Why are recs absolutely necessary at some schools, while not expected at others?

[greekdee]

As far as no recs go, I have never sent one in but sometimes you don't need to since people's reputations can precede them. Several years ago, there was a girl in my area who had a great resume of activities, strong GPA and very cute appearance. She also had the ability to bring to life Carrie Underwood's lyrics of "I took a Louisville Slugger to both headlights." She demolished the car of a fellow student, right in the high school parking lot...though I believe a crow bar was her actual tool of destruction. She did this junior year and the victim was not a cheating boyfriend -- it was a girl who was her competition in the race to win some guy's heart. (I believe she lost.) Anyway, the families of these two girls ended up handling it privately, so there is no info on Crow Bar Girl to be found via Google. She did, however, end up at a university attended by MANY girls from her high school and a lot are Greek. They already knew the story.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by greekdee

As far as no recs go, I have never sent one in but sometimes you don't need to since people's reputations can precede them. Several years ago, there was a girl in my area who had a great resume of activities, strong GPA and very cute appearance. She also had the ability to bring to life Carrie Underwood's lyrics of "I took a Louisville Slugger to both headlights." She demolished the car of a fellow student, right in the high school parking lot...though I believe a crow bar was her actual tool of destruction. She did this junior year and the victim was not a cheating boyfriend -- it was a girl who was her competition in the race to win some guy's heart. (I believe she lost.) Anyway, the families of these two girls ended up handling it privately, so there is no info on Crow Bar Girl to be found via Google. She did, however, end up at a university attended by MANY girls from her high school and a lot are Greek. They already knew the story.

I would need a compelling reason to contact a chapter regarding a PNM's past.

^But that would probably do it.

[amIblue?]

I'd prefer not to make an assumption about the character of a person who got caught up for a single mistake drinking at a party at which there were so many students charged with underage drinking that it made the paper.

Kids do stupid things. That doesn't mean that they're beyond redemption or can't learn from a single mistake.

ETA: this is directed to AnchorAlumna's comment about my earlier response to cheerio. Greekdee's comment describes a whole other level of crazy.

[DubaiSis]

I'm not saying it's not true, just that if we stop saying it, maybe the number of girls getting recs to every single chapter will drop to a realistic number and they will therefore not be as important to the process. If it's just a box to be checked, then they should be dumped. If you want them to be used for a valid purpose then the threat of near death if you don't have them should stop. If after a reasonable search among grown ups you actually know you don't know anyone who is Greek, then that should be that. But until practicality and logic are brought into the process I would tell any girl to beat every bush for any stranger who can recite the Greek alphabet. But I still stand on my opinion that this practice is ridiculous and abusive.

eta/or go to school in the north.

[AGDee]

I was also thinking the "directional" MAC kinds of schools- Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, etc. Recs are a little more common in the Big 10 (13) and the Big 10 does include schools like Indiana where they are definitely more common. But then, Indiana is deferred so women have some time to be exposed to the greek system in advance too.

[FSUZeta]

FSUMAMA, Congratulations on your daughter's bid.

I do want to stress to future FSU PNMs that your daughter's success without recommendations is extremely rare and that they should make every effort to secure recommendations to every chapter at FSU.

[AZTheta]

Oh for the love of Mike!

PNMs: just get recs. Do not think twice, do not argue, do not whine, just get them.

Why? Because, in the process of doing so, PNMs learn all sorts of other things about GLO membership, and are better prepared for recruitment. And, I hope that they also learn that GLO membership goes far beyond three or four parties (and a lot of useless tier/tent talk).

[Hartofsec]

Just to be clear, my question (OP) was not whether PNMs should obtain recs for schools on the must-have-recs list, but why as alums (at some schools) we insist on it:

I guess my actual question is . . . if chapters at schools outside of the must-have-recs list are able to recruit wonderful pledge classes full of accomplished and felony-free young women, are alum-generated and endorsed recs really necessary? Or do we just do this because we have always done things this way?

If any PNM who will be attending one of these schools is reading -- by all means, gather recs for each chapter. And get started now (if you haven't already)!

