Recommendations at Indiana University
 

My niece is going through recruitment at IU in the spring. She is under the impression recs aren't needed at IU. So I re-read last years IU recruitment thread, and several postings said the same.

Her step mom and I are both SEC graduates, as are most of the women in our family, and we find this odd. I'm inclined to send a rec anyway, but I'm wondering if anyone can tell me if they are truly looked at. My niece grew up in Indiana, so she does know a few women in chapters at IU, and has a cousin in one. Thoughts anyone?

btw...I am fully aware of the bed quota, so no need to go there.

Thanks!!

From the first post of the stickied thread "Schools Where You Need Recs"

You saw posters here saying recs aren't needed at IU? I find that surprising, but the thing is that IU threads bring out a LOT of non-regulars, i.e. people who may not know what they are saying. IU has the toughest recruitment in the nation; you need recs.

As an IU alum with friends who are recruitment advisors on our campus. IU is NOT a campus where you absolutely have to have recs. I can assure you that they majority of girls at IU do not have recs or have one or two. Personal connections and high school connections are more important than recs. Two years ago, I helped a group of girls from my hometown plus one of their roommates. One had no recs at all, but was a legacy to one chapter. She had a full schedule each round, highly desirable chapters and chose her legacy chapter. The roommate had two recs and was a legacy to a chapter. All three cut her after first round. She ended up a great chapter for her. One had 6 or 7 recs and was cut first round from all of them and chose one of the unhoused chapters. The last girl had the same 6 or 7 recs as the previous girl, was cut from all and dropped out of recruitment. IU is unpredictable. Bottom line, recs cannot hurt you. But there is also no definitive evidence they are truly helpful. Do not expect the cursory next round invitation just because you have a rec to a chapter.

PS...those of you saying recs are a must at IU, did any of you or your relatives go through IU recruitment?

Bottom line, recs cannot hurt you. But there is also no definitive evidence they are truly helpful. Do not expect the cursory next round invitation just because you have a rec to a chapter.


THIS.

Two years ago, my step daughter went through IU rush and pledged a house she loves. I ran around and secured 7 rec letters for different houses. The rec letters led to invites to two pre rush events (which I understand is no longer permitted except for legacies). At least 2 houses dropped her right after first round despite the rec letter. At least 2 more dropped her after second round. However, one of the pre rush events she attended ended up being the house she pledged. She completely connected with a sister at this event and all through rush this sister made sure more sisters met my step daughter. Without the rec letter, she would not have met this sister, etc. Who knows, maybe she would have ended up there anyway, as it is a perfect house for her.

So, while the recs didn't hurt one bit and it made me feel better to help her in some way, clearly some chapters didn't pay a bit attention to them!

Based on my experience with my step daughter, my SK sister is on point regarding rec letters at IU.

Sec vs big 10
 

I am a Phi Mu alum from Indiana and know how incredibly competitive that system is. I can speak best recently from my experience with my daughter who went through recruitment last year at University of Iowa. We live in Texas and I write many many letters of recommendation for SEC schools and so I was sure to get her several letters of recommendation for each chapter at Iowa to include those official ones from our Panhellenic. When I spoke to the woman in charge of Greek affairs at Iowa I was told that most houses there do not really give much credence to recommendations at all and immediately recognized to me how different the importance of recommendation letters from SEC schools and the Midwestern schools are.

I would say that given the competitive nature of Indiana that every little bit helps. And I would go ahead and try to get recommendations to as many houses as possible. If they don't use them you've only lost your time. If they give her one extra look then that may be important there.

Best of Luck

Mea culpa. I was going off of what I'd heard from friends there back when I was in college, but my information is certainly not as up-to-date as yours.

Thanks everyone for the information. I think the family members who are accustomed to writing recs will move forward. We may not beat the bushes for those GLOs where we have no family. Right now we have about 5-6 covered easily, and can probably get about 5 more. We're a very Panhellenic family.

Next Questions: Any idea when these recs that are not needed should be sent to the chapters?

Now....so they can be on the look out for her. So tell her to mind her p's and q's this fall.

Will do, Titchou,
Thanks,
ItB, catfan

A rec never hurt anybody. One or two recs at a school where they're not needed will help a PNM stand out, while one or two recs at a school where they are needed will be necessary if the PNM wants to get past open houses.

It would also look very strange if a mother / sister / grandmother / aunt of a PNM didn't write a legacy introduction (unless, of course, she is deceased). I can think of one NPC sorority off the top of my head that considers nieces to be legacies. Even if your sorority doesn't consider nieces to be legacies, write a rec and gush about how awesome she is and what a great sister she'd be.

* ETA: A positive rec never hurt anybody. Sometimes you know a PNM would just be poison for your sorority, and that's when you write a "no" rec. In most cases, and particularly in competitive rushes, that will get the PNM cut right after open houses.

We live in an area where many girls go to IU. I know now that Recs are seldom obtained. The girls seem to know that the really important thing is connecting with older girls from school and camp. Before I started learning more about SEC recruitment (I'm trying to educate myself because I do college advising and am coming to understand that what rush is like is a factor girls should consider) and never being in a sorority and living in the Midwest I had never even heard of recs! I recently witnessed a conversation between our neighbor a PNM IU student and her cousin who just joined an Alabama house. The southern cousin was incredulous that her northern cuz didn't plan on getting recs and freaked the IU girl out a little til she called her older friends who attended and was assured that recs were really and truly unnecessary. I find the whole thing very interesting. And definitely have learned about the importance of recs at some schools.

In Alpha Xi Delta nieces are considered legacies. What's a 'no rec' rec?

Submitting a recommendation form or a letter, in which you tell a chapter of your sorority that you don't endorse membership for a PNM you know personally, due to negative characteristics that you are strongly concerned about.

It's like a negative reference check -- potential employer calls a reference and is told the candidate was always late, didn't get along with co-workers, had a bad attendance record, was fired, etc.