When Should You Secure Recommendation Letters for Fall 2012?

[AXOrushadvisor]

Originally Posted by pearlalum

Ok - I have another question. I'm just not sure about getting recs from people you don't know. DaffyKD mentioned that she wrote a bland recommendation based on a 30-minute meeting with someone looking for a rec. At Iowa, there are 14 sororities. I know (and these ladies know my daughter) women who were in 7 of those. Should I really try to find 7 more that don't really know my daughter to write a rec? It seems somewhat odd to me - but remember, I pledged in 1980 and in another state out east. Thanks ladies.

I am actually going to be meeting a woman this weekend who is an alumni member for XO. I will then introduce her to my daughter. We have a mutual friend that is going to be doing the introducing. There are several of us around here who will meet PNM's for coffee and talk with them for a little bit. We then feel good about writing a recommendation. If you can have your daughter meet these women it will be really good practice for her talking to some one she doesn't know and it will pay off in spades. Good luck.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by pearlalum

Ok - I have another question. I'm just not sure about getting recs from people you don't know. DaffyKD mentioned that she wrote a bland recommendation based on a 30-minute meeting with someone looking for a rec. At Iowa, there are 14 sororities. I know (and these ladies know my daughter) women who were in 7 of those. Should I really try to find 7 more that don't really know my daughter to write a rec? It seems somewhat odd to me - but remember, I pledged in 1980 and in another state out east. Thanks ladies.

That's a good start that you know women in 7 of the 14 NPCs at Iowa. Has your daughter been asking around? Ultimately it is her responsibility to get the recs, though the more help she enlists, the better. Has she tried:

teachers
coaches/activity sponsors/school staff
parents' friends and friends' parents
siblings' friends and friends' siblings
friends of friends
older friends
neighbors
aunts/cousins
coworkers
babysitters
women from your place of worship, if applicable

If you find one sorority woman, she may know of others.

Even though men aren't in sororities, they might know some sorority women, so don't forget to ask them as well.

Connections you can get through a personal network are better than recs through your local Alumnae Panhellenic. Say a friend of a friend is a XYZ. She might not know your daughter personally, but might feel better writing a rec since your friend can vouch for her.

Recs from your local Alumnae Panhellenic are better than no recs at all. Recs, even if they are information-only, are valuable for chapters and potential members. By allowing a chapter to get to know a PNM a little bit before recruitment, a chapter may decide to have your daughter talk to members that have common interests, which leads to more productive conversation, which increases the likelihood of your daughter liking a chapter and the chapter liking your daughter.

[pearlalum]

great info - as always! Thanks ladies.