<p>This sounds eerily like sorority rush.</p>
<p>How on earth is this process accomplished with 2,000 applicants? There must be some initial weeding-out process where the woe-unto-you-who-darken-our-doors apps are stacked in a broom closet before the advocating process begins.</p>
<p>You know what would be cool -- if HYP etc. 'referred' the applicants they were rejecting out to schools they thought would be appropriate for the applicant, sort of like 'recommending' you to a place they think would be a better match. Then that school could contact you, determine your level of interest and move from there instead of starting all over with the application process...</p>