I'm kind of thinking that the school you went to a long time ago is pretty different than an SEC school right now so it really doesn't apply here.

It also could have been that if you were making a concerted effort to hide that she is your sister, people might have thought there were some wacky family issues going on - even if they hadn't planned to cut you assuming you you would join your sister's chapter in the first place.

I agree. Before RMF, in-house legacies around here were often advised to cut their legacy chapter after round 1 if they didn't want to pledge there. That way the other groups would give them a chance (word always got around). Now with RMF, the PNM doesn't have a chance to send that message. If they don't want their in-house legacy chapter, they might need to go to school somewhere else.

Regarding the OP, if she rushes again, it will not be as a first semester freshman. That alone can get her cut by a lot of chapters in the SEC, though schools with an upperclassman quota might help some older PNMs. Given her class status and a sitting sister, I do think her best opportunity is with her sister's sorority. I understand her wanting the chance to see a little more into others, though. Maybe her sister can let friends in other sororities know that younger sis is open minded to other groups and that it won't be a problem should she pledge elsewhere. If I was putting money on it, though, I would bet on her ending up wearing the same letters as her sister!