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Hartofsec

Just to be clear, my question (OP) was not whether PNMs should obtain recs for schools on the must-have-recs list, but why as alums (at some schools) we insist on it:

I guess my actual question is . . . if chapters at schools outside of the must-have-recs list are able to recruit wonderful pledge classes full of accomplished and felony-free young women, are alum-generated and endorsed recs really necessary? Or do we just do this because we have always done things this way?

For the most part, those chapters are smaller. For the most part, those rushes (as in number of girls rushing) are smaller. Quite often, those chapters are at schools where rush is deferred to second semester freshman or even first semester sophomore year.

It's a lot easier for chapters with 60 girls to get to know the total 400 girls rushing than it is for chapters with 400 girls to get to know the total 2000 girls rushing. I'm sure that when girls from SEC chapters become traveling consultants and see how a smaller rush works, they say "God, I wish we could have had this much one on one time with rushees." But unless you want to do as Titchou said and drag rush out for weeks upon weeks - and remember that 3 weeks of SEC or Texas rush is =/= 3 weeks of rush at a small private school - I can't think what would be a better way to screen people.

Is there some element of the alums wanting to have a say in who is chosen for membership? Yes, I'm sure. But a thread of that probably runs through EVERY chapter, no matter the size/campus/organization - and no matter whether recs are commonly used or not, whether they have to be obtained before rush to avoid cuts or afterwards when the chapter knows who they want and obtains the recs for the rushees themselves.

[DubaiSis]

I think you've hit the nail on the head. You do it because you've always done it and 1 rec has become 2 and 3 required just because more has to be used to distinguish one from another. I think it's just silly. I wish we could change the rules so recs don't add points (or whatever the method is for giving recs weight during MS) and are used only to introduce a special girl to a chapter and not just checking off a box. I wish a fraction of the effort used in processing recs was directed toward more face time between rushers and rushees.

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

I think you've hit the nail on the head. You do it because you've always done it and 1 rec has become 2 and 3 required just because more has to be used to distinguish one from another. I think it's just silly. I wish we could change the rules so recs don't add points (or whatever the method is for giving recs weight during MS) and are used only to introduce a special girl to a chapter and not just checking off a box. I wish a fraction of the effort used in processing recs was directed toward more face time between rushers and rushees.

A journey begins with one step. Perhaps you can begin by lobbying your sorority to not allow alumnae to write recommendations.

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

I wish a fraction of the effort used in processing recs was directed toward more face time between rushers and rushees.

The economies of scale are just not going to let this happen. There are far too many PNMs at these schools and recruitment already runs a week - and before school starts in many cases. How do you convince the PNMs to go two weeks ahead of school start? How do you get the members and alums there 3 weeks before school starts? How do you fund the cost of these events? The longer the party the more "whatever" you need to put them on - not only in terms of hard costs (running the a/s longer, more food,etc) but manpower. It's hard enough to get a sufficient number of alums to take vacation from work to come staff a week of work week before recruitment and recruitment week itself. I just cannot imagine what adding time to rounds at Alabama would precipitate. The scope already boggles the mind - and taxes the body.

[Titchou]

For some groups, it's national policy to have a rec on every PNM pledged. So for them, it may be just checking a box but not checking could get you sanctions by your organization. What do you do about those groups?

[HQWest]

My chapter's recruitment already takes 10 days from move in to Bid Day. Rec letters help us to take a chance on an out of state girl or someone that no one knows ahead of time. Otherwise - I think our alternative would be to only take girls that are legacies or those with whom the chapter women have a prior relationship. I cant think of how else to do some prescreening on 1200-1400 women.
The other chapter I was at - recruiment was later, in October, and only 800 women went through, but there was a MUCH higher recruitment drop out rate.

[HQWest]

At the end of the day - given the choice of two groups that are both great at the university, isn't it better to have alum connections to go home to? If you really are OOS and cant find a soul around to write a note about you, wouldnt it be better to go with the group that is established in your area? Presumably, that likes you enough to help get your foot in the door?

Not having rec letters for every chapter wont prevent you from getting a bid, it just means you might not get as many invites in the early rounds.
Again, you only need one