20+ Sample Sorority Letters of Recommendation
What Is a Sorority Letter of Recommendation?
“There are 123 fraternities and sororities with 9 million members total.” (source: unm) If you plan to be a member of one, then you should already look for a potential reference who can write a letter of recommendation for you. A sorority letter of recommendation is an important document that must be present during your application. To be a member of a sorority, it is imperative that someone from the organization believes in you and the value that you can add to the sisterhood.
A standard sorority letter of recommendation is a document that is written by a reference who would like to recommend a candidate to a sorority. If you have reservations about recommending an individual, do not shy away from letting the candidate know of your decision. It will be best if you can just write a refusal of request for letter of recommendation if you do not want to accept the responsibility of being a reference for a sorority applicant rather than create a mediocre sorority letter of recommendation for her.
If you have been asked to write a sorority letter of recommendation, and if you are also willing to be a reference, you have to assure the sorority candidate that you will do your absolute best to positively impact her bid for a sorority membership. We can help you create an excellent sorority letter of recommendation document. To begin, keep on browsing through the discussion below and download any of the templates and samples that you would like to use as your references.
Key Points of a Standard Sorority Letter of Recommendation
In comparison to a job letter of recommendation, the sorority letter of recommendation that you will be making must also be well-detailed and properly formatted. With this, it is only important for you to know the major matters or subjects of discussion that you need to present in the document. The key points that you should give focus on when making a standard sorority letter of recommendation are as follows:
The confidence of the reference to state that the applicant is qualified and deserving to be a sorority member: Use a clear and direct statement that specifies your strong recommendation for the individual who is applying to be a member of a sorority. Having a memorable and impressive introduction can make your sorority letter of recommendation be as interesting as possible.The strengths of the sorority candidate which must be showcased and thoroughly discussed in the body of the sorority letter of recommendation: The main goal of your sorority letter of recommendation is to help a candidate get in the organization where she aspires to belong to. If you can list down all the strengths of the aspiring member as well as any instances that showcased here capabilities, skills, talents; and other deliverable, then it will be easier for you to convince the sorority’s screening committee to accept the application of the candidate.The type and duration of the relationship that the reference has with the sorority candidate: It is essential for the sorority letter of recommendation to specify the kind of relationship between the sorority alumni and the sorority candidate. Also, provide the information on how long the relationship has already existed as this can establish the length of time in which the reference has observed different things about the candidate.The description of the references that establishes her as a qualified individual to give a recommendation: There are sororities that accept the recommendation of active members. However, there are some that strictly needs the recommendation of any alumni member. With this, the reference of a candidate should specify related and relevant information about the subject matter so that the recommendation can be validated, accepted, and be deemed effective.The high-impact wrap-up of the recommendation discussion: End your sorority letter of recommendation with a bang. You can give an idea of what the sorority may lose or may not benefit from if they will disregard the application of the candidate that you are recommending. Leave positive notes that can convince or persuade the screening committee to accept the individual to whom your sorority letter of recommendation is for.
7 Steps for Writing an Impressive Sorority Letter of Recommendation
Just like a fraternity letter of recommendation, a sorority letter of recommendation is also commonly written by an alumni of the organization where a sorority candidate is applying at. If you already accepted the important ask of writing a sorority letter of recommendation, ensure that you will follow an effective process that can contribute to the proper development of an outstanding sorority letter of recommendation. Do you want to draft a sorority letter of recommendation now? Here are seven steps that can enable you to easily write an impressive sorority letter of recommendation:
1Download a sorority letter of recommendation template: If you have no prior experience in making a sorority letter of recommendation, we strongly-suggest you to use a template which has a pre-formatted content and layout that are almost similar with the kind of sorority letter of recommendation that you want to develop.2Provide all the basic or standard letter information needed on top of the document: Use your personal header to ensure that the letter came from your end. After this, you can already specify the date when you have written the sorority letter of recommendation. This should be followed by an inside address that presents the details of the person who you are expecting to receive the recommendation letter that will be used for an individual’s sorority application.3Use a formal salutation: If you know the name of the person who will act as the letter recipient, make sure that you will address her with her full name. If this is not the case, you can use a generic saluation to still make the letter look respectful and formal.4Write an introduction: The first thing that you have to write in the body of your sorority letter of recommendation is your willingness to recommend a sorority candidate. Give the name of the person that you are recommending and specify the relationship that you have with her. Aside from this, it will be great if you can discuss the duration of time in which you have known the candidate as well as the major reason why you are recommending her.5Develop two to three body paragraphs: For your sorority letter of recommendation to be organized, segment your key points of discussion into paragraphs. One paragraph can talk about the strengths of the candidate as a person and as a potential member of the sorority and another can specify the actual events where you were able to assess the capabilities and/or character of the individual.6Come up with a conclusion: Always have a striking ending when making a letter of recommendation. Let the sorority’s screening committee feel your desire to help the candidate make it to the chapter. Back-up your recommendation statement with a number of notes that can validate the qualifications of the candidate that you are recommending for sorority membership.7Formally close the sorority letter of recommendation: After your conclusion, you can already put a complimentary close followed by your name. Affix your signature on top of your name. Lastly, add your contact information if you have not included any in the header of the letter so the sorority can easily reach you if they have further questions, clarifications, and inquiries.
