Thinking about joining a sorority? Good decision. Sororities are indeed great places for like-minded college-going girls to come together, develop bonds and help each other. Getting a place at a sorority of your choice can be pretty hard. But not so if you have a great sorority letter of recommendation.
In this blog, we will share a series of important details about sorority recommendation letter as well as some secret tips to help you write a great LOR. As you read along, you will find answers to questions like:
- What is a sorority recommendation letter?
- How to write a sorority recommendation letter in simple steps?
- How to use an example of sorority recommendation letter to write an impressive sorority LOR?
What Is a Sorority Recommendation Letter? Why Is It Important?
A sorority recommendation letter or a sorority reference letter is a letter written to endorse a potential new member (PNM) to a sorority. It is usually written by an existing member of the sorority or an alumna.
A sorority letter of recommendation is essential when you apply for sorority admission for the following reasons.
- It supplies information that your other sorority application documents do not
- It gives an overview of the Potential New Member’s character
- It enables the sorority to make informed decisions regarding a PNM
- It throws light on the depth of commitment a PNM can make
- Sorority rec letters give a third-person point of view regarding a PNM
| Letter of Recommendation for Student | LOR for Coworker | Letter of Recommendation for Job |
| LOR for Graduate School | LOR for Higher Studies | Letter of Recommendation for Internship |
Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Writing a Sorority Recommendation Letter
In order to recommend someone successfully to a sorority, you need to write an impactful sorority recommendation letter. And to make it assume a great impact, you may ask yourself the following questions before writing it.
- How do you know the Potential New Member?
Explain how and for how long you know/have known the PNM
- What makes the PNM a perfect fit for the sorority?
Write about the unique characteristics and qualities you have noticed in the PNM
- How can you verify that the PNM has leadership qualities and dedication?
Explain any incident or experience where you have witnessed the PNM’s leadership potential and dedication to a group or community.
- How do you think the PNM would contribute to the sorority if she were to be selected?
Talk about the unique talents and strengths the PNM has which will enable her to contribute to the sorority
- What kind of bonding, relationships and associations did the applicant use to have with her colleagues, friends or community members as far as you know about her?
- Is there anything else that you believe the sorority should be aware of regarding the applicant?
What Do Admissions Officers Look for In Sorority Rec Letters?
When it comes to choosing their potential new members, the sorority admission officers closely want to ensure that they are getting the best of the applicants. So, they will assess all the documents that the applicants submit very carefully. In the LOR, they will try to focus on the following elements.
Personal attributes: | The selectors want to know what the referees think about the personal attributes of the candidate such as leadership skills, interpersonal skills etc. |
Personal values: | The admission panel is also interested in knowing about the personal values, ethics and principles that the candidates adhere to. |
Academic excellence: | An academically successful candidate is surely going to be the next biggest promotional content for a sorority. |
Involvement in cocurricular activities: | Sororities are very particular about choosing candidates who are active and can contribute in diverse areas and extracurricular activities. |
How Long Should Your Sorority Letter of Recommendation Be?
An ideal sorority LOR can go up to 500 words and shouldn’t be less than 400 words.
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Sample Sorority Recommendation Letter
Take a look at the sorority recommendation letter examples below to help you with a starting point as you prepare to write your sorority LOR.
Dear Selection Officers of Alpha Phi Sorority,
It is with both privilege and honour that I am writing this recommendation letter to recommend Miss Susan for membership in the Alpha Phi Sorority of Alabama State University. I have known Susan for the past five years and nowhere in this period have there been any incidents that make me question her character. Also, I can vouch for her commitment to the community, leadership qualities and personal virtues.
As an alumna of Alpha Phi, I have complete knowledge of the meticulous selection process that this sorority follows in ensuring the quality of individuals who are being admitted. It not only aims to select candidates who are genuine and can contribute to it but also ensure that those being selected are people with certain values and virtues to make a positive impact on the community. Mrs Susan ticks all these boxes and I believe she could be the most powerful member when these aspects are considered.
As an individual, the most noticeable quality I have found in her is her daring to assume challenging leadership roles. I remember an instance where everyone was reluctant to take a leadership role in organizing a community service event. It was because the location was somewhat remote and transportation facilities were dire. Susan came up with enthusiasm and within a couple of days, she could form a team of fifteen members for the event. Throughout the program, she showed a strong sense of responsibility and commitment to the service.
Susan is approachable to everyone and never shows any sort of prejudice when dealing with colleagues. She treats everyone with equal respect and consideration and is compassionate and kind to everyone. All these qualities contribute to her being recognized as a good leader and community member.
When it comes to the academic side, Susan is hardworking. She maintained a good GPA and I believe it was possible for her only because of her relentless hard work. She showed keen interest in the subjects she opted for and took extra time to enhance her knowledge of them.
Based on my five years of association with Susan, I can wholeheartedly vouch for the eligibility of Susan to be granted membership to the Alpha Phi Sorority. I am certain that she will live up to the expectations, values, mission and vision of the sorority. Thank you for taking the time to review my recommendation letter. I look forward to a positive response on it.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Guidelines for Using Samples
If you intend to use the above samples to help yourself while preparing your sorority LOR, the following guidelines would help you extract the best results.
- Try to figure out the main purpose of a sample while you read through it and identify how it differs from or coincides with your LOR purpose.
