Harvard has regained its position as the nation's number one money-attracting university.

Collecting almost $39 million from a variety of private sources including alumni, foundations, and bequests, Harvard topped Stanford, last year's winner in the dollar sweepstakes, by nearly $3 million. Cornell amassed some $27.7 million for third and Yale $22.5 million for fourth. The figures for fiscal year 1963-64, compiled by John Price Jones Company, Inc., New York firm of financial consultants, now that all eight Ivy League colleges rank among the nation's top twenty universities in private gifts. Dartmouth, the poorest, received $5.3 million in gifts. And Pennsylvania, the second poorest, received $9.6 million.

According to the report, called "American philanthropy for Higher Education," Radcliffe received $2.2 million in gifts, but ranked sixth among the seven sisters. Its sum, however, represents an increase of almost a half million dollars for fiscal 1962-63.

Last year, Harvard collected only $36 million, $2.5 million less than Stanford. During the past 15 years, Harvard has rated first ten times and second the other five. Since fiscal 1957-58, the University has received more than $30 million in gifts and during 1960-61 and 1961-62 took in more than $40 million.

Ford Grant Not Counted

This year's total does not include the $12.5 million Ford Foundation grant awarded to the University last month, because the fiscal year ends in June. The grant was the largest single gift ever received by the University.

Harvard's successful fund-raising apparatus is presided over by James R. Reynolds '23, assistant to the president for development. Almost all of the graduate schools carry on their own financial campaigns under his general direction.

About one third of all private gifts are bequests, $12.2 million last year. The Harvard College Fund, which solicits from alumni of the College, collected $3.4 million in 1963-64. This year's goal is $2.7 million, and fiscal 1964-66 in $3 million. "We expect to achieve them both," James A. Rousmaniere '40, director, said yesterday.

"Our biggest problem is convincing Harvard alumni that Harvard is not too rich," John A. Dromey, assistant director, commented.