As they explore Yale today and tomorrow, hundreds of high school seniors will decide if they want to call New Haven home for the next four years.

More than one-third of the of the 2,000 students admitted to Yale’s Class of 2005 have signed up to attend this year’s Bulldog Days, an event that showcases Yale to newly admitted students. The 700 students attending the program along with hundreds of parents will face a tight schedule of panels, fairs and entertainment.

Yale is aiming to enroll a freshman class of 1,300, or 65 percent of admitted students — a matriculation rate comparable to those of past years. Already, 526 students who were admitted in the early decision round are committed to being Bulldogs.

Some admitted students will place great weight on this week’s pre-orientation program when deciding whether to attend the University, admissions officials said.

Registration begins at 8:30 this morning, and official activities begin with a welcoming ceremony at 2:15 in Battell Chapel. Main events include the academic and extra-curricular bazaars Tuesday afternoon, said James Nondorf, Yale’s director of recruiting.

Tuesday evening will be highlighted by college life panels and a performance by several of Yale’s student groups. Wednesday will feature panels on financial aid and New Haven. A goodbye reception will be held Wednesday at 4 p.m.

This year’s Bulldog Days is one of the shortest ever. Last year, Yale hosted pre-frosh at two separate events — a one-day session and a two-day session. Very few students attended the one-day session, prompting Yale to hold only the two-day event this year. Bulldog Days dates back 20 years and has often lasted three or four days.

Last year, Yale held the two-day session on a Monday and Tuesday. Nondorf said it was impossible to hold the event near a weekend this year because of religious holidays and the second Tercentennial weekend.

This week, 250 current Yale students will host the pre-frosh in their rooms. The hosts are mostly freshmen, but include upperclassmen in nearly every college. Nondorf said he was amazed by the number of students willing to help with Bulldog Days.

“Considering this is the last week of school, we really appreciate their help,” Nondorf said.

Mark Hanudel ’03, a Bulldog Days coordinator, said the hosts will not need to worry about the pre-frosh too much because the pre-frosh will be busy.

“With all the hosts with so much stuff to do this week” Hanudel said, “it was important for us to pack the schedule.”