The first-ever Quad formal sold out yesterday, as students snapped up the last of the 600 tickets and left several angry undergraduates without access to the December 10 dance.

The tickets went on sale December 2. Cabot, Currier and North Houses were each allotted 200 tickets. Approximately 1000 undergraduates live in the Quad.

"We really didn't expect to sell out this quickly," said Charmaine T. Chiu '96. Cabot House's formal committee chair.

Cabot House tickets sold out Monday night, Currier House Tuesday night. North House sold its 50 remaining tickets within the first half hour of dinner yesterday.

"This week has been crazy," said North House co-chair Marcos D. Velayos '95. "A lot of people were disappointed; some people were angry about it."

North House resident Christopher T. Lewis '96 said he was dissatisfied with the shortage of tickets.

"I'm highly upset because my date and I have already gone through the preparations," he said. His date already bought a dress for the event, he said.

"This is ridiculous," Lewis said. "They knew that a lot of people would want to come to this."

But tickets sold out faster than expected, according to Chiu, Currier House committee chair Susan S. Lee '96 and Currier social chair Elizabeth A. Thomas '96.

"[It's] unprecedented for an event to sell out so early," Lee said.

Cabot House resident Claire A. Haafi '97, who managed to buy a ticket, expressed sympathy for those who missed out.

"It is a shame that people who could have had a good time are unable to," Baafi said.

But according to Currier House treasurer Zachary T. Buchwald '96, at least one North House resident who couldn't get a ticket earlier will be able to attend the formal.

Buchwald said he saw two North House residents on the shuttle bus. "One mentioned that he had two formal tickets that he didn't need," he said. "They haggled, and one agreed to buy them for $50." Pairs of tickets cost $30 at the houses.

North House resident Adam J. Sass '96 said he anticipated not being able to get tickets.

"I figured out from early on that I wouldn't be able to get tickets," Sass said. "People behind he started talking about...ask[ing] for their house dues back."

People who could not get tickets at their respective houses put their names on waiting lists. Remaining tickets would have gone to them first before the sale was opened up to the general Harvard community, Chiu said.

The formal will take place at the Wang Center in Boston, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday