So, you’re thinking about joining a sorority… Well, you’ll need more than a few cute fits and a fully charged social battery. Knowing a few women in the house you want to join may be helpful, but that’s not necessarily enough, either. But a recommendation letter? Now that could help push you over the edge from PNM (potential new member) to pledge!Â
A recommendation letter is a letter that a sorority member (either an active or alumna, from any chapter) sends in to endorse you as a strong PNM. These recs serve as verifiable, positive introductions between a sorority and the PNM they’re evaluating. In some cases, these letters are required; you can find out whether this is the case for you on your university’s Panhellenic website. At some schools, recommendation letters are considered optional; be sure to check out your school’s Panhel website for a section dedicated to recommendation letters — maybe an email address to send them to, or even a physical address.Â
If a recommendation letter is considered optional, it would probably be in your best interest to at least try to get one — if only to show the sororities you’re rushing that you’re willing to put in the work to join their ranks. Of course, if you truly can’t get a rec letter, that’s fine — you still have your GPA, extracurriculars, and shining personality to fall back on.Â
How To Get A Sorority Recommendation Letters
So, if you need — or want — a sorority recommendation letter, where can you find alums to sing your praises? According to the incredible trustworthy Reddit on the page r/sororities, “Ask your mom or aunt or another relative to help you,” says commenter @major_bummer. Maybe they have friends who can help, and if they have an idea of how you were raised and your values, that holds a ton of weight.Â
Reminder that the person who writes you a rec letter does not have to have gone to the same school you are going to, but they do need to have been a part of the same sorority you are rushing.Â
However, if you can’t think of anyone in your life who was in a sorority, there are other ways of obtaining a rec. You can find alumni through LinkedIn. Or, there may be a local alumni chapter in your city, which you can find by contacting the Alumni Affairs Office of your university. Then, I’d recommend reaching out to discuss the chapter and ask if they would be willing to write a recommendation.
A lot of the specifics for recs are dependent on your college’s Panhellenic site, such as the date these letters are due by. If that’s not listed, the website Getting the Bid, a go-to site for all things sorority, recommends submitting rec letters at least 14 days before recruitment starts. So, what are you waiting for? Go get those recs!