Schools where you absolutely positively need recs

[IndianaSigKap]

^^TSteven, I am going to go out on a limb and say something that might get me some fire, but with RFM and strong recruiting chapters having to make heavy cuts early, the "foot in the door" as you called it is just a formality. Inviting the rec over to a pre-rush dinner is way to say your gave them an extra look, but in reality it's a way to be able to let them go after 14 party if you have to make heavy cuts. They believe it appeases the rec writer without having to give up a spot in their invitation list during heavy cuts.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by IndianaSigKap

^^TSteven, I am going to go out on a limb and say something that might get me some fire, but with RFM and strong recruiting chapters having to make heavy cuts early, the "foot in the door" as you called it is just a formality. Inviting the rec over to a pre-rush dinner is way to say your gave them an extra look, but in reality it's a way to be able to let them go after 14 party if you have to make heavy cuts. They believe it appeases the rec writer without having to give up a spot in their invitation list during heavy cuts.

I see what you are saying. Thanks.

[redryder27]

i have a university up for debate. the university is California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo.

when i went to the greek life website today it had a webpage just for letters of rec. when i went through in 2002, i was so clueless and had no idea what they were. i think this had some part in why i didn't get a bid. now, from personal experience i know a lot of girls who go through are legacies and are prepared with recs.

just putting this out there for people to think about...

[UTforever]

I have a question about recs, can you get recs from your local panhellenic AND local alumnae for each sorority?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by UTforever

I have a question about recs, can you get recs from your local panhellenic AND local alumnae for each sorority?

Recs are best gotten from someone you know personally. Going to alumnae panhellenic is what you do after you have gone through all people you know who may be sorority alumnae.

[ribs]

are recs really Realistic? i'm going to use myself as an example here, even though i don't THINK recommendations are something that i require for the sororities at my school. i'm a first generation college student and i haven't been exposed to a lot of college graduates, let alone greek alumane. rushing was a whim decision for me, so how really would i be expected to collect recs?

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by ribs

are recs really Realistic? i'm going to use myself as an example here, even though i don't THINK recommendations are something that i require for the sororities at my school. i'm a first generation college student and i haven't been exposed to a lot of college graduates, let alone greek alumane. rushing was a whim decision for me, so how really would i be expected to collect recs?

So none of your high school teachers, counselors, coaches, Sunday School teachers, employers, parents' employers, neighbors, etc went to college???? And if they did and weren't Greek, they don't know anyone in your town who is????? That's what we mean by networking....

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by Titchou

So none of your high school teachers, counselors, coaches, Sunday School teachers, employers, parents' employers, neighbors, etc went to college????4 And if they dod and weren't Greek, they don't know anyone in your town who is????? That's what we mean by networking....

Titchou hit the nail on the head.

[33girl]

Even if you from the Northeast where Greek life is maybe something that people don't talk about as much on an alumnae level, look at it this way. You are not going to be wearing the same clothes in Mississippi in December that you would wear in New York in December. You're going to do some homework and figure out what is most fit for the weather, the climate, and the campus in general. Ditto the Atlantan who goes to Yale. Neither of you are going to say "but no one in my town has ever gone there before, so I have no idea what to wear." It's the same with rushing and getting recs.

High school teachers have all gone to college (hopefully). Lots of them were in sororities (since lots of them went to teachers' colleges in small towns where there is not a heck of a lot to do). They are the first people to ask.

[WestcoastWonder]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Even if you from the Northeast where Greek life is maybe something that people don't talk about as much on an alumnae level, look at it this way. You are not going to be wearing the same clothes in Mississippi in December that you would wear in New York in December. You're going to do some homework and figure out what is most fit for the weather, the climate, and the campus in general. Ditto the Atlantan who goes to Yale. Neither of you are going to say "but no one in my town has ever gone there before, so I have no idea what to wear." It's the same with rushing and getting recs.

High school teachers have all gone to college (hopefully). Lots of them were in sororities (since lots of them went to teachers' colleges in small towns where there is not a heck of a lot to do). They are the first people to ask.

QFT

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Even if you from the Northeast where Greek life is maybe something that people don't talk about as much on an alumnae level, look at it this way. You are not going to be wearing the same clothes in Mississippi in December that you would wear in New York in December. You're going to do some homework and figure out what is most fit for the weather, the climate, and the campus in general. Ditto the Atlantan who goes to Yale. Neither of you are going to say "but no one in my town has ever gone there before, so I have no idea what to wear." It's the same with rushing and getting recs.

High school teachers have all gone to college (hopefully). Lots of them were in sororities (since lots of them went to teachers' colleges in small towns where there is not a heck of a lot to do). They are the first people to ask.

Bingo!!

[DubaiSis]

It depends on the school, which is the purpose of this thread. While girls CAN get bids at even the most competitive schools without them, the expectation is that you need them and that cuts will be especially harsh if you don't do the legwork in advance. I'm not a fan of the process, except where the rushee is a close personal friend of the rec writer. But If I were close friends with an 18 year old heading off to one of the schools listed here, I'd still suggest she do the legwork and get the 2 recs per chapter. If you're going to one of these schools, do the reading here to get up to speed and then start beating the bushes to find the recs.

[STL94]

I don't know if it's been mentioned before in this thread but I think University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is becoming one of those schools where recommendations are sort of important. I personally know a lot of girls this year that didn't get any bids. They're especially necessary/important for the new colonies coming in.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by STL94

I don't know if it's been mentioned before in this thread but I think University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is becoming one of those schools where recommendations are sort of important. I personally know a lot of girls this year that didn't get any bids. They're especially necessary/important for the new colonies coming in.

I think you should double-check your facts.

[ComradesTrue]

UVA is listed as an "up for debate" school, however I am hearing that their recruitment can be brutal. Can someone familiar comment on how recs are perceived there?

I am deep in SEC country and my neighbor will be rushing in Jan. There are currently no girls in sororities at UVA from our town. I have been helping her obtain a rec for each chapter, but over the weekend her mom was getting messages from some of her sorority alumnae that we should be sending two recs per chapter. My initial thought was these women are approaching it through their SEC lenses, but then I remembered previous comments on GC about UVA being a tough recruitment.

Thoughts on one vs two recs per group? We definitely want her prepared, but without the perceived over-kill.