Your sorority letter of recommendation should be polished so it can be perceived by the sorority in the best manner. You have to learn how to refine the language that you will use and the layout features that you will incorporate in the document’s format. Aside from these items, there are still several items that you have to keep an eye on. Here are some of the factors that you have to closely observe when making an informative sorority letter of recommendation:
The clarity of your recommendation statement: You have to ensure that your statement of recommendation is believable. Put weight in all the words that you will put together so you can have a credible and reliable recommendation. Being able to do this can help you give a lasting impact to the screening committee which can further advance the consideration for your recommended candidate’s potential sorority membership.The depth of your understanding and awareness of who the candidate is: You need to project or present a sorority candidate as a well-rounded individual. It is essential for your sorority letter of recommendation to discuss instances that enabled the candidate to showcase how she can be of help to others or how she can use her strengths to her advantage. All of the items in this particular part of the letter should be accounted from your personal experiences and/or interactions with the candidate.The organization of your sorority letter of recommendation’s flow of discussion: It is important for you to be tactical, strategic, and systematic when making your sorority letter of recommendation. It is not enough for you to know the elements that you have to put together. Aside from this, you also need to be aware of the ways on how you can present these information and items in the most understandable, convincing, and organized way possible.The suitability of the letter format that you will use for the development of the sorority letter of recommendation’s layout or structure: There are actually not strict rules or regulations that should be applied when making a sorority letter of recommendation, unless otherwise stated. Some sororities provide certain requirements while some accept any kinds of sorority letters of recommendation that you can come up with. Use a formal or business letter format if you want your sorority letter of recommendation to look refined, polished, and professionally-made.The incorporation of the appropriate tone for your sorority letter of recommendation: As an alumni of the sorority, where the candidate who you are recommending would like to be considered for admission, you should make sure that you will not come across as all-knowing. Do not be harsh or rude when stating what you think should be done by the sorority with the application of the candidate who asked you to be her reference. Be gracious, polite, and respectful as these characteristics can help you develop a sorority letter of recommendation that can be well-received by the admissions committee.
Advantages of Having a Well-Made Sorority Letter of Recommendation
Once you write a sorority letter of recommendation, there may be moments of doubt on whether you have already done your best or if there are still things that you can do to have an excellent output. Feeling this is actually normal as you are considering the outcome of the document’s usage and the impact that it can provide to the sorority application of an individual. Once you are already satisfied with the quality of the sorority letter of recommendation that you have created, make sure to list down the potential advantages that it can provide to the candidate so you can be more fulfilled and self-appreciative with the help that you have given. A few of the many advantages of having a well-made sorority letter of recommendation include the following:
A sorority letter of recommendation can showcase the quality of relationship that the reference has with the candidate which is a way for the screening committee to see how the candidate deals with other people or how she behaves in a variety of circumstances.A sorority letter of recommendation can make a candidate look more appealing and marketable especially if the reference will make sure that the strengths of the sorority candidate can be highlighted in the document’s content.A sorority letter of recommendation can help the admissions committee measure the deliverable and added value that the candidate can potentially bring to the table based on the perspective, observations, and insights of the reference who wrote the document.A sorority letter of recommendation can assure the chapter or organization that the applicant is really connected with the individual whom she has written or specified as her reference.
Do’s and Don’ts for Developing an Outstanding Sorority Letter of Recommendation
There are certain things that you have to follow so you can better the overall quality of a sorority letter of recommendation. On the other hand, there are also some items that you need to reject or veer away from so you can ensure that your sorority letter of recommendation will not be irrelevant or seem to be poorly-developed. Do you know the call-to-actions that you should do and not do when it comes to the creation of a letter of recommendation for sorority? Some guidelines for developing an outstanding sorority letter of recommendation are as follows:
Do find the most suitable letter of recommendation template that can give you the ability to easily draft the sorority letter of recommendation that you need to develop.Do highlight the positive aspects of the sorority candidate’s character, behavior, academic performance, and skills set.Do give a clear idea about the achievements and milestones of the individual that you are are recommendation as these can greatly impact the impression of the screening committee about the candidate.Do use a formal language that can enable you to set the mood of the discussion with regards your strong recommendation.Do specify attributes which you think can align the qualities of the candidate with what the sorority is looking for from its potential members.Do ensure the completion of all the details that you need to put in the document with the help of organization tools like outlines, drafts, and checklists.Do not push your opinions and insights too hard in a way that you recommendation can already be deemed as irritating and disrespectful.Do not neglect the format and layout of the sorority letter of recommendation as the presentation of the document’s details play a vital role when it comes to getting the attention and approval of the screening or admissions committee.
Are you now planning to start writing a sorority letter of recommendation for an applicant who asked you to be her reference? Again, try to optimize the proper usage of our sorority letter of recommendation samples and templates. We believe that these references can help a lot when it comes to the creation of the best sorority letter of recommendation. There is actually really no harm in trying which is why we suggest you to look into the potential help that these sorority letter of recommendation document creation guides can provide you with.
