Secret IQ test hidden in internet application

I have been stuck at home with a nasty cold because working in schools means you really shouldn't suck it up if you're contagious. And while there's been a fair amount of sniffling around in my bathrobe, being stuck at home mostly means applications for grad schools.

Somewhere in this great country there are two lost and lonely recommendation letters trying to get to California. Perhaps they will meet each other, commandeer a mail truck and drive to Canada. But I have no use for them anymore, because I personally drove a third, identical letter to the Letter Service (not in Canada). And that done, all that's left is about a dozen applications to fill out. And write papers for. And spend ridiculous amounts of money to send official bits of paper regarding my aptitude for difficult grammer (not good) and hip hop (B+) and community studying (BA) to various schools who can then compare them with other official bits of paper that probably have real things like "economics" and "politics" on them.

So I've been looking at a lot of online applications lately. I was mightily impressed with one from the University at Buffalo (SUNY) which asked whether my ethnicity was Latino/Hispanic (nope) and then gave several "race" options, all very neatly described in detail, in order to meet federal requirements in the most politically correct way. And it certainly solves that ridiculous problem of "white, not of Hispanic origin" since all white people are descended from Europe/Middle East/North Africa and speaking Spanish or English hasn't got a thing to do with it all.

And then I got to Columbia's, which inspired me to write this little bit in the first place. Before even starting the application — I haven't yet told them my name or my gender or my birthdate or anything — they want me to read about twenty separate web pages of instruction. And, judging from this first one, they are not particularly short. Now, I appreciate their effort to explain each bit, I've certainly had trouble with a few misleading directions (right at this moment, all my references are being asked to send a letter of rec, even though I've had a letter service take care of it. Which wasn't clear until after I submitted the application. And might sort of bug some of my references.). But really, can't you prompt me as I fill it out? Little links to helpful advice along the way? I suppose it ain't no thing, but reading all those instructions all at once is liable to give me a headache.

Perhaps it's a secret test? If I have to constantly look back at the instructions, maybe my brain isn't up to Columbia standards? I'd write it off as paranoia, but it actually seems like a pretty good idea.