letters of rec

ask your friends, teachers, neighbors,post for help on Facebook.

Is there a panhellenic council in your town or in a nearby city...they will do all your recs for you. If there is a chapter near you for Ole Miss Alumni then contact them. I also think there are website, facebook groups, and reddit threads with loads of alums who will write recs. there really is no excuse to not having a rec, because its pretty easy to find them if you just look. Also ask any girls you know in houses who wrote their recs...or reach out to whoever is doing your roommates recs and see if they will consider doing one for you too.

Don't try to explain your situation to any of the sororities, it will look like you aren't trying. You probably do know women who could give you recommendations, but you will ask to start asking. Check with all your teachers, church members, your friends parents, etc. I believe Panhellenic may also have some links providing information on where to find recommendation letters.

You know women who went to college. The moms of your friends probably went to college. ASK THEM if they are in a sorority! And the question is "Mrs. Smith, are you IN a sorority?", not WERE you in a sorority.

You will be surprised. Ask your friends who were ahead of you in high school who they got to write recs for them. Unless you grew up overseas, there are sorority women all around you. You have to ASK.

Absolutely do not contact sororities making excuses why you can't find a sorority alumna.

Men know sorority women, too.

Tips based on what I've seen when my aunt/family friends have been asked for recs.

1) Recognize it's not a given that everyone will write one. My aunt no longer writes recs for girls she really doesn't know; she did a few times and got burnt when they turned out to be less-than-good-character girls. That made her look bad, especially to her own chapter (at OM). That doesn't mean you can't get them from people who don't know you, but it's good to recognize that this is how some alums feel.
2) Write a thank you note. A hand-written note means much more than an email or phone call.

Good luck in your search!

As someone who had no greek affiliations in her family prior to formal recruitment, I would advise becoming a part of your local panhellenic association. They did most of the recs for me while I found a few on my own. Got a few from my mom's co workers and a few from friend's older sisters who had already graduated from college.

First of all, I'm was in a sorority at Vanderbilt and my son is going to Ole Miss in the fall. I get asked for recs often and am happy to write them. Here is what I look for:

1. Real interest (and you show this --as many of the other pointed out--by being resourceful) I've had young women contact me via Facebook, LinkedIn, coworkers, my son's friends, etc. National chapters will help you too if you can say specifically why you are interested in that house.\n\n\n\n\n2. My rec is my rep- I take them seriously so I often take the requester to coffee to find out more about them. A rec is only as strong as the information in it. A rec that just says "She's my tennis partner's kid" doesn't really do much good. Make it easy for the recommender--a list of the reasons why you are a good candidate goes a long way. I've even had girl's basically write the letter for me (a huge help!)

3. And if you don't get any, but are still awesome... The real deal is that if you are a great candidate and have a lot to add to a house, a rec is a 'nice to have'. Ladies--correct me if things have changed, but my sorority passed on girls with 10 recs and double legacies if we knew they would not be a good fit. Focus on putting your best foot forward and researching the houses.

4. Your second choice or even third choice may still be amazing- Don't get caught up in the 'brand' of a particular house. Look for where you will be comfortable. Remember this is about you interviewing them too!

Great advice here. If you find you are still missing some for any specific houses, check thesorority national websites for local alumnae chapters in your area and reach out to them. Normally there is contact info available, you can introduce yourself, explain that you are attending OM in the Fall, preparing to Rush and hoping to meet a local alumnae in the area who might consider writing a rec. That's how some girls come to my group - is it the most perfect rec letter? No, but when rec letters are required, it's another way to network. But I would exhaust any personal connections first.

DON'T reach out to the Ole Miss houses. It will honestly seem like you're not even trying. You have plenty of time to pull stuff together.