Where are all the Potential PNMs?

[myalterego]

Hi, PNM here. Sorry, I don't have any questions (yet) as so far they've all been answered by reading threads. I'm sorry if anything seems vague or strange, I'm trying to be as anonymous as possible here (yeah, as if that's truly possible) so I'd rather not reveal my school.

Good luck to anyone rushing this year.

[kddani]

They're heeerrrrrrrrreeeeeeeee

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by kddani

They're heeerrrrrrrrreeeeeeeee

I think a bunch have already been run - or scared - off. Now they're asking questions on Yahoo Answers.

[perfectinpurple]

So this may be totally irrelevant on this thread by now, but the title totally intrigued me (in fact, I finally got an account just to contribute on here after several months of reading the posts), and so did the discussion I've read so far.

As someone who was reading posts on here about recruitment last summer, I can say that all the old threads and posts and whatevers are extremely helpful. They gave me a really great idea as to what the heck recruitment would be like! I also didn't think anyone was particularly mean either.

Anyways, that's my opinion.
(and good luck to all pnms!)

[FSUZeta]

welcome, perfectinpurple.

[baci]

Everyone here brings super comments/advice based on countless years of experience and I enjoy reading everything. What I would like to share is something that I know from my experience.

The pnms that standout, are heavily recuited by top chapters, and wanted by numerous groups will have people on the inside getting that rec for them no matter how hard they have to work. If it is required by the org to have that rec for that pnm, they will find it! They will not do this for every pnm coming through as they don't want every pnm and it is too much work, but the pnm's they want -- they will do it!

I do agree in part with AnchorAlumna. If the sponsorship chair and her group are doing their jobs properly they have the alum connections and they will find that rec. They are not going to let that pnm they want slip by because of it. I have seen it happen and they work like crazy to secure one. That is their job. When you are competing with other houses to get that pnm, you will get that rec. It is almost like having bragging rights in the end. I have seen it time and time again. They will not lose the chance to pledge her to "XYZ" over her not securing a rec.

Competition is fierce at some top schools to pledge certain girls and that is what the org works hard for over the entire year. Looking back, it is serious business and a lot of hussle. You won't do this for 1500 prospects, but you will hussle for those amazing 50 you want. I have seen it happen and it is worth that final outcome in the end. You just feel so amazing on bid day when you see your work pay off.

I am getting excited thinking about it. LOL

[33girl]

Originally Posted by baci

The pnms that standout, are heavily recuited by top chapters, and wanted by numerous groups will have people on the inside getting that rec for them no matter how hard they have to work. If it is required by the org to have that rec for that pnm, they will find it! They will not do this for every pnm coming through as they don't want every pnm and it is too much work, but the pnm's they want -- they will do it!

Yeah, that's a no brainer. If Scarlett Johansson crossed with Einstein crossed with Maria Callas comes through rush, you're going to be on the phone 24/7 till you get someone to write a rec for her. But I don't think most PNMs are like that - or that any group, no matter how top of the tiers they are has a whole pledge class like that. I mean, someone has to be average. It's that "average" girl who gets really screwed if she doesn't have her recs in order - it's not that the chapter DOESN'T want her, but if someone else has already done that work, they'll be more likely to take them. If you see 2 houses for the same price, one immaculate and one a fixer-upper, which one will you buy?

[UGAalum94]

Or even an outstanding girl who they just don't know yet may not get the attention she might deserve.

And I'll be honest, not all our chapters are at the competitive level that Baci is rightly mentioning. (I think what she's saying is 100% correct for really strong chapters) There's another big group in the middle who will be a making decisions on a significant part of their pledge class based on girls they meet during recruitment or learn of solely because of recruitment because of recs. These chapters and girls need the recs, even at the info. only level, so they can spot some of the great girls who aren't already on the radar of the one's Baci is describing.

It's possible that these chapters are also going to be the ones without the super-effective alumnae committees because the there's probably a relationship between the overall strength of your chapter and your strength in recruitment and alumnae support. Super chapters have it all. Medium chapters have it some. Struggling chapters may struggle.

I'd like to think that at the alumnae level, all chapters would get the same assistance, but I'm not sure they do because I think most of us are most emotionally invested with our own chapters of initiation, even 20 years later.

[gee_ess]

I have never understood it to be the chapter's responsibility to find recs. Sure, if you fall in love with a pnm, and she doesn't have a rec, then the chapter is going to be responsible for finding her a rec before extending a bid. But, and I agree with Zillini, in the big competitive systems, there is simply no time before recruitment to start beating the bushes for recs.

In my experience and understanding of the rec process, it is actually the alums responsibility to find and recommend women for our sorority. The alum is fulfilling a responsibility. Without the rec, there is no new member.

