"I think how society views women and men andthe fact that men are encouraged to go on [toupper level math and science courses]...that hasto change before we'll see any differences in testscores," he added.

Gordon took a very different stance. Hesuggested that changing the tests would decreasethe gender gap substantially.

"How do you change it? You get rid of questionsthat talk about polo," he said. "You look at thequestions, determine who they are geared to andmake sure you're not going to give any one groupan advantage."

"[Educational Testing Services] and The CollegeBoard don't have any incentive to change the test,other than to get themselves off the hot seat,"Gordon continued. "It's parents, students andcolleges who have to say that we can't use thetest because they are biased, that the tests haveto change."

Director of Admissions and Financial Aid MarlynMcGrath Lewis '70, however, said Harvard'sadmissions process is not affected by thisdiscrepancy in test scores and National MeritScholarship awards.

"In our admission process, we look at a numberof factors very closely. Test scores, high schoolrecord, enthusiastic recommendations are allconsidered," said Lewis. "Test scores are neverdecisive. We would be foolish to base thisdecision on one factor. Test scores are not usedin any formulaic way."

Lewis said the admissions office recognizedthat men do better on standardized tests thanwomen.

"Women here, as a group, have slightly lowertest scores. They do at any school. That doesn'tmean they aren't as strong academically or won'tdo as well here," she said.

Because of Harvard's financial aid procedures,women are not punished for their poorerperformance in the National Merit Scholarshipcompetition, McGrath said.

"We are in the happy position of basing aid ondemonstrated need. A student who came with acertain amount of scholarship money will receiveless aid, and a student without scholarship moneywill receive more," she added