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A sorority recommendation letter is a short letter backing a sorority applicant. It describes the applicant's character and achievements, and this page gives a free template, samples, and writing steps. Alumnae, family friends, and coworkers use it when an applicant's chosen chapter asks for one.
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To write a sorority recommendation letter, introduce yourself, explain how you know the applicant, give specific accomplishments and personality traits, then close with your personal support and your signature. A complete letter reads like a note from someone who knows the applicant, not like a list of praise.
Larger sorority communities usually provide letter samples on their official websites, but smaller ones often do not. You can create the letter with our form-building software above, or follow the steps below and adapt a sample.
Before you write, look at the recruitment guide or website of the sorority and the campus for any form, portal, or format that letter writers are asked to use. Instructions differ between organizations, so a form from the chapter takes priority over the general layout on this page.
A strong sorority letter starts with facts, so collect the details below from the applicant before you draft a single line. Even an author who knows the applicant well will write a better letter with these in hand:
The salutation of a sorority recommendation letter names the chapter or committee when you know it, and otherwise uses the standard business opening "To whom it may concern." Add the date above the salutation, and the name of the sorority and chapter if you are sending the letter by post or email.
The introduction tells the reader who you are, how you know the applicant, and for how long, so that your opinion carries some weight. If you belong to the sorority, name your chapter and when you were active. If you do not, say plainly why you are the right person to speak for this applicant, such as having coached or worked with them.
The main body of the letter describes what the applicant has done in school, sports, clubs, volunteer work, and part-time jobs, with a real example for each point. Choose a small number of achievements and explain them. "Organized the school's first food drive" tells the reader more than "a natural leader," and it gives them something to ask the applicant about.
The next paragraph of the letter shows what the applicant is like with other people, because achievements alone give an incomplete picture of a person's character. Name a trait such as kindness or dependability, then tell a short story that shows it. An author who has seen the applicant help a teammate or calm a tense moment can make the trait believable in a few lines.
The conclusion of a sorority recommendation letter repeats your personal support for the applicant and says why this person suits this particular chapter. The conclusion is usually only three or four sentences, so the whole letter stays short and easy to read. Offer your phone number or email address in case the chapter has questions.
A finished letter ends with a semi-formal sign-off such as "Sincerely," followed by your signature, printed name, and the current date if it is not already at the top. Read it through before you sign. Check the spelling of the applicant's name and the sorority's name, since an error in either is the mistake a reader notices first.
Each sample sorority recommendation letter below uses a different author's point of view, so choose the family friend, former member, or coworker version that sits closest to your situation. Use these three samples as a starting point. Pick the one closest to your situation and replace each blank with real details.
Adapt a sample to the group you are applying to, and follow that group's own instructions if they ask for a particular form or author. Change the pronouns to fit the applicant. If you would rather not start from a blank page, the template at the top of this page asks for the same details and sets out the letter for you.
This sample sorority recommendation letter suits a family friend who is also an alumna of the sorority and has watched the applicant grow up.
To whom it may concern,
I am a proud alumna of __________ (name of the sorority), and I am writing to recommend __________ (applicant's name) for membership. I have known her for __________ years as __________ (a family friend, a neighbor, a family member's colleague), and I have had the pleasure of watching her grow into the capable young adult she is now.
__________ has done well both in and out of the classroom. She studies at __________ (name of the school), where her strongest subjects are __________ and __________. She also plays __________ (a sport or activity), and in __________ (month and year) she earned __________ (an award or place) at __________ (a contest or tournament). Her teachers and coaches at __________ have told me how much they rely on her.
What I admire most is how she treats people. She works part-time at __________ (a volunteer organization), where she __________ (what she does there). When __________ (a specific event), she __________ (what she did to help), and she did it without being asked. She is generous with her time, easy to be around, and a good friend to the people she meets.
She is also organized. She balances __________ and __________ without letting either slip, and she follows through on what she has promised to do.
__________ wants to be part of __________ (name of the sorority) because __________ (the applicant's own reason). From what I have seen, she shows the qualities this sisterhood looks for in a new member, and I recommend her without hesitation. Please contact me at __________ if I can tell you more.
