Originally Posted by newtoolemiss (Post 2221534)

How many recs and are letters of support are recommended for chapters at Ole Miss?

Originally Posted by MaryPoppins (Post 2200688)

Ole Miss Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment 2013

This is a competitive recruitment campus and Letters of Reference and Recommendations should be considered to be necessary. Some folks suggest two recs per Chapter as a minimum.

Concise advice on how to obtain recommendations:
http://www.uapanhellenic.com/index.p...d=15&Itemid=32
(The advice comes from the Unversity of Alabama but applies to any school.)

Originally Posted by MaryPoppins (Post 2204000)

The importance of Letters of Reference, Recommendations, et cetera, is twofold: 1) to check a box that the PNM has one; and 2) to let the chapter know about the PNM. The amount of PNM support a rec/ref provides is dependent on the quality of the rec/ref itself, and therefore dependent on the writer and the PNM. If it's bland or pro forma it will just fulfill that box check requirement.

The crux of the matter comes when the PNM seems attractive to the chapter and the chapter now wants to know more about her. If she is already known to the chapter then the pro forma rec/ref is fine. If she is not well known, or perhaps unknown, then a informational ref/rec is needed. The unknown/less well known PNM needs the additional boost to go beyond the chapters mere interest. Chapters use all information received to study the PNM, they use that information in recruitment to connect with her, and if she is a rush crush to promote her within the chapter.

It is old school to look at the number of ref/recs or letters of support when evaluating an PNM. I cannot speak to how old school any of the chapters here at Ole Miss are as that is clearly a membership selection area. Since recruitment gifts of food and flowers in support of a PNM are no longer permitted, the extra letters and rec/refs may now seem the only avenue available. I cannot know how additional letters and rec/refs would be received at the various chapters at Ole Miss, but I think that I would make certain that there was quality over quantity in any rec/ref, resume', or materials sent in on one of my daughters.

Originally Posted by adpiucf (Post 2220668)

First, I like to start my letters with a sentence stating that I am pleased to recommend NAME, a YEAR IN SCHOOL MAJOR from HOMETOWN and (something outstanding about them; e.g., varsity cheerleader, student council president, regional president of NHS, etc.) for membership in the sorority. Second, I point out what makes her a scholar: list GPA, and any scholarships or academic honors. Third, I talk about leadership/athletics/activities, including any offices held and awards (this is a great place to suggest chapter office positions for which the PNM might be suited based on your knowledge of her and her experiences). Fourth, I'll talk about community service and involvement. Fifth, I'll mention that she's prepared to handle the financial responsibilities of membership and how she'll be paying for dues (parents, scholarship, etc.). Sixth, I'll talk about how I know her and what I know of her personality that would make her a good sister. In closing, I'll wish the chapter a wonderful recruitment and hope they enjoy meeting this special PNM.

Originally Posted by carolkr (Post 2221712)

While I can appreciate the form provides a consistent format for the sorority to evaluate, it seems the letter would be more personal from someone who really knows the candidate. Yet I followed a link in one of the posts to the University of Alabama guidelines for recommendations, which describes such a letter as ‘letter of support’ and is flatly discouraged.

So will all the recommendations actually be each sorority’s standard form rather than real letters?

What if someone actually sends a letter? My mom’s very close friend is 90 years old, attended UGA, has been active in her sorority her entire life, but I can’t imagine her filling out a form rather than writing a real letter. I know she would write a beautiful recommendation for my daughter, and I was glad to have someone from a SEC school, but will her letter be discounted as a ‘letter of support’?

Sorry for these really basic questions. Thanks for all I have learned through all the posts.

Originally Posted by carolkr (Post 2221712)

I was an AXO at Georgia Tech, and I was clueless about how involved all this rush preparation is and evidently I stumbled through it somehow. Now as my daughter is going to Ole Miss, I realize I am woefully unprepared to assist her.

I have read all the previous year’s information about Ole Miss as well as numerous other postings in general, but I have some stupid questions about the recommendations that I haven’t been able to figure out.

Initially I assumed a recommendation letter was just that – a letter typed on a sheet of paper and written to describe attributes of the PNM. Pretty much like this description on how to write a rec:


But as I discussed the recommendation process with a friend of mine who has written recommendations, she offered to show me a package she received from a PNM to show me what we needed to do when requesting a rec. She protected the person’s personal information, but showed me the basic documents the PNM provided her, and I was surprised to see a 3 page blank sorority recommendation form the PNM included.

While I can appreciate the form provides a consistent format for the sorority to evaluate, it seems the letter would be more personal from someone who really knows the candidate. Yet I followed a link in one of the posts to the University of Alabama guidelines for recommendations, which describes such a letter as ‘letter of support’ and is flatly discouraged.

So will all the recommendations actually be each sorority’s standard form rather than real letters?

What if someone actually sends a letter? My mom’s very close friend is 90 years old, attended UGA, has been active in her sorority her entire life, but I can’t imagine her filling out a form rather than writing a real letter. I know she would write a beautiful recommendation for my daughter, and I was glad to have someone from a SEC school, but will her letter be discounted as a ‘letter of support’?

Sorry for these really basic questions. Thanks for all I have learned through all the posts.

Originally Posted by carolkr (Post 2221712)

But as I discussed the recommendation process with a friend of mine who has written recommendations, she offered to show me a package she received from a PNM to show me what we needed to do when requesting a rec. She protected the person’s personal information, but showed me the basic documents the PNM provided her, and I was surprised to see a 3 page blank sorority recommendation form the PNM included.

Originally Posted by carolkr (Post 2221712)

While I can appreciate the form provides a consistent format for the sorority to evaluate, it seems the letter would be more personal from someone who really knows the candidate.

Originally Posted by carolkr (Post 2221712)

What if someone actually sends a letter? My mom’s very close friend is 90 years old, attended UGA, has been active in her sorority her entire life, but I can’t imagine her filling out a form rather than writing a real letter. I know she would write a beautiful recommendation for my daughter, and I was glad to have someone from a SEC school, but will her letter be discounted as a ‘letter of support’?

Originally Posted by Hartofsec (Post 2221717)

The PNM doesn't include the blank recommendation form in the resume packet -- the alum will obtain and print the rec form for completion (or complete and submit online). But do prepare a pretty resume packet to give to rec writers.




Seems like that to me too -- I'm not sure why the Bama site discourages these letters. Alums send them anyway and also sometimes include these along with the rec forms.




Surely a chapter wouldn't discount a beautifully written letter from a 90-year-old loyal alum -- that would be something special. I say she should send whatever she feels is appropriate (letter and/or rec). Meanwhile, secure another rec to the same chapter that (you are reasonably sure) will be completed with the GLO's recommendation form.

Best of luck to your daughter!

Originally Posted by Blondie93 (Post 2221152)

Oh, this has set me off!

Where does the campus Panhellenic get off telling the girls what to send to the local Alumnae Panhellenics? I write dozens of recs each year, and am VERY uncomfortable writing a rec without a transcript. You have mentioned some of my reasons, but I also like to see the quality of classes that the PNM has taken and the types of electives. However, mostly I want a school confirmation on their academic ability. I have seen some very generous "roundings" of GPA. I fully understand that the chapters can sniff this out with the Panhellenic transcript but if I am signing my name to a rec then I want to confirm that what I am telling the chapters is true.

I find it very odd, not to mention inappropriate, for a campus Panhellenic to tell the girls not to send the transcripts to the APH's and to their rec writers. If the individual chapters do not want me to pass along the transcript, then I won't. But please don't interfere with the information available to me through the APH.