Seemingly, this statement means that the unlucky green slip holder can not take a course for credit in English, no matter how hard he tries. Of course, this is not so, since the cryptic inscription really designates an "unassigned" credit in English. But for the English concentrator the problem has only begun. Technically, he holds a credit for Freshman English, which, of course, does not exist at the University. For this reason, English Department officials generally have expressed some reluctance to accept this "unassigned" credit for use toward a B.A. in English, especially where Honors work is involved.

Represents Upheaval

Of course, reluctance of this sort is understandable. It represents quite an upheaval, no doubt, to require acceptance of a credit for a not too sharply defined course given in high school. Other Departments besides English have similar qualms. Yet, unless the Departments give full credence to A.P. credits, the value of the program can never be fully realized.

Probably the biggest academic hitch in the Advanced Placement plan is the A.P. Sophomore's forced choice of major. With the speeded-up Honors program and its sophomore essays, junior generals, and the like, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the selection of a field of concentration must be made at the beginning of Sophomore year, if at all possible. A choice delayed to the middle of Sophomore year is risky but conceivable. As far as Honors goes, no choice made any later is likely to yield a successful Honors candidate.

A student who can amass enough learning to get Advanced Placement in three courses is often one with widespread interests. Not all A. P. students get advancement in Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics; some get it in Mathematics, American History, and French. Thus, a boy with enough interest in widely separated areas to take stiff, advanced classes in all of them must almost immediately make up his mind to forsake two of them. One of the greatest benefits of Freshman year is that it can give an opportunity to consider the problem of devoting one's self to a single area.

Some Should Reject

There is as yet no answer to this problem. The choice of field must be made, and it must be made with all possible speed. Wilcox himself admits that perhaps the only solution for students who can not decide on a major is to reject Sophomore Standing and think it over for a year.

The social problem is at best only a potential menace to the institution of Sophomore Standing. Associations and friendships at Harvard are not determined by class standings and the new Sophomore is free to live either in an upperclass House or in the Yard. Of the 55 A.P. students with this choice, only nine took the option of living in a House.

At least two causes for the large percentage of Yard-dwellers seem obvious. First there is the familiar chant, "Everybody lives in the Yard." Incoming Sophomores, especially those with Harvard fathers, often feel that the Yard is a part of College life not to be missed. Furthermore, the new Sophomore likes to seek friends at his own age level; in the Yard he is equal to all in years while being superior to most in scholastic attainment. In its circular, the A.P. Department proposes a compromise plan: let the new Sophomore live in the Yard for a term, and then let him move to a House. This rarely happens, however; only 12 sophomores of the 45 remaining in the Yard even contemplated such a transfer, according to a poll taken at the middle of the Fall Term.

Extracurricular Disadvantage

A major disadvantage of Sophomore Standing is that it hinders advancement in activities. Even if the A.P. Sophomore plunges right into his chosen extracurricular endeavor, he has only two years to work toward elective or appointive office.

The problem of extracurricular activities is easily met by what Wilcox calls "the most beneficial and least known provision of the program." The A.P. Sophomore is free to delay his degree a year and spend two terms as an undergraduate taking a number of courses in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

This freedom has opened up the possibility of an M.A. in the fourth year. The GSAS, however, not wanting admission to the Grad School and an early M.A. to become ipso facto prerogatives of students with Sophomore Standing, has imposed restrictions. A student remaining in the College for an extra year must apply for M.A. candidacy on the same basis as a normal applicant. If accepted, he can then, upon completion of the required courses, receive both his B.A. and his M.A. at the end of his fourth year. Wilcox calls this "the hottest thing in the A.P. program."

"Anything Reasonable"

The early M.A. is just an example of the many opportunities for advancement and special training that are opened each year to deserving students by the Program of Advanced Standing. Under Wilcox, a tireless innovator, the number of possibilities is sure to grow and multiply. As he told this fall's meeting of new Sophomores, "You are the program. We will try to help you do anything that seems reasonable and fair."