Sincerely,
__________ (signature)
__________ (printed name, chapter, and date)
This sample sorority letter suits a former member who knows the applicant personally and can speak from their own time in the chapter about what makes a good sister.
To whom it may concern,
My name is __________, and I was a member of the __________ chapter of __________ (name of the sorority) from __________ to __________. The chapter gave me friends and leadership practice I still rely on today, and I would like __________ (applicant's name) to have the same chance. I have known her for __________ years through __________.
__________ shows the traits I came to value in my own sisters, including honesty, leadership, and care for other people. She is open-minded and listens before she speaks. That is why I recommend her to your chapter.
She has many interests, but __________ (a sport or activity) is her biggest passion. During her senior year of high school, she received the __________ award, and she has helped her team reach __________ (a result). Her coach, __________, describes her as someone who never gives up, and I have seen that in the way she __________ (a specific example).
You would think that such an active life would leave little room for anything else. Even so, __________ volunteers at __________ (name of the organization), where she __________. She also makes time for friends and family, and she spends many weekends __________ (a specific example).
__________ would bring energy and kindness to the __________ chapter. I am proud to know her, and I look forward to seeing what she will contribute to the sisterhood. You can reach me at __________ with any questions.
Best regards,
__________ (signature)
__________ (printed name, chapter, and date)
This sample sorority letter suits a coworker or volunteer supervisor who has seen how the applicant handles responsibility, and who may also have belonged to the sorority.
To whom it may concern,
I have worked alongside __________ (applicant's name) for __________ at __________ (name of the workplace or organization), and I was very glad to hear that she is applying to __________ (name of the sorority). I was a member of this community from __________ to __________ while studying at __________ University, so I know what the chapter asks of its members.
__________ is a hard worker. At __________, she is responsible for __________, and she __________ (a specific result). She also serves as __________ (a role) at __________ (name of the school), and she keeps up her marks in all of her classes while she does it. She knows her priorities and she keeps her promises.
We also volunteer together at __________, an organization that helps __________. I have seen her stay focused and calm when __________ (a specific moment). Although she is competitive, she supports the people around her, and she treats rivals with respect. She does not take much pride in her own wins, but she is the first to celebrate someone else's.
I have no doubt that __________ would make a great addition to your chapter. She sees the good in people, and I think that fits the values of __________ (name of the sorority) well. Please contact me at __________ if you would like to hear more about her.
Sincerely,
__________ (signature)
__________ (printed name, job title, and date)
Avoid sending a sample as it is. Replace every blank and rewrite any line that does not fit the applicant, so the letter sounds like the person who signs it.
A sorority letter of recommendation includes a salutation, an introduction, a main body, a conclusion, and a signature, and each part answers a different question for the reader. Most good letters run four to five paragraphs. Specific examples do more for the applicant than extra length.
| Part of the letter | What it covers | Question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Salutation | The chapter or committee's name, or "To whom it may concern" | Who is this for? |
| Introduction | The author's name and background, and how the author knows the applicant | Why should we trust this opinion? |
| Main body | Accomplishments in school, sports, volunteering, and other activities | What has the applicant done? |
| Personality traits | The strongest traits, each with a real-life example | What is the applicant like with other people? |
| Conclusion | The reasons to accept this applicant and the author's personal support | Why this chapter? |
| Sign-off | A semi-formal closing, the signature, the printed name, contact details, and the date | Who stands behind this letter? |
The tone stays warm and semi-formal. Write the way you would speak to a respected acquaintance, and leave out slang, in-jokes, and anything the applicant would not want a stranger to read.
Who may write a sorority recommendation letter depends on the sorority; some ask for an alumna and others accept any adult who knows the applicant. Check the sorority's own instructions, because each one sets its own rules on who may write.
A family friend, a coach, a teacher, or an employer can still describe the applicant well, even without membership in the sorority.
An applicant who does not know an alumna directly can usually reach one through friends, family members, colleagues, teachers, or an older student at the same school. Ask each of them whether they know someone from the sorority.
If that does not work, ask the sorority's national office or the campus Panhellenic or Greek life office whether they can connect you with an alumna. You can also ask the National Panhellenic Conference, an advocacy organization for the sorority experience, where to turn.
