Schools where you absolutely positively need recs

[mumom]

You left MIZZOU off your SEC list. With the second largest recruitment in the country, you absolutely need recs there. It's one wildly competitive recruitment!

[Sciencewoman]

Missouri is on there, it's just under its old conference.

[ImJustAMom]

In the Mizzou recruitiment thread, 33 girl stated that if addresses are given, then recs are needed. At my daughters future university, this is stated:

If someone is writing a letter of recommendation on your behalf for a specific chapter, please have them contact the local chapter directly and address the letter to the Recruitment Chair of the respective chapter. A list of mailing addresses is below for your use. Letters of recommendation are not required for *** University’s Panhellenic Sorority Formal Recruitment.

Followed with Addresses.

Needed or not? Would 1 per house be sufficient? You have us listed as up for debate. Thanks!

[Titchou]

If we have it listed as up for debate, you're better off with than without. And the U doesn't require them. It's the national orgs that do or don't and whether or not the local chapter adheres to that requirement. At the more competitive campuses - SEC for example - it's required because their recruiitment is so big that the chapters can't solicit them all so they put the onus on the PNMs.

[Happy Alum]

I noticed Sorority Sugar has information at the bottom of the page for potential new members needing recommendations.

[sissyintexas]

Baylor should be on there.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by sissyintexas

Baylor should be on there.

Are you talking about the sorority sugar info or this thread? Because Baylor is listed on the very first post here.

[ComradesTrue]

Bump for 2016!

"Time to write the recs.." (said like the Dunkin Donuts ad "Time to make the donuts.."

[FSUZeta]

I heard it in that voice!

[ComradesTrue]

I am part of the Alumnae Panhellenic in our town and we just had our sorority information session for the high school seniors. A few things that came out of that for any 2016 PNMs or moms who may be reading:

1. When we say "absolutely positively" need recs it is based on what is the campus norm for that particular school. If over 75% of the PNMs are voluntarily submitting their own recs then you are at a disadvantage without one.

2. If over 75% of the PNMs are voluntarily submitting their own recs then the chapters have more than enough PNMs to choose from when selecting their new member class. They will not need to spend time chasing down a rec for you during the busy summer months.

3. For some chapters those without recs become easy cuts (along with GPA) for first round. No rec could very well mean no invite to the next round.

4. Some organizations require a rec in order to receive a bid.

5. If you cast a wide enough net you WILL find the alumnae to write for you. Ask everyone you know, make a Facebook post, and then when you find one writer ask her if she can point you to someone who is in any group that you are missing.

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by ComradesTrue

I am part of the Alumnae Panhellenic in our town and we just had our sorority information session for the high school seniors. A few things that came out of that for any 2016 PNMs or moms who may be reading:

1. When we say "absolutely positively" need recs it is based on what is the campus norm for that particular school. If over 75% of the PNMs are voluntarily submitting their own recs then you are at a disadvantage without one.

2. If over 75% of the PNMs are voluntarily submitting their own recs then the chapters have more than enough PNMs to choose from when selecting their new member class. They will not need to spend time chasing down a rec for you during the busy summer months.

3. For some chapters those without recs become easy cuts (along with GPA) for first round. No rec could very well mean no invite to the next round.

4. Some organizations require a rec in order to receive a bid.

5. If you cast a wide enough net you WILL find the alumnae to write for you. Ask everyone you know, make a Facebook post, and then when you find one writer ask her if she can point you to someone who is in any group that you are missing.

I agree with you on everything, except....in some areas, there are just no alumnae to be found in certain sororities (for instance, a sorority in that state is only a few years old, or there have been no chapters in that section of the country for many years.
If you absolutely, positively have tried your best to find somebody and can't after a couple of months, give it up. Do, however, at least send your info to the sorority's national HQ and ask for help. Sometimes that works.

[BlueCarnation]

Is there someone who is familiar with Alabama recruitment who can PM me about rec letters? They are not needed at our school but I'm the president of our alumnae Panhellenic up here and I received a request for help from a young woman. I have a question and don't want to potentially identify anyone. Thank you!!

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by BlueCarnation

Is there someone who is familiar with Alabama recruitment who can PM me about rec letters? They are not needed at our school but I'm the president of our alumnae Panhellenic up here and I received a request for help from a young woman. I have a question and don't want to potentially identify anyone. Thank you!!

Messaging you now.

[ComradesTrue]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

I agree with you on everything, except....in some areas, there are just no alumnae to be found in certain sororities (for instance, a sorority in that state is only a few years old, or there have been no chapters in that section of the country for many years.
If you absolutely, positively have tried your best to find somebody and can't after a couple of months, give it up. Do, however, at least send your info to the sorority's national HQ and ask for help. Sometimes that works.

Yes, I agree with with the statement that some sororities are just not present in some areas. However, in our mobile society there are transplants to areas, parents may have attended college elsewhere and have friends from that location, etc. There are friends of friends. My mother-in-law is an alumna to a sorority that is not common in our town (she's a transplant), but she will write for anyone that I vouch for and then indicate my first hand relationship with the PNM. And Facebook posts (especially by the parents) seem to be quite effective in finding those last elusive groups.

My experience is that women who are alumnae of groups with small presences in areas are quieter about their membership because there is not that shared alumna experience with others. They may be harder to find because fewer know of their affiliations.

So, some may be harder to find and require a MUCH larger net, and I guess I will back off from the firm "WILL find a rec" statement I originally gave, but I wouldn't want a PNM to assume that they won't be able to find a rec to XYZ if that is a smaller organization in their state. It just means they need to find women who attended different colleges than State U.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

So, some may be harder to find and require a MUCH larger net, and I guess I will back off from the firm "WILL find a rec" statement I originally gave, but I wouldn't want a PNM to assume that they won't be able to find a rec to XYZ if that is a smaller organization in their state. It just means they need to find women who attended different colleges than State U.

I wish there was some way to share more info among groups. I feel like a certain number of NPC alums endorsing Suzy should be good enough, regardless of what group they are from. This is not to criticize any groups MS policies, only to point out that it's a shame to see women not considered for membership because of a technicality.