Nervous high schooners around the country will scurry home to their mailboxes and hassle their postal workers next week, eager to hear from the college of their choice.

Would-be Yearlings, however, face stiffer competition this year in Harvard's Early Action program than ever before.

For the fourth straight year, the number of Harvard's early applicants has reached a record level, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William R. Fitzsimmons '67 said yesterday.

Exactly 3000 people applied under this year's Early Action program-352 more than for the Class of 1998.

"There is no question that this [increase] is a trend," Fitzsimmons said.

In addition, this year's pool has seen a significant increase in the number of minority applicants.

Although they account for less than four percent of all Early Action candidates, the number of Blacks applying this year increased by 32 percent over the previous year, to 115 from 87 applicants.

Other groups less represented on campus, including Latinos and Native Americans, applied in greater numbers for the class of 1999. The number of Latinos applying rose by 44 percent, from 63 to 91 applicants.

Fitzsimmons attributed much of the increase in minority applications to increased recruiting; both through direct mailings and school visits by admissions officers.

"For the African-American numbers to be up 32 percent is certainly encouraging," said Fitzsimmons, adding that it is too early to point to any long-range trends.

Not all minorities saw an increase in the number of applicants, however.

The number of Asian-American applicants actually dropped by five, from 709 last year to 704 this year.

Fitzsimmons cautioned that the increase in applicants would not necessarily mean that more minorities would be accepted.

"We simply go through case by case, person by person," Fitzsimmons said.

The dean downplayed speculation that Harvard's switch to the common application this year fueled the increase.

"What we have said before when asked about this, especially in the long term, is that it would have a very modest effect," Fitzsimmons said.

He pointed out that this year's increase was not a sudden spike, but the continuation of a five year trend.

Fitzsimmons said the adoption of the common application was designed to help poor and rural students who might not otherwise apply to Harvard.

The University will stay with the non-binding Early Action program, despite policy changes at other Ivy League schools, Fitzsimmons said.

"There'll be plenty of changes else-where next year," Fitzsimmons said, "but we're happy with the Early Action program.