Importance of Legacy status?

[naraht]

I was reading the thread on Rush stories and one of them indicated (for an NPC sorority) than the sorority needed permission from their (inter)national Headquarters to avoid giving a bid to a legacy. Is this standard for the NPC sororities?

How important are legacies for the NIC fraternities? For the NPHC fraternities and sororities?

I'm an alumnus of Alpha Phi Omega (co-ed service fraternity) and if someone who wants to pledge is a legacy, we treat it as interesting but nothing more. In fact one chapter I know had a legacy who didn't even mention it until her father and uncle showed up for the initiation with brotherhood cards in their wallets.