Salenger's best friend, Natasha Gregson Wagner, says, "Meredith may be a little egotistical, but not to the point where it's become a problem. She's a great friend. She's bouncy, perky and fun to be with."

Wagner, who is the daughter of Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, adds that few of Salenger's fellow performers envy her education.

"I don't think too many of them are smart enough to realize how admirable what she's doing is," Wagner says.

Salenger says she has plans for the future. After graduation, she hopes to attend the University of Southern California's film school to learn directing. She will also continue scriptwriting. And of course, she plans to keep up her acting career.

"I'd like to keep playing diverse roles with depth," Salenger says. "I like playing strong-willed characters that go through a metamorphosis, like my character in The Kiss."

Salenger says she also hopes to work on the Broadway stage, but a slight problem has prevented her from auditioning yet.

"Believe it or not, I have stage fright," Salenger says. "Ever since I began with camera work, I've been terrified in front of an audience. But I'll deal with that later."

Salenger says she is presently making costumes for the all-male Hasty Pudding Theatricals production, but she doesn't plan to audition for Harvard productions.

"I'll check the Common Casting [brochure] to see if anything really interests me, but I doubt it," she said before the start of this semester. "I'm probably just afraid of rejection."

But her mother does not see rejection in the tea leaves.

"I think Meredith feels, 'Oh my God, is Hollywood going to open its doors when I come back? Lewis says. But, she adds, "I think the industry will respect her for pursuing an education."

And Salenger says she feels the same way.

"People ask me how I do it all. If you just do it it will happen. I'm going to work hard to get the best education I can and be the best actress I can be. I think with hard work and optimism, people can achieve whatever they want," she says. "What I've done is really nothing special."