Shawn E. Lampron '79 did not expect any surprises from the Student Employment Office (SEO) when she applied to the College Work-Study Program for the fall term last month.

But the two-year veteran of the federally funded program was abruptly relieved of this illusion; SEO officials informed Lampron that her parents' small contribution to her college bills had disqualified her for Work-Study grants until at least December.

A very tight fall budget has limited the SEO to hiring only 85 Radcliffe students for the Work-Study program thus far, and it is using far stricter eligibility requirements than those applied to Harvard undergraduates.

These 85 Radcliffe students share one thing in common: their parents are unable to contribute any money to the cost of their daughters' education.

Lawrence E. Maguire '58, director of student employment, said yesterday that the parental contribution ceilings for both Harvard and Radcliffe undergraduates will probably rise in October, once his office learns how many of the 460 students initially accepted in the program decide to take on Work-Study employment.

In the meantime, the demand for Work-Study students far outstrips the supply: For every undergraduate who has been accepted to the program, three jobs await him or her in the basement of Byerly Hall.