True - and those of us who write a lot of recs know "how" to write one - if you get my drift.

(To everyone that responded) ah okay, thank you! I can't even wrap my head around how much work it must take to sort out these thousands of recs and actually make sense of them! Props to all the women involved.

My org's form specifically asks questions to this effect, so I'd bet others do as well.

I've also seen examples where Annie Active's rush crush doesn't have a Rec and so Annie scrambles to get her one. Annie calls alumnae she knows, asks other actives from the PNM's hometown if they know alumnae who might know the PNM, searches through the alumnae directory in that hometown, etc. I doubt those PNMs ever knew they suddenly had a Rec submitted on their behalf.

An active who gets a rec for a PNM may also not tell a PNM this during recruitment because they don't want to 1. make them feel bad/imply they aren't wanted just for not having one and/or 2. make them think they will be guaranteed a spot in the house because an active likes them enough to find a rec. Active Annie might not have that much say in it, or PNM might end up too low on the bid list to be matched to XYZ, etc.

Love those late night calls!

so just to be clear for my own sake, recs are going to be make or break at University of Alabama right?

As stated really clearly on this list, YES you absolutely, positively must have recs for NPC rush at Alabama:

And, if any way possible, go for Panhellenic Weekend in the spring.

"Make or break" is not the phrase to use. You probably will get cut if you don't have them, but having them does NOT mean you WON'T get cut.

May seem like a dumb question, but for SEC school's spring recruitment, would recs be considered more or less important? And how much more value are placed personal recs vs info only recs?

Not to be snarky, but what part of "absolutely positively need" don't you understand????
Yes, they are needed in the spring. And yes, personal recs are needed. Info only doesn't cut it. They can get that same info from your registration form, FB page, school yearbook. The really true reason for the rec is the intangible - your character. And it isn't a recommendation unless the writer recommends you for membership - and an info only one does carry that recommendation.

Again, I acknowledge it may have come off as a dumb question, but I know at SEC schools informal spring recruitment is completely different from the formal recruitment held in the fall. Thought it couldn't hurt to ask.

The structure of Spring Recruitment at UF is different than Fall Formal Recruitment, in as much as PNMs won't visit every chapter, because not every chapter will be able to take new members because those chapters are above campus total. Despite that difference, as Titchou suggested, a PNM going through Spring Recruitment at UF should make sure she has recommendations. It is the format of the parties that is different in the spring, not the "requirements" that the PNMs need to meet to receive a bid.

Exactly, FSUZeta. Only the format is different. All other rules apply.