Depends on where you are and the chapter. Some sororities will cut a pnm if she has no recs. No one knows her, no one is recommending her for membership, they have nothing to go on. It's one of those cut off points like grades are. Ex. All girls with no recs will be cut automatically after first day. All girls with GPAs below 3.0 will be cut before pref, etc. In chapters where it's no absolutely vital to have one, it doesn't make THAT much of a difference. Does that make sense? Like it's either REALLY important or not that important at all.
Besides, not all recs are GOOD.