COURSE selection, reading period and the housing lottery are just a few of the things that make Harvard a confusing place. Yardlings, who've never experienced the necessary and unnecessary silliness before, need the kind of advice upperclassmen can provide.

Since there aren't many opportunities for them to meet upperclassmen in the Yard, the University could ease matters by making upperclassmen part of the freshman advising system.

The three-year-old prefect program, in which upperclassmen are assigned to visit freshmen entryways, represents one attempt Harvard has made to ease the transition for newcomers into College life. The prefect program, however, is beset with problems. A battery of new reforms will make things a bit better for the Class of '91 than they used to be, but the reforms don't address the program's essential flaw.

Proctors are responsible for providing freshmen with academic and personal advice. And the upperclass prefect's primary charge is not to interfere. They, it is made abundantly clear, are not to discuss academics. Yet prefects have working knowledge of the academic scene, and many proctors have no direct experience with undergraduate courses.

Prefects are left playing den mother, planning parties and excursions. Further complicating matters, as prefects have complained, is the failure of the Freshman Dean's Office to provide adequate training or enough ongoing guidance.

The new reforms deal only with this second shortcoming. Prefects now attend a five-day orientation program and receive an official handbook. They also will meet monthly to share ideas and discuss problems.

Although steps in the right direction, these reforms still don't permit prefects to offer freshmen what they need most: tried advice about Harvard--which, after all, includes a large academic component.

If the University isn't committed to making sophomores, juniors and seniors real parts of its advising system, then it at least shouldn't reduce upperclassmen to playing the role of official--and gagged--friend. Harvard can choose advisors; let freshmen choose their friends.