Dunster and Winthrop Houses have admitted the highest number of transfer applicants this semester, accepting 14 and 12 students respectively, a survey of House secretaries showed yesterday.

Kirkland and Quincy Houses accepted the fewest number of transfer applications, admitting none and two applicants respectively.

These figures exclude Eliot and North Houses, whose secretaries declined to release transfer information yesterday.

Although the number of transfer applicants increased over last semester, this year's total for both semesters decreased by about half from last year's total, Ann B. Spence, assistant dean of the College, said yesterday.

New Transfer System

The main reason for the decline is that with the new transfer system under Dean Fox's housing plan, students who are admitted into the Houses to which they apply are required to move there, causing only students who definitely wish to transfer to apply, Spence added.

More students applied to Winthrop and Dunster than any other Houses, and Kirkland and Currier Houses received the fewest number of applications.

Spence said she does not believe the number of applicants to a particular House necessarily reflects the popularity of that House.

No Room at Kirkland

Instead, those figures may reflect student response to information distributed last month revealing the prospects of admission into each House, Spence said.

Kirkland, for example, is a traditionally popular House, but because House officials indicated there would be no room for transfers Kirkland received only one applicant, Spence said.

The criteria for selection is based on each House's class and sex balances, with emphasis on seniority, Spence said. Within those categories, selection is completely random, she added.

Most House secretaries contacted yesterday said they adhered to those criteria in their selection processes, but officials at Adams House said students with friends in the House tended to have an advantage over others.

Sheila Schimmel, Lowell House secretary, said she considered whether or not students would "fit into Lowell House" in judging applications.

Decentralized

Under this year's transfer system each House makes its own transfer decisions, instead of relying on the central authority of a housing office in University Hall.

In addition, a lower and upper limit has been set on the student population in each House.

Under last year's system priority was given to students assigned to their last-choice Houses. This year, however, emphasis is placed on seniority.

The largest number of departures this semester were at South and Leverett Houses, which lost 18 and 10 students, respectively.