Reference Letters

What is a letter of recommendation? 

A recommendation is a personal letter of reference written by an alumnae member of a sorority to introduce a potential new member to her sorority. In the recommendation, the alumnae will write about your activities and talents so the sorority can get acquainted with you before recruitment begins.  

Do I have to have letters of recommendation to go through recruitment? 

Recommendation letters are not required to go through recruitment, but they are helpful in the recruitment process. Each year there are women who join chapters without securing any letters of recommendation prior to recruitment. If a sorority requires a potential new member to have a recommendation letter, it is ultimately the individual sorority’s responsibility to obtain a recommendation for you.  

Furthermore, The National Panhellenic Council passed a resolution addressing letters of recommendation in 1992. The resolution, in part, states: "The responsibility of providing letters of recommendation for potential members rests with the members of NPC fraternities and recruitment information distributed through College and Alumnae Panhellenics shall contain nothing that infers letters of recommendation must be secured by the potential member." Each of the sororities at Texas A&M is a member of the National Panhellenic Council and bound by this resolution.  

How can I get a recommendation letter? 

You can obtain a letter of recommendation two ways: 

1. Register with your local Alumnae Panhellenic- they often have recruitment information sessions and can get you in contact with sorority alumnae in your area.
2. You may personally ask alumnae of a sorority to write a recommendation letter on your behalf. Alumnae can find recommendation forms in their sorority’s spring magazine or on the sorority’s website. If they are not sure what form to use, the alumnae should contact her sorority’s headquarters for more information.

What should be included in the letter? 

You should provide the alumnae writing the letter with the following: 

1. A resume. Create a resume or use the one you created for college applications that includes your activities and interests. The alumnae will use it to personalize your letter and will forward it to the sorority.
2. A transcript. It can be an unofficial copy. Remember to mark out your social security number, as chapters do not need this information for any reason.
3. A picture. Make sure it is a picture of just you so the sororities can identify you. A senior picture or something similar will work.
4. A stamped, addressed envelope. Include an envelope already addressed to the chapter so the alumnae can mail it directly to the sorority. Bigger, heavier envelopes may require more postage so make sure you provide enough.
5. A thank-you note. It is nice to send this to the alumnae writing the letter to show your appreciation for the effort she is making to help you.

When are they due? 

There is no deadline for having references sent in, but we recommend they get to the sororities by August 1 so they have time to read them before recruitment begins.  

Where do I send recommendation letters?  

Letters of recommendation for Fall Recruitment 2013 can be sent by the alumna writing the letter directly to the sororities at Texas A&M. Below are the addresses for each chapter.