Opinion? Invitation for letter from PNM
 

Hi, thanks for reading and apologies if this has already been covered. I tried searching but I don't think I'm using search correctly. I was reading an open letter on the recruitment page of a sorority site that my daughter is interested in and was surprised to see "If you wish to send us a letter, we would love to learn more about each of you!" I checked the other sorority sites, and this sorority is the only one with the invitation. So, I'd appreciate an opinion on whether my daughter send in a letter. If so, should it be a brief introduction? Anything specifics? She has 1-2 recs going to the chapter. Recs are due this week. She could write a letter tonight and send tomorrow. I'm concerned that it may seem too late and they may question her interest, or it may seem too over the top? I'm not sure if they have received many letters. Many thanks for your input!

I have never heard of any chapter asking PNMs to send any kind of letter for NPC rush. That is exactly what recommendations from alumnae are for. If those recs are covered, I wouldn't get too worked up over it. I wonder if perhaps this is a chapter that typically doesn't get many recommendations from alums for girls going through rush?

I would recommend NOT sending in a personal letter. Hearing that a chapter is encouraging PNMs to do this is a new one for me. Especially since she has recs for this sorority, I don't see how the letter would enhance anything. They will have the recs and they will meet her in person.

Is it an NPC group? some campuses have non NPC groups that recruit with the NPC ones for at least part of recruitment (Alabama is one) so it may be one of those groups. Even so, contact at this point is not allowed on most campuses so I would check the rules for that on her campus as well. And I would definitely NOT send a letter

Hi lostmama,

I believe this is my sorority to which you refer and I have no idea why they put that statement/invitation on the chapter website. I've never seen any sorority anywhere put that phrase before. I think perhaps the person writing that webpage was just trying to be friendly and welcoming - they understand how nerve-wracking recruitment can be for PNMs. Since recruitment is only days away, I'd skip the personal letter. It sounds like you have rec letters already in and so that should be sufficient.

Best wishes to your daughter! Please consider posting a thread and letting us know how her recruitment turns out!

The chapter is one of our older and stronger-recruiting chapters that takes quota. So, I'm puzzled too!

Thank you everyone for your advice and guidance. We will not send a letter. The group is an NPC group.

If it is appropriate for me to confirm/deny navane's statement here about her sorority, I will.

I'm so happy to have found this wise and friendly group!

No worries, you asked a perfectly appropriate question. The sorority didn't do anything wrong either - just a confusing sentence on the website. I would have been confused too. No harm, no foul! :)

Maybe the sorority meant for you to ask an alumna to send in a recommendation letter. I have never seen any request like that either, so I think it just might have been worded incorrectly. I agree that not sending one is the way to go. Do secure as many recommendations as you can from alumnae of the various sororities (1 at least or 2 per sorority is sufficient).

College Panhellenics will say that recommendation letters are not required to go through recruitment. From their point of view, that is true. What they fail to mention is that most (if not all) NPC sororities require recommendations for membership (whether you secure the recommendations before recruitment or the chapter does during). A recommendation letter will not guarantee a bid. However, it can assist the chapters in learning more about you and can reinforce the members' impression of you during the short amount of time they get to talk to you during the parties.

Good luck during recruitment!

This is not true. Please do not speak anout the private membership selection criteria of NPC organizations other than your own.

I apologize for speaking too quickly. I was headed out and didn't fully consider all sides. However, from threads and posts on GreekChat regarding the necessity of recommendations as well as talking to friends in sororities other than my own, it was not a big leap to assume what I did.