I would contact Jeannie Davis in the admissions department, she's super friendly and very helpful. I was under the understanding that the pre-interview hold indicates that there may be something in your application that is incomplete or needs verification, but she would be the one to ask as to what it means for your application. Going from there, I believe that they review all of the active applications before every interview. Also, while the school does favor applicants with ties to the NW, there's no hierarchy I'm aware of as far as how they look at the applicants. One thing I love about the school is that they look for well-rounded individuals who will fit in to our community, not just students with great stats. Hopefully this cleared up some things for you, and I'd definitely get in contact with Jeannie regarding the pre-interview hold.