Quote:
Originally Posted by DubaiSis
The thing is, you SHOULD be stressing out about it, in April or so. By the time you get to August/September, it's time to let it go because it's too late. Girls do get bids without recs, but why kneecap yourself? The time spent finding and getting to know alumnae members is valuable for a variety of reasons, and then you have that box checked. A chapter may like you, but your lack of recommendations might drop you lower on their list. There have been a million discussions here about the difference between being CUT and just not making it high enough on the list to get a return invitation. Do you really want that lack of recommendation to possibly put you as #105 on their invitation list when they only get to #100?
I personally think the value of recommendations is not equal to the effort expended on both sides and I wish recommendations went back to the days when they were only sent by alumnae who actually personally knew the rushees. But those days are past, and I would recommend to any rushee to play the game fully. And that means getting recs (even 2-3 at some schools) for each chapter. And do it early so that when rush time comes around, you can focus on more important issues.
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^This is such good advice -- I hope PNMs listen. And this:
"...I would recommend to any rushee to play the game fully."
I was thinking the same -- if one choses to play this game, then do everything possible to win. Assembling rec/resume packets and locating multiple alums of multiple chapters does take a considerable amount of time and effort, however, the first time through formal recruitment is also the PNM's best opportunity. Considering the magnitude of a stressful recruitment week and the potential for heartbreak, I would hate to wonder, in retrospect, if a dozen more phone calls might have opened a door that closed after the first or second round of parties.
I wouldn't want to depend solely on conversational skills to pull me through the chaos of a crowded 20-minute party. Those conditions are not entirely under the control of the PNM. What arrives on paper, in advance, is (for the most part).
If a rec for every house just cannot be found, then proceed with
no regrets. It is true that girls have even pledged houses where
they assumed they had no rec -- but I wouldn't minimize the importance of recs -- ever -- if these can possibly be located.
Question for the RFM experts: Would it be accurate to assume that the chapters forced to release more girls (and extend fewer invites) would also be more likely to release those without recs (and earlier in the process)?