. I have been told by other sorority sisters that family should not write recs. Is this true? I've also read on this site that chapters may think it is strange that family doesn't write a rec. What is the best thing to do?

Yes, they should write recs!

The chapter needs to know the PNM is a legacy. Very important! The relative needs to send in a rec.

But she also needs a rec from a non family member. It is always suspect when a PNM only has a family rec or doesn't have a family rec. So she needs one of both. At least here in the south...

True

I just want to state that this thread is bringing up some corkers in the "similar threads" listed below.

It is best when a legacy has a rec from the family member--but we had a weird situation this year and this is how we addressed it: Daughter is a true legacy to one sorority through paternal grandmother, and while maternal grandmother's sorority does not recognize granddaughters as legacies any more, we were told that grands do get bumped above PNMs with no family connections at all. So--I told both grandmothers a while back that we would need recs/letters of introduction for daughter.

Paternal grandmother has had major health issues and has been increasingly erratic in her behavior. Rather than bother her with sorority stuff during this tough time, we consulted daughter's other rec writers for that sorority, and one of them noted in her letter that grandmother was ill and might be unable to submit a letter. Grandma realized two weeks ago that recruitment was drawing near, sent an email to the chapter's rec chair, and sent us the confirmation response from the house.

My father died in March after a year-long bout with cancer, and Mom/maternal grandmother has had a very tough time dealing with his illness and death. Again, we didn't want to burden her with this, so we contacted daughter's rec writers for that sorority and they both mentioned in their letters why maternal grandmother might not be available for letter of introduction. Mom, however, insisted on doing it, so I helped her draft the letter and she submitted it with daughter's packet.

We'll see how things work out, but we were assured by members of both sororities that having other rec writers who can explain the absence of legacy introductions in such cases is sufficient and appreciated.

See, that's exactly what I meant. We need to know...otherwise we are left to our own assumptions...and that can be not a good thing...