Advice on rushing again?

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

* Consider getting alumnae recommendations. I'm guessing with 5 sororities, recs aren't the norm for your school. Don't kill yourself to get them. But since they aren't the norm, they'll help you stand out even more.

However, only do this if you know that other potential members submit them and/or the sororities actually review them. I didn't even know what a rec was until I found Greekchat a year or two after I graduated. If my chapter received a rec, we wouldn't have known what it was or what to do with it. It might actually end up working against you if you're on a campus that doesn't use/receive recs at all.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

However, only do this if you know that other potential members submit them and/or the sororities actually review them. I didn't even know what a rec was until I found Greekchat a year or two after I graduated. If my chapter received a rec, we wouldn't have known what it was or what to do with it. It might actually end up working against you if you're on a campus that doesn't use/receive recs at all.

I think this is so interesting -- until I began reading this site, I just assumed every campus was similar to my own in terms of requiring recs (apologies for my assumption to all of you who may understandably view my region as over the top!).

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by Hartofsec

I think this is so interesting -- until I began reading this site, I just assumed every campus was similar to my own in terms of requiring recs (apologies for my assumption to all of you who may understandably view my region as over the top!).

Yea, I think while you're in school you're still very much "in your own world." People tend to assume that nearly every other campus is similar to their own. I know I did. I didn't think there was this crazy world of formal recruitment, and rounds, and recs, and skit days, and huge bid days, etc.

My campus was completely different, as we didn't even have formal recruitment (while I was in school). There was a period of about 10 years where numbers for all of the chapters was so low that they did away with formal and we only used COB. However, they're now using formal again, but they still don't receive any recs. It's just not that cutthroat and competitive, so there's really no need.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Yea, I think while you're in school you're still very much "in your own world." People tend to assume that nearly every other campus is similar to their own. I know I did. I didn't think there was this crazy world of formal recruitment, and rounds, and recs, and skit days, and huge bid days, etc.

My campus was completely different, as we didn't even have formal recruitment (while I was in school). There was a period of about 10 years where numbers for all of the chapters was so low that they did away with formal and we only used COB. However, they're now using formal again, but they still don't receive any recs. It's just not that cutthroat and competitive, so there's really no need.

Even in the South at small schools with formal recruitment, recs just weren't that big of a deal. You might see them, they're nice to see, but most people don't have them so they can't hold that much weight.

[adpiucf]

In my opinion, a rec at a non-SEC or less competitive recruitment is simply a matter of making the PNM more visible. If an alumna took the time to write a letter of recommendation, you're going to remember that girl's name and maybe take some extra time to get to know her.

At the SEC schools, not having a rec is one way to weed someone out.

In either case, a rec won't guarantee a bid. A chapter can't possibly reject a woman because an alumna sent in an official sorority form endorsing her for membership. At worst, they throw it away because they don't know what to do with it. (But I certainly hope they have advisers and handbooks to properly guide them). At best, they remember the PNM's name and when she comes through the door, there is a flash of recognition: Oh, that's the girl who came with a recommendation. It's like being the girl who is president of a campus organization, or the girl who holds a pageant title, or the girl who has a reputation for being a drunk and making a fool of herself. It's just a bit more recall.

I'm not going to press someone to seek recs if they have no interest. My point is that even on a campus where they are not the norm, they have value to help promote the PNM. Other sororities perhaps may also factor them in as part of their selection analysis, and perhaps others do not.