How to get recommendations?

[GreekGuide]

Hey GiantsChic,

Don't worry. I went through rush as a sophomore too. I wasn't a legacy and no one in my family was in a house except for my brother, who was at a different school.

First, remember, it's ultimately the chapters' responsibility to obtain a rec for you. But, you usually don't know whether or not they got one for you.

Here's what you can do. I had my picture taken (or you can use your high school senior picture) and updated my resume. You should give a picture and a resume to each person you ask for a rec.

Now, we were still doing this six or seven years ago. I don't know if it's still allowed or not. But, we would post the pictures, resumes and recs on our chapter room wall so we could study them and recognize you when you come through during rush. WE REALLY didn't post them for catty reasons. Most of the pics, recs and resumes came in for legacies...so you might be grouped with some of these girls. That's good. It's also a way so that if we see if you have a particular interest, we can match you with a sister who has a similar interest. So, please don't get the wrong idea when I say we post the pictures and resumes.

On your resume, be sure to include volunteerism, awards, etc. The stuff you can't include in the five lines that PHC gives you on the recruitment form you have to fill out. Chapters want to see that you are a well-rounded person. You don't need to include your height, weight, smoke/non-smoker. That is completely unneccessary and a violation of your privacy. Also, don't include any references to religion, politics or controversial things like you volunteered at Planned Parenthood. I do think it's ok to include stuff like hobbies and interests like photography, aerobics, etc. For a job in the real world, hobbies/interests would be inappropriate, but in this particular case, I think it's nice to know what your hobbies are.

The recs can come from a variety of sources. The recommender doesn't have to be an alum of SDS. She can be, for example, a DG alum from Indiana. It doesn't matter as long as you get a DG rec for DG and so on and so forth.

Here are some ideas:
1) Worst case scenario ask your friends who are in houses to write a rec for you. It's not ideal, but if that's the only way you can get a rec, then do it. An Active rec is better than no rec.

2) Ask your sibilings if they have friends who are in houses.

3) Parent's neighbors

4) People you babysat for or worked for

5) Grandparent's friends

6) High school teachers...i didn't realize so many of mine were in houses.

7) You could contact the local alumnae groups of these chapters. I don't know if that would make them uncomfortable or not, but you might try that route. Worst case scenario, they could offer more suggestions.

8) People your parents, siblings, grandparents, etc. work for. My mom got me three recs from her work.

Bottomline, you just have to ask people. But, on a brighter note. The only house out of the 15 that I didn't have a rec for....that's my chapter!!! So, after all that work, it didn't matter. I got it in as a sophomore with an ok GPA without a rec at a house I love.

Best of luck!!!