- Use the samples as a reference to the sorority recommendation letter template and format to use for your writing.
- See how much personalization and customization have been brought into the LOR sample by carefully evaluating the writing tone and presentation of points in the context.
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How to Write Sorority Recommendation Letter in Five Simple Steps?
Writing an effective sorority LOR can be done in five simple steps. Here are those steps.
Step 1: Introduce Yourself | Begin LOR by giving a brief introduction about yourself and showing how and how long you have been associated with the PNM. Give details about your present professional background – job title, name of the organisation etc. Also, briefly mention the purpose of the LOR in the introduction. |
Step 2: Establish the candidate’s strengths | In this section, establish the qualities and strengths that you have noticed in the candidate that would help you be a perfect fit for the sorority. Give specific examples to make your points clear and strongly supported. For instance, how the candidate got noticed in her community owing to her leadership or interpersonal skills. |
Step 3: Underscore the extracurricular involvements of the applicant | Show examples of the candidate’s involvement or contributions in extracurricular activities, other than academic excellence. You can quite consider factors like the candidate’s taking part in community works, club activities, sports etc. |
Step 4: Talk about the applicant’s character | Talk about the values, principles, ethics and virtues that the candidate holds strong in life. This is an important section that the admission panel would use before shortlisting their candidates. Give a genuine character endorsement as it can even be counted as something that reveals your own integrity. |
Step 5: End the LOR positively with a strong recommendation | Conclude your sorority recommendation letter by reiterating all the major points you discussed in it with a powerful recommendation for the candidate’s admission to the sorority. Show that you are both happy and proud to recommend her to the community. Don’t forget to share your contact details as well as show a willingness to be contacted for any further clarification in the future. |
| Volunteer Recommendation Letter | Recommendation Letter for Leadership | ERAS Letter of Recommendation |
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Who Is Eligible to Write a Sorority Letter of Recommendation?
You can consider the following people to write LOR to include in your sorority application.
Alumni or current member: | It is mandatory to include one LOR written by an existing member or alumni of the sorority that you are planning to join. |
Teachers or professors: | Your teachers or professors are great people who can authentically vouch for your potential, qualities and academic excellence. |
Team leader/supervisor: | Your team leader or supervisor at an organization where you worked can also write you a letter of recommendation to help you join a sorority. |
Final Checklist
- Have you proofread your LOR carefully and ensured that it contains no mistakes of any sort?
- Have you adhered to the LOR writing guidelines for the sorority?
- Have kept the LOR straight to the point, simple and engaging?
- Have you read the LOR submission guidelines?
- Have you given a proper introduction about yourself at the beginning and shown the nature of your relationship with the candidate?
- Have you shared your contact details at the end to be contacted for further clarifications?
Five Common Sorority LOR Writing Mistakes
The five mistakes given below can undermine your sorority LOR. So, try to avoid them in your writing.
Focusing only on academics: | Academic excellence is just one of the factors that make a candidate deserve a sorority admission. So, it’s important to shed light on other areas where the candidate has excelled, for instance, personal qualities, strengths, community contributions etc. |
Negativity: | It’s necessary to provide a candidate with an optimistic and positive LOR. Even if you mention a weakness of the candidate, present it as something that helped her grow further rather than something that affected her negatively. |
Not giving evidence or specific examples: | Not giving specific examples or evidence when talking about the skills or strengths of the candidate can look too generic or even fake. So, include examples to make your LOR strong. |
Generic tone: | This will happen if you are just modifying an existing sorority LOR. Customize the LOR by aligning the candidate’s specialities with the sorority’s requirements, values, and motto. This will help it attract the quick attention of the reader. |
Mistakes: | Finally, it is important to send an error-free LOR to the sorority. An LOR that contains too many mistakes may cause suspicion about the authenticity of the writer and nullify it. Proofread the letter carefully and eliminate all mistakes before submission. |
| MPH Recommendation Letter | Letter of Recommendation for Civil Engineer | Social Work Letter of Recommendation |
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Five Bonus Tips for Writing an Impactful Sorority Recommendation Letter
Here are five bonus tips to help you come up with the most impactful sorority LOR.
Start early: | You can’t know how soon you can get the LOR endorsed by the referee. So, it is important to send him/her the LOR writing request at the earliest – at least two weeks’ time would do. |
Choose the right referee: | You can’t get a positive, enthusiastic recommendation letter from someone you are not on good terms with. So, be specific to choose someone who can honestly endorse you. |
Share all relevant details: | Your referee might not necessarily remember everything about you if it’s been a while since you had associated with him/her. So, share all relevant details with them to help them write a good LOR. |
Maintain balance: | Although your LOR needs to sound positive and contain positive things about you, it shouldn’t be a piece of letter that simply keeps praising you. It must maintain a balanced tone. |
Submit the LOR on time: | Find out when the application window closes and file your sorority LOR and other application documents before the deadline. Some sororities wouldn’t wait till the last date to start processing the applications. |
Conclusion
Wow, you have learnt how to write a sorority recommendation letter now, haven’t you? Did you come across any point that you didn’t quite understand? If so, we would like to help you further. Let us know what it was in the comments below.
We also welcome your feedback and suggestions to help us improve the quality of our blogs and thus serve you even better.
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