Rec Letter Time!

[greekdee]

I can't believe it's that time of the year again! Rec Time! I am going to have another big rec crew this year -- so far I am doing them for four girls who will be going through recruitment at UGA, one at Tennessee, one at South Carolina and two at Georgia Southern.

I love "rec season".

That's all.

[carnation]

I wish I knew as early as you do how many I'll be doing! There aren't many Pi Phis in town but every year there are more PNMs so at the last minute, I get desperate calls from girls, moms, alum clubs, you name it! It'll be days before recruitment starts and people still don't have recs to certain sororities (usually us, Kappa,Theta, Tri Delt, DG, Alpha Chi) and someone finds out my affiliation and the phone starts ringing. And half the time they ask me if I know anyone who can do recs to the other hard-to-find-alums groups.

[SWTXBelle]

My alumnae panhellenic does everything short of coming to the pnms' houses to get rec packets in by the middle of May. Still, we'll have last minute desperate calls all the way through August.
My rec crew this go round includes Bama, Texas A&M, Univ. of OK, OK State, Texas Christian, Univ of Kansas, and Gamma Phi's TX State colony. I also have a DARLING pnm going to Univ. of TX - while I am not personally writing a rec I've worked with her so I'm claiming her as part of Team Belle!

[greekdee]

I actually had someone contact me in January of this year and someone else do so in March. In both cases, they were worried mothers who had no experience with Greek life and had heard about "these rec letter things." Those were more informational calls -- I told them to see me in June.

Anyway, I always have a couple come sliding in at the 11th hour. I had a BAMA girl last year -- I and some other sorority alums in our community shoved her recs in through the cat door, it was so late in the game. She only had a handful of recs going in (scary at BAMA). She ended up pledging one of the sororities she did have a rec for and is very happy, so all's well that ends well -- but that was risky business waiting that late and going in with just a few.

I'll look forward to hearing everyone's results in August and September!

[Tyla]

I am absolutely confused by the idea of what a rec letter is, but I've learned from another post that I absolutely need them at the University I'm going to. Could you tell me exactly what a rec is, and how to attain them if you know absolutely no one who has gone Greek? I'd really appreciate your answers! Please and thank you

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by Tyla

I am absolutely confused by the idea of what a rec letter is, but I've learned from another post that I absolutely need them at the University I'm going to. Could you tell me exactly what a rec is, and how to attain them if you know absolutely no one who has gone Greek? I'd really appreciate your answers! Please and thank you

This sends us over the edge! You can do a search here for your school + recommendation and get tons of hits. It's a letter of introduction, so to speak. A recommendation from a member to her sorority that yu'd make a good member. Like recommending you for a job. A job reference, if you will. So, make a list of all the chapters on your campus. Then make another list of anyone you know who has attended college - teachers, counselors, employers, relatives, neighbors, your friends' parents, Sunday School teachers, etc. They do not have to be your age; they do not have to have attended your school. (I went to Alabama in the '60's and can write one for anyone going to any school where we have a chapter). When you find someone who is a member of one group, ask if she knows anyone in the other groups you need. Mark them off your list as you go. You will need a resume, a copy of your transcript and a good head shot picture to give each...and a thank you note now and a note when you pledge letting them know what happened.

You're welcome.

[Gingerdeltaz]

Watching my daughter struggling to find rec writers this year has motivated me to become more involved in our local alumnae panhellenic chapter.

In our region, recs are normally done after a PNM has pledged, so the concept of her getting 2 rec letters per chapter is relatively foreign up here and has been met with some confusion. (I certainly don't think it's an unwillingness to assist as much as it is unfamiliarity with the system.) Actually, had it not been for GC, I would not have been familiar with the resume/rec prior to recruitment...so thank you.

She has actually had more success by finding facebook pages for individual sorority alumnae chapters in the area and doing "cold calls" with ladies who do not have private profiles, than going through the normal channels. (Although she risks being the "freaky facebook stalker," she has actually gotten positive responses thus far by thinking outside of the box.) LOL.

She secured about 6 recs through ladies that we know, but going through our local panhellenic to attempt to locate other ladies has not been helpful.

So, even though there may not be a large number of PNMs in our area that need recs prior to recruitment, I'm going to offer to become more involved and attempt to focus on that area, along with some recruitment prep. (Hopefully the local group will be receptive.)

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

My alumnae panhellenic does everything short of coming to the pnms' houses to get rec packets in by the middle of May. Still, we'll have last minute desperate calls all the way through August.

Same for us. However, this is the first year that I can remember that we have a couple of girls who have declined to give our alum panhel information because they've already got recs for all the sororities at their school. From what she told me, they are from alumnae not here in hometown. Not a problem for us, but from what I've heard it is a problem for a couple of other groups. I could tell her that but hey - she already knows everything.

The biggest obstacle is the girls think they'll only get recs for the top 5 or 6 groups and don't think they need to bother with the other 11. And you can't tell them any different. Bless their hearts......

