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Sororities often require letters of recommendation for their potential new members; many require the person writing the letter of recommendation to be an alumna of the specific sorority the potential new member wants to join, so you should verify whether or not alumna status is required before continuing. If you need to write a sorority recommendation letter, ask the applicant for background information on their previous accomplishments and reasons for wishing to join. Weave this information into a formal letter along with notes on your connection to the applicant and positive impressions you have of her.
Steps
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Get information about the applicant’s professional experience. Ask the applicant to give you some details about her work history. You need to know what kind of professional experience she has that could assist her in her life as a sorority sister that you could reference in your letter. [1] X Research source
- For example, if she volunteered or worked at a nursing home this would be a good thing for you to know so that you could mention it in your recommendation letter.
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Ask about the applicant’s academic awards. An important thing to mention in your recommendation letter is any academic awards that the sorority applicant may have received. These kinds of awards bode well for applicants so it will be very beneficial for you to mention it in your letter of recommendation. [2] X Research source
- Many sororities give preference to applicants with excellent academic achievements.
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Find out about the applicant’s hobbies. Since applying to sororities can be so competitive, it may be necessary for you to mention some of the hobbies of the girl for whom you are writing the recommendation letter. This could be one of the only things that sets her apart from some of the other applicants.
- Some examples of hobbies that are worthwhile to mention include any kind of leadership or service experiences, volunteering to help others, or playing a musical instrument.
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Ask for general information from the person you are recommending. Compile a list of all of their awards, activities, interests, hobbies, and academic honors. Interview the girl to ask why she wants to be part of that particular sorority and ask for any qualities she thinks she possesses that fit in with the needs and expectations of that sorority. Gather a picture of the candidate as well. [3] X Research source
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Address the recommendation letter properly. Address the letter to the sorority name the girl is applying to, c/o the university she is attending. Begin the letter with the salutation "To Whom It May Concern." [4] X Research source
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Write an opening paragraph that explains your connection to the applicant. Begin writing the letter with a paragraph detailing how you know the candidate and how long you have known them for. At this time you also should include why you are qualified to write the letter, especially if you were in a sorority yourself, as this will usually hold extra weight with the sorority you are writing to.
- If you were in a sorority make sure to include the sorority, chapter name, the years you were a member and if you held a position within the sorority.
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Create a paragraph focusing on the candidate’s qualifications. Write another paragraph that mentions the candidate's qualifications for sorority membership. Include interests, hobbies, and other information that will distinguish the candidate from other girls. You should take the opportunity to be honest and discuss as many of the girl's accomplishments as possible because it is appropriate to brag a little in these letters.
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Use the next paragraph to describe the girl's personality. As important as accomplishments are, sororities are also looking for girls that will fit in with others and are a pleasure to be around. State why she is fun, humorous, the life of the party, or any other personality trait you feel defines the girl and makes her a good fit for the sorority. [5] X Research source
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End the letter with a closing statement saying a final thought on the girl and why she would be a good fit in the sorority, tying in your own experiences if possible. Sign the letter to make it look more professional.
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Don’t go overboard. A letter of recommendation should be short and get directly to the point. Shoot for no more than one or two pages for your letter of recommendation.
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Address the letter properly. It’s important to pay attention to who you are sending the letter of recommendation to, especially if you’ve been asked to write more than one letter. Letters should be addressed to the specific sorority including their organization’s name and address.
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Proofread your letter to avoid any errors. In order to provide the best possible letter of recommendation, you should thoroughly proofread your letter before submitting it to avoid the possibility of any errors being sent through.
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References
- ↑ http://www.hercampus.com/life/greek-life/sorority-letters-recommendation-everything-you-need-know
- ↑ https://career.sites.clemson.edu/documents/faculty_writing_guidelines.pdf
- ↑ https://career.sites.clemson.edu/documents/faculty_writing_guidelines.pdf
- ↑ https://med.ucf.edu/media/2012/05/Writing-Letters-of-Recommendation.pdf
- ↑ https://cpc.tamu.edu/reference-letters/
About This Article
Article Summary
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To write a sorority recommendation letter, start with an opening paragraph that explains how you know the candidate and why you're qualified to be recommending her. Then, write another paragraph that focuses on the candidate's qualifications, like their accomplishments and any interests or hobbies that will help them stand out. For the final body paragraph, describe the girl's personality to show that she'll be a good fit for the sorority. Finally, conclude your letter with a final thought on why you think she'd be a good fit. To learn how to address a sorority recommendation letter, scroll down!
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Reader Success Stories
- "I had never been asked to write a sorority letter of recommendation, and when I started my search on the internet to give me some ideas of format, I could not find any as specific and helpful as this article. It gave simple step-by-step instructions and examples to support each one. Definitely the most helpful I have found after many searches." ..." more
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"I had never been asked to write a sorority letter of recommendation, and when I started my search on the internet to give me some ideas of format, I could not find any as specific and helpful as this article. It gave simple step-by-step instructions and examples to support each one. Definitely the most helpful I have found after many searches."
..."
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"This was very helpful to me. It's been a long time since I've written a recommendation letter and this gave me some good information."
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"The ideas were great. I think it's interesting that you suggest proofreading the letter before it's sent. "
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"This was very informative. I haven't written a letter like this in years and this was a good refresher! "
"Great layout both visually and verbally. Your article addressed the main points and offered useful tips."
