Frustrations with Rec's

[SWTXBelle]

She is going to the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.

[AOIIalum]

Originally Posted by OrangeJuice

As for this particular situation, I don't know where this person is going to school... maybe I missed it. I'm just talking about my own experiences. I'd agree that recs certainly wouldn't hurt, but if she's going to my school (or probably many of the other state schools in Illinois) she shouldn't worry about them so much.

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

She is going to the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.

I would say that recs would be manditory at Arkansas. They may tell you that they aren't, but as a sophomore I would err on the side of caution and secure recs well in advance.

[St3ph888]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

She is going to the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.

um.. no im not.

[SWTXBelle]

Sorry - I must have confused you with another PNM. Where are you going?

[irishpipes]

I went to the University of Illinois and I advise a chapter at the University of Arkansas. The likelihood is extremely high that she will be cut first round by every chapter at Arkansas if she has no rec.

At Illinois, my chapter did not throw away recs, and they were very helpful since there are so many PNMs. There were definitely chapters at Illinois that would not give bids without recs, probably due to a national policy (but maybe they would procure them on their own if they want you badly enough.) There were also great chapters at Illinois that gave bids without recs.

[exlurker]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

I went to the University of Illinois and I advise a chapter at the University of Arkansas. The likelihood is extremely high that she will be cut first round by every chapter at Arkansas if she has no rec. . . .

irishpipes is telling it like it is.
Or, as the University of Arkansas Panhellenic says -- in italics and boldface on their recruitment info site --
it is encouraged to have at least one letter of recommendation per chapter.

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Sorry - I must have confused you with another PNM. Where are you going?

Originally Posted by exlurker

irishpipes is telling it like it is.
Or, as the University of Arkansas Panhellenic says -- in italics and boldface on their recruitment info site --
it is encouraged to have at least one letter of recommendation per chapter.

Sweetgirl424 is the PNM rushing at the University of Arkansas this Fall.

If you need a refresher: the OP's recruitment situation. DBB was kind enough to quote.

[honeychile]

Orange Juice, you may know quite a few women who were placed in 12 different GLOs "without a rec", but you really don't know the full story. Some of them may have had a friend or relative send one in without her knowledge, others may have been SO outstanding that the chapter scrambled to find one for her immediately after the first round. I know of more than one GLO which keeps 2-5 alumnae around for the first party simply to somehow get a rec on an incredible PNM.

Yes, there are schools were recs are not expected - but unless you know that every GLO at said schools doesn't require a rec, you are doing a grave disservice to the PNMs!

[NUBlue&Blue]

When my older daughter went through rush, an alum who wrote a rec for her called me to ask about four girls from our HS who were invited to pref at her sorority at two different colleges. She was our high school's contact person and she needed to secure a rec for every girl who was going to pref in case they were offered a bid BECAUSE IT WAS REQUIRED.

Just because you don't know about it doesn't mean that a rec was not required or secured for the PNM. Think of it like a thank you note. No, it's not required, but it's the right thing to do. Maximize all your options by getting recs to every sorority on campus if possible, whether they say they require it or not.

[susan314]

Originally Posted by NUBlue&Blue

Just because you don't know about it doesn't mean that a rec was not required or secured for the PNM. Think of it like a thank you note. No, it's not required, but it's the right thing to do. Maximize all your options by getting recs to every sorority on campus if possible, whether they say they require it or not.

Although recs weren't mandatory at Michigan State and mosts PNMs didn't obtain them prior to rush, I know that at least one sorority on my campus attempted to secure a hometown rec for me. (Its entirely possible that others did, but I just happened to find out about one after the fact.)