Although the large lectures draw a great deal of attention, most teaching at Harvard actually does go on in smaller groups, according to Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William R. Fitzsimmons '67.

Fitzsimmons says that, compared to the four courses last spring with enrollment over 500 (and seven more above 300), there were about 540 courses with fewer than 20 people.

Still, for all their plusses, small courses at Harvard--whether taught by grad students or Robert Coles himself--are not without their drawbacks.

Students trying to section last week for Expository Writing, a staple of the "first-year experience" taught in classes of about 12 people, found out that some sacrifice would be required to register in the section of their choice.

Pawel Dobrowolski '95, who skipped classes and breakfast to stand in line in front of the Harvard Union, found out that a little wasn't enough.

"I got there at 7 a.m., and there were already 15 people ahead of me," Dobrowolski said.

Indeed, Dobrowolski had to take his place in line behind the likes of Jonathan B. Shanker '95, who secured a spot at the beginning of the line by camping out in front of the Union the night before sectioning.

Shanker said "he had to do it."

The Freshman Seminar Program, for example, which is the crown jewel of Harvard's effort at making the College a real liberal arts school, went through the unpleasant rituals of rejecting eager first-year applicants this week.

And although the administrators of the program wouldn't release exact numbers, Gerald F. DeNault, the assistant director, said that about 400 students are turned away each year.

Coles's seminar, for example, drew 70 applicants for its 10 spots.

The seminars, important enough to the University higher-ups for Neil L. Rudenstine to declare teaching one to be among his top priorities, drew some harsh criticism from first-year students who were rejected.

Many frosh say that they had applied for more than one seminar and received spots in none.

But those turned away from frosh seminars were not the only ones facing academic rejection this semester.

Although there were surprisingly few lotteries this term, three classes did resort to booting students from their lecture halls to trim down to a maximum enrollment.