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by gee_ess

In my experience and understanding of the rec process, it is actually the alums responsibility to find and recommend women for our sorority. The alum is fulfilling a responsibility. Without the rec, there is no new member.

I have to disagree.
The only time I knew who was going to college was when my daughter was a senior in high school.
It's much more helpful to get lists from the chapters of who has signed up, plus whatever info they have via their Panhellenic. I don't live in a tiny town, but it's big enough that I don't know everybody.

[gee_ess]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

I have to disagree.
The only time I knew who was going to college was when my daughter was a senior in high school.
It's much more helpful to get lists from the chapters of who has signed up, plus whatever info they have via their Panhellenic. I don't live in a tiny town, but it's big enough that I don't know everybody.

I probably worded my post to sound a bit extreme. I agree that as alums we are usually only as good as the info we are given. But I have never been given a list of who has signed up for recruitment. Now, an organized alum group might do that...and they should, but in areas where that does not occur, I think alums need to communicate that they are available and willing to help.

I grew up in a city with a highly organized panhellenic organization. Women called pnms to offer to write recs (actually they called my mother) as much as pnms (or their moms) called women during the rec process. But now that I live in a much, much smaller town, I make it well known that I can write recs and often give girls a call who are going to a campus with a Greek system to let them know I am available to help.

Maybe the "lesson" in this thread is that the girls from small towns -especially those heading to large competitive recruitments, need the alums in those towns to step up and do more than just write a rec when asked. They need to spread the word that there is Greek help available in that town. I have a master list of all sorority women in the area (that I know of) to give to pnms. So many young girls from my area don't even know where to start. And, I can't tell you how many have called me in August! aah!

There might not be an organized group in many areas, but (imo) this is a way the alum can serve her GLO and NPC as a whole.

[agzg]

This is completely irrelevant I think, but if you're a PNM going through recruitment at a small non-competitive school find out if recs are something that happens there.

At my undergrad you'd be looked at like you were trying too hard if you have people sending in recs. My organization's legacy introduction form was the only form I saw as a collegian. This is particularly true of non-competitive, northern deferred recruitment, because if the school is small enough chances are sorority members already know a fair amount about you before you go through recruitment (including any salacious details, true or not, about who you slept with that's a member of what fraternity/campus organization).

I have heard of PNMs using recs as damage control, but as I never saw a rec as an active I don't know how true that is, and if it is true, how effective (although I would guess not very).

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by agzg

This is completely irrelevant I think, but if you're a PNM going through recruitment at a small non-competitive school find out if recs are something that happens there.

This is true. I can count on one hand the number of recs I saw as a collegian. I'd imagine that the same is true for other chapters on my campus as well. We really only got legacy forms.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by agzg

This is completely irrelevant I think, but if you're a PNM going through recruitment at a small non-competitive school find out if recs are something that happens there.

At my undergrad you'd be looked at like you were trying too hard if you have people sending in recs. My organization's legacy introduction form was the only form I saw as a collegian. This is particularly true of non-competitive, northern deferred recruitment, because if the school is small enough chances are sorority members already know a fair amount about you before you go through recruitment (including any salacious details, true or not, about who you slept with that's a member of what fraternity/campus organization).

I have heard of PNMs using recs as damage control, but as I never saw a rec as an active I don't know how true that is, and if it is true, how effective (although I would guess not very).

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

This is true. I can count on one hand the number of recs I saw as a collegian. I'd imagine that the same is true for other chapters on my campus as well. We really only got legacy forms.

I never even knew what a rec was until I started posting on this site a year ago. If someone told me to call my alumnae panhellenic, I would have looked at them as if they were speaking another language.

I'm not saying that chapters should do the work for the PNMs, but I can completely understand how it might be more difficult for certain girls to find recs (especially when some of them might not even know what it is they're looking for and how to go about getting it).

[Meow190]

[QUOTE=agzg;1824997]
At my undergrad you'd be looked at like you were trying too hard if you have people sending in recs. My organization's legacy introduction form was the only form I saw as a collegian. This is particularly true of non-competitive, northern deferred recruitment, because if the school is small enough chances are sorority members already know a fair amount about you before you go through recruitment (including any salacious details, true or not, about who you slept with that's a member of what fraternity/campus organization).


I go to exactly this sort of school, and I've been told that I dont NEED recs, but the girl I was talking to never said anything about having them being bad, just that if I couldnt find someone to write one it wasnt a big deal.

Also, I'll be going through as an upperclasswoman (2nd year) and have freinds in most of the sororities, so they do already have a good idea of who I am. I have a good lead on a rec for one of the chapters, but the others are proving tricky. Should I just take the one, or should I give up on all of them?