[violetpretty]

It is not impossible for a junior to get a bid, even at schools like Ole Miss. I have no idea where you go to school, so it's hard to say just how much of an uphill battle you'll have. Juniors that DO get bids generally have the following in common:

1. Good to excellent GPA: You said your grades were "fine", and I am not sure what constitutes a "good" GPA for your campus Panhellenic. You don't want another strike against you. A junior with a bad GPA is pretty much a death sentence.

2. Campus involvement and leadership: Since a junior has less time to make an impact on the chapter, chapters will want juniors whose leadership skills/experience looks promising. This is an area where you shine with your service activities and planning committees for your clubs.

3. Friends in chapters: Again, this will depend on the competitiveness of your campus, but it definitely can't hurt. If you have friends pulling for you, you will be more likely to get a bid. Since this is your 3rd semester at your new school, are you friends with sorority women through your classes, activities, clubs, mutual friends, etc?

4. An open mind: This is really important. If you are telling yourself, "I'll take a bid from any chapter, just as long as it's not bottom tier," you don't have an open mind. You said you want "a [chapter] that makes quota, which is nearly all of them." If you connected with a chapter that doesn't routinely make quota, and they were your only preference invite, would you still write them off? I understand not wanting to go aboard a "sinking ship" where a chapter has maybe 10% of the members as the rest of the chapters on campus and a bad attitude to boot, but if a chapter is a little smaller, and hasn't made quota in a while, it doesn't mean that no one finds the chapter valuable, and they might START making quota. I watched a chapter grow tremendously during my time at Maryland. In Spring 04 (when I went through), this chapter had about 5 new members on bid day (our quota is usually in the low 20s). The past two years, they not only made quota, they had the biggest pledge class! Now wouldn't someone with your leadership ability be just the person to help with this sort of turnaround?

5. A good fit with the chapter: This is the most subjective aspect. You might feel like you fit, but the chapter might feel otherwise. Even if you are at a chapter where you don't fit, they will want you to leave with a pleasant taste in your mouth, and some will try to make you believe you'd fit in perfectly.
You said that you lost 100 lbs, which is great for your health and your outlook on life. Some chapters, particularly those that have to make a lot of cuts in the beginning of recruitment, will automatically cut overweight PNMs (I didn't say it is right, just stating a fact you probably already know). You allude to your pre-weight loss personality as being insecure, shy, and negative. Regardless of your weight, these are not personality traits that make you a fun person to be around. Have you become a more positive, confident, and outgoing person after your weight loss?

A few more things:

This is your 3rd semester at your new school. Why have you not gone through recruitment here? (Or have you and you just didn't say?) Are either of your legacy groups here?

As far as transferring back to your old school, do what you need to do for your education and career plans, whether you stay put, transfer back, or transfer elsewhere. Joining a sorority should not be more important than your education. With that said, it might look kind of weird to chapters that you transferred twice (and back to your original school). Be prepared to explain yourself.

I don't really have any specific advice for your younger sister, other than read the "general advice" thread. It is really informative and comprehensive.

It is impossible to predict whether you will get a bid as a junior. You have nothing to lose by trying again, as long as you can handle the possibility of rejection again.