Schools where you absolutely positively need recs

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Certain sororities require recs - period. I am sometimes surprised when a member of a sorority which requires recs states "My chapter didn't get recs/didn't require them." In those cases, it was the alumnae working behind the scenes who probably secured the necessary recomendations. I think some sororities may need to educate their members a little more on the necessity of recs.

Bottom line - always get a rec.

I would guess that, in many chapters, unless you are the president or the recruitment chair, or another role closely involved with MS, you have no idea what recs do/don't do behind the scenes.

[IndianaSigKap]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I would guess that, in many chapters, unless you are the president or the recruitment chair, or another role closely involved with MS, you have no idea what recs do/don't do behind the scenes.

This ^

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I would guess that, in many chapters, unless you are the president or the recruitment chair, or another role closely involved with MS, you have no idea what recs do/don't do behind the scenes.

Without treading into membership selection territory, I am confused by this and find myself in need of enlightenment, especially since I have a HS senior daughter that I'm currently helping get recs. for a "good to have them" southern school. I live in "rec desert" land where no one has them. I don't think any of the sororities on the campus where I advise expects or requires them. If only the president or recruitment/membership chair knows what they say or who has them, what's the purpose? It seems that many of the sororities we're being asked to provide rec. info. for ask for topics of conversation at recruitment, what type of member would be a good match during recruitment, etc. It seems like those sororities are using the recs. for information that would definitely be shared with the chapter, not just during selection procedures, but to more effectively recruit the PNMs.

This is probably an equally ignorant question, but I am sincerely curious. If someone who is fabulous doesn't have a rec., and someone behind the scenes has to secure one because it's mandated by XYZ sorority, what is the value of a rec. secured by an assisting XYZ alum/advisor who doesn't know the PNM, from someone from her hometown (?) who doesn't know the PNM well, either?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

Without treading into membership selection territory, I am confused by this and find myself in need of enlightenment, especially since I have a HS senior daughter that I'm currently helping get recs. for a "good to have them" southern school. I live in "rec desert" land where no one has them. I don't think any of the sororities on the campus where I advise expects or requires them. If only the president or recruitment/membership chair knows what they say or who has them, what's the purpose? It seems that many of the sororities we're being asked to provide rec. info. for ask for topics of conversation at recruitment, what type of member would be a good match during recruitment, etc. It seems like those sororities are using the recs. for information that would definitely be shared with the chapter, not just during selection procedures, but to more effectively recruit the PNMs.

This is probably an equally ignorant question, but I am sincerely curious. If someone who is fabulous doesn't have a rec., and someone behind the scenes has to secure one because it's mandated by XYZ sorority, what is the value of a rec. secured by an assisting XYZ alum/advisor who doesn't know the PNM, from someone from her hometown (?) who doesn't know the PNM well, either?

In answer to the bolded, I thought that too, until I read on here that some of the sororities on my campus (and similar campi) have national policies that say you must have a rec to be pledged. My guess is that the sorority found it in their best interests to make it a national policy, for one reason or another - even if the woman who gives the rec doesn't know the rushee. It seems pointless, but I am guessing that if the sorority has found this policy effective for the MAJORITY of their chapters, they'll keep it in.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by 33girl

In answer to the bolded, I thought that too, until I read on here that some of the sororities on my campus (and similar campi) have national policies that say you must have a rec to be pledged. My guess is that the sorority found it in their best interests to make it a national policy, for one reason or another - even if the woman who gives the rec doesn't know the rushee. It seems pointless, but I am guessing that if the sorority has found this policy effective for the MAJORITY of their chapters, they'll keep it in.

I thought that more orgs had this rule than didn't. Ultimately, though, any alum can write a rec for any woman. Most chapters have alums on hand during recruitment. Ergo...

(sorry, double-post)

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I thought that more orgs had this rule than didn't. Ultimately, though, any alum can write a rec for any woman. Most chapters have alums on hand during recruitment. Ergo...

(sorry, double-post)

Honestly, it's probably about 50/50...and I never saw an alum of any of our groups (except for the group that had the first chapter sister on the roll, who was a professor, as an advisor) anywhere near rush.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Honestly, it's probably about 50/50...and I never saw an alum of any of our groups (except for the group that had the first chapter sister on the roll, who was a professor, as an advisor) anywhere near rush.

Your chapter advisor wasn't involved with rush?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Your chapter advisor wasn't involved with rush?

Good God, no. We had to have a faculty member as our advisor - regardless of whether they were Greek or not. She was nice but clueless. But as a nonmember, she obviously had zero say in membership selection (as it should be). The most she may have done was pick up the bid list, and that was hit or miss depending on her schedule - miss more than hit. This was before the days of alumnae advisory boards (or should I say before the days of the concept of an alumnae advisory board, whether or not it actually occurs).

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

This is probably an equally ignorant question, but I am sincerely curious. If someone who is fabulous doesn't have a rec., and someone behind the scenes has to secure one because it's mandated by XYZ sorority, what is the value of a rec. secured by an assisting XYZ alum/advisor who doesn't know the PNM, from someone from her hometown (?) who doesn't know the PNM well, either?

First of all, I'll say that at any competitive SEC school, odds are you won't get invited back without a rec and so they'll never know if you are fabulous.
IF you do manage to get invited back, you can be SURE that the back room folks are working the phones about you. Honest. I've gotten many a call late at night about a PNM. For those who haven't lived this, they really don't understand. And I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just that it is. The south is very old school, small town. Even if you're from Dallas or Atlanta. We want to know who your daddy is, etc...and we'll find out....one way or another if it means enough to us.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

Without treading into membership selection territory, I am confused by this and find myself in need of enlightenment, especially since I have a HS senior daughter that I'm currently helping get recs. for a "good to have them" southern school. I live in "rec desert" land where no one has them. I don't think any of the sororities on the campus where I advise expects or requires them. If only the president or recruitment/membership chair knows what they say or who has them, what's the purpose?

I said the role they play "behind the scenes". I'm not going to veer into MS too much, but I bet that, be it tiny school or SEC, rec-land or rec-desert, the average chapter member has NO IDEA how the final bid list is compiled, and possibly has only some idea of how the round-by-round invite lists happen.