I need some advice!

[hithere112]

d

[DubaiSis]

Which OU?

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by hithere112

Hello everyone!

I have posted about this before but it was almost a year ago. I was thinking about rushing last year, but decided not to because I wanted to ground myself for my first year of college. BIG MISTAKE. I did make the most of my freshmen experience (charity, good grades, church, fun) I knew that something was missing. Other than my roomate, I made a lot of shallow "friends". I looked around at sorority girls that looked like they were having the time of their life with their sisters. So getting to the point, do you think I could get a bid as a sophomore at OU? I know several girls in the greek system, but I would not call them close friends (two orientation group ladies, as well as many girls that lived in my hall that I was always nice to). I am also a minority, but I get the feeling that this is not as much an issue as other schools. I currently do not have any recs. I am not gorgeous, but I have a good personality and would describe myself as pretty. I will contact my local Panhellenic tomorrow. Thank you in advance!

No one here will be able to tell you your chances of receiving a bid.

Even if we could, would that stop you from participating in recruitment? Just go through the process and see what happens!

(And depending on which OU you're attending, recs may be something you'll want to get)

[DubaiSis]

Number of chapters doesn't make a school competitive, and no, it's not somewhat competitive. It's full on competitive and you need to be ready. And even from this person who thinks recs should be eliminated, you will need them for each and every chapter if you want to be invited back. And now is the time. Actually, now is a little late, so I would start making phone calls literally today. That's not start thinking about it today and make a Facebook post tomorrow and on July 15th panic because nobody has stepped up out of the blue to help you.

Since you know some sorority women, they might be a resource to help you find recs. I wouldn't plan on them personally being able to write recs (some sororities allow collegiate recs, but I wouldn't plan on it) but maybe their Moms, friends' Moms, or someone else they know because of their current sorority affiliation. Start asking right away, be direct, VERY nice, appreciative, and don't nag. They may not want to help you but don't want to admit it. Or there might be other issues at play.

I think you're up to date on all the conversation suggestions, attire, etc. But continue to work on those things over the summer. And good luck!

[MaryPoppins]

After you have asked the women you already know and anyone they know, use the tips below. And DubaiSis is right, get on this like yesterday!

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.)

[adpiucf]

That's great! Ask them if they can put you in touch with sponsors for the other sororities you still need recs for, too. I'll bet they know people!

[irishpipes]

I am in Oklahoma and write lots if recs for OU. It is not too late at all, but get on it because OU is very competitive. PM me if you have questions. Good luck!

[Jess1994]

I say you should go for it

[WCsweet<3]

You don't send a resume to the chapter houses. You send a resume to the alumnae who are writing letters. The letters will be sent by the alumnae to the chapters. Each organization has a different procedure, but you would not need to supply paper.

[hithere112]

Oh okay I didn't understand that bit. Thank you WCsweet

[WCsweet<3]

No worries. This was why other posters talked about finding alumnae from the organizations to write the letters. It is recommended for competitive schools to try to find one or two members from each organization represented on your campus. I cannot recommend the stickied threads in the sorority recruitment forum enough. Particularly:
thread 1
thread 2

Read the others as well. They give great advice about recruitment, but also about letters and how to procure them. Good luck!

[ASTalumna06]

And even if you were sending your resume directly to the chapter, I don't think it's the paper that's really going to impress them. They have a million other things to keep track of. I know nothing of other sororities'/chapters' membership selection processes, but I highly doubt anyone is sitting around saying, "Well, it's down to Girl #1 and Girl #2. They're both pretty evenly matched, but Girl #2 DID use embossed resume paper..."

Try to focus on what's important. Good luck!

[AOII Angel]

Does any one else think "hither, thither and yon" when they see the OP's name or is that just me?

[irishpipes]

Also, make sure you have an electronic resume and picture. Rec writers for groups that use electronic recs will appreciate that.

I don't think the paper matters, but presentation is important. A well-organized, easy-to-read resume will make a much better impression on your rec writer than a sloppy one. It seems obvious, but I get lots that have spelling, spacing, and format errors - huge errors with columns not lined up and the like. It does not give me a positive impression since it leads me to believe that the PNM is incapable or doesn't care.