[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

I would like to know if chapters actually look at unsolicited resume/transcript/photo information, especially at those colleges with mega-recruitments, and lots of recommendations to work their way through.

This is also from the U of A Panhellenic page on Letters of Recommendation:

Step 3: If a potential member is not able to find an alumna or current collegian to write her a recommendation, then she can send her resume along with a photograph (4x6 headshot) directly to the sororities PO Box. The sorority will use this information to aid the potentail new member in securing a Recommendation/Reference. Remember, it is ultimately not the PNM’s obligation to secure Recommendation/Reference – it is just helpful to the sororities if you can them provide assistance.

Along with suggesting that it is the responsibility of the chapters to secure recommendations, this might lead a PNM to believe that chapters routinely seek recs on PNMs who send their resume directly to the chapter. Considering the mountain of recs membership chairs are already managing, I am skeptical that this happens with any regularity at all.

It seems to me that a PNM sending info to a chapter on her own might cause her to stand out -- but not in a good way. I'd be interested in other's opinions.

For instance, a mom (not Greek) whose daughter I wrote a rec for said, when I asked how gathering recs for other chapters was progressing, that her daughter had recs for the chapters she was interested in. I don't think she meant this to be condescending to other chapters -- she just didn't know and figured her daughter had recs to chapters where she knew someone. Besides, the other chapters will just secure recs if interested, right?

And the Panhellenic page, as an "official" source of info, doesn't help with this when it contains conflicting information.

I'm sure that a lot of what is "customary" in huge SEC recruitments seems silly to people who have no history with this process, and that plenty of girls go through with recs that are not really personal recommendations.

However, if one chooses to engage the process, it is a good idea to maximize options in advance by doing everything possible to play the game well. Some girls do pledge chapters without (knowingly) securing a rec in advance, but this isn't something I would leave to chance in such a huge recruitment. The first time through recruitment is usually the best opportunity.

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