As is appropriate to a college where classes start seven minutes past the hour, Valentine's Day will hit Harvard a bit late.

More than 700 students--about 300 of which were first-years--registered this week for datamatch, a computerized dating service sponsored by the Undergraduate Council.

This is the first time that the council has sponsored the service, which pairs would-be lovers with their perfect mates, and the response has been encouraging, according to Jinesh N. Shah '98, the council member who proposed the service.

"We thought the response from the freshmen was really good," said Clay M. West '97, secretary of the council's Campus Life Committee. "We were a little disappointed with the houses, though. This is probably the kind of thing we'll have to do for a couple of years for it to really catch on."

West said council representatives will distribute the results of the Valentine's Day datamatch in the dining halls next Wednesday. For a dollar fee, each participant will receive a list ranking 10 to 15 other students based on their compatibility ratings.

The belated Valentines will get the opportunity to meet at a council sponsored dance tentatively planned for Saturday, February 22. While the details of the event are not yet finalized, council members say they will spare no expense when it comes to love.

The Council is considering either financing a DJ and decorating a dining hall for the dance or holding the event at the Spaghetti Club.

The council plans to continue the event in the future and hopes to increase participation.

"Really we should be pleased with the 700 students this year," Shah said. "But next year I think we need to set the goal of getting 1500 students involved."

Council members said they regret that the event is so late and that they hope to be able to move the service up a week in the future so that it actually takes place on Valentine's Day.

"We had a lot of events going on right before this one like the Chucklehead concert, not to mention finals," West said. "So we had to put the event off for a week."

West said the council felt this kind of an event was necessary because of a lack of amorous activity on campus.

"The whole atmosphere is very competitive here," West said. "What with the huge workloads, there isn't a lot of time left for 'extra-curricular' activities."

According to Joseph G. Cleeman '98, the council is right.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's a way to find a girlfriend," Cleeman said. "I need a girlfriend. Desperately. Actually, print my phone number in the paper, too."