Are recs obsolete?

[kddani]

There are so many schools that function perfectly fine without recs being a big deal. Even larger recruitments- for example, Penn State. To my knowledge, I don't think recs are really required there. In my 3 years of being an active collegian at Pitt, we received ONE rec that entire time. I wonder how many recs even get read at some schools, or if they just get it and check off a box next to the girls name that they have one? It seems like a waste of a lot of energy and time. IMO, recs fall into the category of "this is the way it's always been done so we're going to keep on doing it". I can sympathize with having to make a lot of cuts early on, but you can easily cut for grades. And then you'd really have to trust the instincts of sisters who met the PNM during first round for the rest of the cuts.