Some questions about Recs

[RedLipstick]

I rushed once before in formal rush and did not receive a bid. I had no idea about recs and only found out such a thing existed after I had rushed. I'm going to rush again and can get a rec from one of my friends (who offered, I didn't ask) at another school. But that's only one rec.

So, my question is, how do you typically obtain recs? From friends in current houses? Strangers in current houses? I'm asking because I don't know who/how to ask and what the courtesies/customs are.

[FSUZeta]

typically, recs. are secured by asking alumnae sorority members who might have been your teachers, your neighbors, parents of your friends, friends or co-workers of your parents, members of your church, friends of friends. it is all about networking.

if you discover your kindergarten teacher was a member of "ABC" sorority, and she is willing to write a rec. for you for the ABC chapter at your university, you might ask if she may knows alumnae from other sororities that have chapters on your campus, and she might send your information to them, and they might write a rec. for you. it is all about networking.

an alumnae of a sorority can write a rec. for you as long as there is a chapter of their sorority on your campus. she does not have had to be a member of that particular chapter, only a member of the national sorority.

some sororities do allow their collegiate members to write recs., but not all allow this. however, if you have friends that are members of sororities on your campus, they might be able to ask their chapter advisors to meet you and write a rec. for you.

[AnchorAlumna]

I don't like the whole "let's meet so I can write you a rec" thing. Recs are about vouching for someone's character. You can't do that via a 30-minute meeting.

[RedLipstick]

Thanks FSUZeta! That's really helpful.

AnchorAlumna, I kind of agree, but don't have many connections to greek life other than friends currently in chapters and my brother. lol


Also, I thought of another question. Typically, how many recs per chapter is acceptable/recommended?

[DaffyKD]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

I don't like the whole "let's meet so I can write you a rec" thing. Recs are about vouching for someone's character. You can't do that via a 30-minute meeting.

I was asked to do a meet and greet rec this year for a young lady going out of state. I met with her and then when I wrote the rec, I specifically stated, "This recommendation is based on my meeting with the young lady for 30 minutes." The chapter then knew that I did not have much to go on and they could do as they wished with the rec.

DaffyKD

[33girl]

Is your school a school with a large formal rush (1000+ girls)?

Sometimes the reasons you did not receive a bid or were cut have nothing to do with having or not having recs.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by RedLipstick

Thanks FSUZeta! That's really helpful.

AnchorAlumna, I kind of agree, but don't have many connections to greek life other than friends currently in chapters and my brother. lol


Also, I thought of another question. Typically, how many recs per chapter is acceptable/recommended?

It really depends on the school. I've seen it mentioned here that 2-3 is sufficient at most competitive schools.

[RedLipstick]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Is your school a school with a large formal rush (1000+ girls)?

Sometimes the reasons you did not receive a bid or were cut have nothing to do with having or not having recs.

I believe there were over 700 rushing last year at formal rush. (We have 11 chapters and about 45 per pledge class.) So, I know there were just way too many girls for everyone to get a bid, but I think recs would've helped.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by RedLipstick

I believe there were over 700 rushing last year at formal rush. (We have 11 chapters and about 45 per pledge class.) So, I know there were just way too many girls for everyone to get a bid, but I think recs would've helped.

Some info here:

"Too many girls for everyone to get a bid" is a MYTH.

Quota is set by the number of women participating (typically the number of women making it to Preference round and attanding at least one pref party.) There's no such thing as too many girls for everyone to get a bid (unless you are at Indiana or Nebraska where they do not use traditional quota.)

[RedLipstick]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Some info here:

"Too many girls for everyone to get a bid" is a MYTH.

Quota is set by the number of women participating (typically the number of women making it to Preference round and attanding at least one pref party.) There's no such thing as too many girls for everyone to get a bid (unless you are at Indiana or Nebraska where they do not use traditional quota.)

I'm not sure I agree. Most of the houses on campus can house 35-45 girls per pledge class. Many houses gave bids to 55+ girls last year. A new sorority is colonizing this year, so that will give a lot more girls the chance to be involved in greek life. I understand how quota works, but the amount of girls not receiving bids in the last two years made the council realize that it was time to expand.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by RedLipstick

I'm not sure I agree. Most of the houses on campus can house 35-45 girls per pledge class. Many houses gave bids to 55+ girls last year. A new sorority is colonizing this year, so that will give a lot more girls the chance to be involved in greek life. I understand how quota works, but the amount of girls not receiving bids in the last two years made the council realize that it was time to expand.

I'm going to say this in the nicest way possible. Sorry but that's not how it works.

Schools decide to add more sororities because Greek Life is thriving, chapters are all at a maximum size, PNMs are being placed routinely and the school thinks a new chapter would succeed.

Expansion decisions are not made because too FEW women are getting bids.

Other actual sorority women with recruitment experience can chime in on this.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by RedLipstick

I'm not sure I agree. Most of the houses on campus can house 35-45 girls per pledge class. Many houses gave bids to 55+ girls last year. A new sorority is colonizing this year, so that will give a lot more girls the chance to be involved in greek life. I understand how quota works, but the amount of girls not receiving bids in the last two years made the council realize that it was time to expand.

Sure, but that does NOT change the fact that quota is still adjusted to fit as many girls as they can into chapters. It doesn't matter if 10 women or 1000 women go through. Large numbers of women who don't match are usually mostly made up of people who dropped out, not people who are completely released from recruitment. Panhellenic is expanding because the chapters are getting to big, not because too many girls dropped out and didn't get bids. The existing chapters would like to manage their sizes by adding extra groups to help with demand.

[RedLipstick]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I'm going to say this in the nicest way possible. Sorry but that's not how it works.

Schools decide to add more sororities because Greek Life is thriving, chapters are all at a maximum size, PNMs are being placed routinely and the school thinks a new chapter would succeed.

Expansion decisions are not made because too FEW women are getting bids.

Other actual sorority women with recruitment experience can chime in on this.

By saying that you're going to say it in the nicest way way possible, kind of made it seem not nice. :/

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Sure, but that does NOT change the fact that quota is still adjusted to fit as many girls as they can into chapters. It doesn't matter if 10 women or 1000 women go through. Large numbers of women who don't match are usually mostly made up of people who dropped out, not people who are completely released from recruitment. Panhellenic is expanding because the chapters are getting to big, not because too many girls dropped out and didn't get bids. The existing chapters would like to manage their sizes by adding extra groups to help with demand.

And they just can't fit anymore. Multiple news articles about rush at my school have stated that the number of girls not receiving bids (and that doesn't include dropping out) was a major factor in deciding to expand to another chapter. So, that's why I said what I did. Perhaps I am missing something and I understand about quota, but it's just what I read about rush at my school. *shrug*

[KSUViolet06]

Student media doesn't always understand Greek Life and does print things that are incorrect (because they have no idea how Panhellenic sorority expansion works and they aren't Greek.)

Perhaps you feel so strongly about your Greek system not having enough spots because you (for whatever reason) didn't receive a bid/dropped out/wwhatever, but I assure you that most Greek systems have more than enough room for the PNMs participating and they don't expand to accomodate bidless women.

[RedLipstick]

I know at least one of the articles was written by a member of the council (although I don't know about the other authors) and I took my information from quotes of council members from the articles.