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by Gingerdeltaz

In our region, recs are normally done after a PNM has pledged, so the concept of her getting 2 rec letters per chapter is relatively foreign up here and has been met with some confusion.

Never heard of that before.

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

Same for us. However, this is the first year that I can remember that we have a couple of girls who have declined to give our alum panhel information because they've already got recs for all the sororities at their school. From what she told me, they are from alumnae not here in hometown. Not a problem for us, but from what I've heard it is a problem for a couple of other groups. I could tell her that but hey - she already knows everything.

The biggest obstacle is the girls think they'll only get recs for the top 5 or 6 groups and don't think they need to bother with the other 11. And you can't tell them any different. Bless their hearts......

Every time I meet with a PNM asking for a rec., I always ask her what recs. she already has. There have been a few times when only about half of the sororities at State U. or U. of State are given, at which time I tell them that it would behoove them to get recs. to ALL sororities on their campus. I explain that they may fall in love with a sorority that they know nothing about right now, or recruitment may go a different way than they think it will, so they need all the bases covered. I never know if they listen to me or not.

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

Never heard of that before.

Have a feeling it means their national requires recs so they just write them after the fact rather than bother getting them for all PNMs. Sad to say - what's the point after you already put a pledge pin on her? (No pun intended, Beyonce')

[Gingerdeltaz]

Originally Posted by Titchou

Have a feeling it means their national requires recs so they just write them after the fact rather than bother getting them for all PNMs. Sad to say - what's the point after you already put a pledge pin on her? (No pun intended, Beyonce')

That is exactly what I meant. And it does seem rather useless. When the recs are received by the chapters, the young ladies are already pledges, so it's really too late to count for much. It almost seems like more of a formality than an aid to the selection process.

I remember after pledging, I filled out the necessary information and then one of the alumna from the sorority took care of getting a rec writer.

On the difference in different regions...here is a quote my daughter received in an email from an alumna of an NPC sorority telling her why she did NOT need recs...

The National Panhellenic Conference policy states that “the responsibility for providing letters of recommendation for prospective new members rests with the members of the NPC fraternities and sororities.”

When you register for recruitment, you will fill out information which will be distributed to all of the groups on campus. At that time XYZ (I replaced the name of the NPC sorority) and the other groups on campus will work to obtain a sponsor form for you, and any other candidates who do not have sponsorship.

I think that difference in the way things are done regionally, is what is making it difficult for some of the local alumnae to understand the need for letters of rec prior to recruitment.

[Titchou]

That is the way it [I]should[I] work but with 1700 plus going thru at Bama and other such ridiculous numbers, it just isn't feasible. There are exceptions where they know someone coming thru and will get one on her....or the rush crush they can't live without but don't want the alums in one-horse-town mad at them. But they are few and far between. The numbers just simply put the onus on the PNMs back....

[Tyla]

Originally Posted by Titchou

This sends us over the edge! You can do a search here for your school + recommendation and get tons of hits. It's a letter of introduction, so to speak. A recommendation from a member to her sorority that yu'd make a good member. Like recommending you for a job. A job reference, if you will. So, make a list of all the chapters on your campus. Then make another list of anyone you know who has attended college - teachers, counselors, employers, relatives, neighbors, your friends' parents, Sunday School teachers, etc. They do not have to be your age; they do not have to have attended your school. (I went to Alabama in the '60's and can write one for anyone going to any school where we have a chapter). When you find someone who is a member of one group, ask if she knows anyone in the other groups you need. Mark them off your list as you go. You will need a resume, a copy of your transcript and a good head shot picture to give each...and a thank you note now and a note when you pledge letting them know what happened.

You're welcome.

Thank you so much! I really appreciate the clarification and advice.

[greekdee]

Well, my Rec Crew is growing! A young lady sent her recruitment packet to me last week -- she's my first BAMA girl for this year. I've also been contacted by another girl who will be going through recruitment there.

A lot of girls in my community go to SEC schools, so recs are mandatory. Most try to get them for every chapter, but there are always those who run into problems finding alumnae for all the sororities they need recs for. It happens every year.

This inspired a friend and me to start compiling a master list (set up on Facebook) of those who will give recs. We have secured alums from all over, not just our community, thanks to cousins, aunts, friends, etc. Even though our idea was good in theory, and we do have a fairly good list going, we are still in need of more alumnae.

Where am I going with this? If any of you Greek Chatters would like to be on our alumnae list, we'd love to have ya! The contact info is on FB, but it is a private group so info is not blasted to the world. The only people who ask to join the group are girls planning to go through recruitment (and their mothers) as well as alums wanting to add their contact info. Most of the girls are from my community, north of Atlanta, and all can be vouched for.

We would love to have alumnae from all chapters, but are really in need of Tri-Delt, DG, SK and AZD. If interested, just PM me. Thanks!