An alumna who does not know you well can still write a persuasive letter once you hand over a clear list of your accomplishments, which gives the author facts to work with. Include:
Send the alumna your list early and add a few details about yourself. A letter with specific examples sounds more personal than a general one.
You need a sorority recommendation letter, also called a sorority letter of support, when the sorority, chapter, or campus recruitment program you are joining asks for one. Practice varies between organizations and campuses, so there is no single answer that fits every applicant.
Start with the campus recruitment guide, then the website of each sorority you are interested in. If the guide says nothing, ask the campus Panhellenic or Greek life office. Ask early, because finding an alumna and allowing time to write takes longer than the letter itself.
Where letters are optional, one can still help the chapter learn who the applicant is beyond a short recruitment conversation. It shows the applicant's best traits and biggest achievements in the words of someone who has seen them.
To ask for a sorority rec letter, contact the person politely and well ahead of the chapter's date, explain which sorority you are applying to, and offer the details that make the letter easy to write. A short, polite message works well:
Hello __________, I am applying to join __________ at __________ this year, and I understand you are an alumna. Would you be willing to write a recommendation letter for me? I can send you a list of my activities and any instructions from the chapter. Thank you for considering it.
The author of your letter needs a short packet of information from you, so that nothing has to be guessed and the letter can stay specific:
A sorority recommendation letter goes wherever the sorority's or campus's own instructions point, which can be an online portal, an email address, or a postal address. When the guide lists more than one option, use the one that belongs to the chapter you are applying to, and ask the campus office if the instructions are unclear.
Afterward, thank the author in writing and let them know how recruitment turned out.
A sorority recommendation letter comes from someone who vouches for the applicant, while a sorority interest letter comes from the applicant, and each does a different job. The table below sets them beside the other papers people often search for at the same time.
| Document | Who writes it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Sorority recommendation letter | An alumna or another adult who knows the applicant | Vouches for the applicant's character and achievements |
| Sorority interest letter (letter of intent) | The applicant | Explains why the applicant wants to join this sorority |
| Social resume | The applicant | Lists activities, awards, and volunteer work for the author and the chapter |
| Fraternity letter of recommendation | A fraternity alumnus or another adult who knows the applicant | Vouches for an applicant to a fraternity |
A sorority interest letter is written by the applicant in the first person and explains why they want to join, what they would contribute, and how they found the organization. Write it only if the sorority asks for one, and keep the tone as personal as you would in a good introduction.
A fraternity letter of recommendation follows the same structure as a sorority letter, from the introduction and specific examples to the closing endorsement. Change the name of the organization, swap "sisterhood" for "brotherhood," and adjust the pronouns. Practice varies among fraternities too, so check what that chapter asks for before anyone starts writing.
A successful sorority letter is specific, honest, and modest, and most weak letters fail on one of those points. Every sorority has its own recruitment strategy and its own rules, so read them before you ask for a letter.
The habits below help an applicant and an author produce a letter that arrives on time and sounds like a real person:
The habits below tend to weaken a sorority letter, even when the applicant is an excellent candidate for the chapter:
Whether current sorority members can write rec letters depends on the organization, because each sorority sets its own rules on who may recommend an applicant. Many letters come from alumnae, so ask the chapter or check the recruitment guide before you ask a current member to write one.
What happens without a letter of recommendation depends on the sorority and the campus, so there is no single outcome for every applicant. Read the instructions for each sorority you are interested in. If they leave the answer unclear, ask the campus Panhellenic or Greek life office directly, and tell them you are still looking for an alumna.
A sorority recommendation letter should stay short enough for a busy reader to finish in one sitting, with specific examples in place of extra length. Most good letters run four to five paragraphs. If the chapter gives its own limit or its own form, follow that instead.
Sororities pick new members through their own recruitment strategy and set of rules, and those differ between organizations and chapters, so no outside guide can describe every process. A recommendation letter is only part of what a chapter sees. The applicant's own conversations with members and the campus process also shape the outcome.
The words that work best in a letter of recommendation are plain traits you can prove with a story, because a word without an example carries little weight. Useful ones include:
ChatGPT or another AI tool can suggest a structure for a letter of recommendation, but only the person signing knows the applicant, so the facts and the opinions have to come from them. Check every line against what you actually know, take out any invented detail, and rewrite it until it sounds like you.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
