pref

Isn't if you get asked back to two houses you basically go to those houses and then bacially tell which house you want that you want them??

You rank those houses 1 and 2 according to your preference. Houses also do the same with their bid lists. You will match with either one of them and will get a bid. Congratulations! You can certainly tell a house that you feel that you really belong there but don't go so far as to say specifically 'I want a bid from you.' Houses don't know where else you are preffing and you shouldn't tell them.

If you go to two houses for pref, and you LOVE "x" sorority but cannot see yourself in "y" sorority, a good strategy is to tell "y" that you are going to rank another sorority ahead of them. They will tell their group to put you at the bottom of their bid list (so they don't waste a top spot on you) and you would have a better chance of getting into "x" sorority, even if they don't list you very high. This is not a guarantee that you will get your first choice but only a strategy if you are not willing to accept your second choice, but must list two if you don't want to risk getting nothing. Also, This strategy will not work if you are a legacy to "y" because you will automatically go to the top of their bid list if you stay with them through pref.

While telling sorority y you're going sorority x worked before variable quota, it definitely is more risky this year. I cannot tell you how many people I know who went through recruitment who wanted me sorority, told us they wanted to be here on bid day, and then got their second choice. This also happened the other way around with girls getting us as their second choice after saying they found their home someplace else. Variable quota is good in some ways, but girls can't have their hopes as high anymore.