Ha adds that his age may place him at a disadvantage because he is applying to medical school.

"Occasionally I feel maybe I might be going into a Doogie Howser sort of syndrome, because as a doctor I won't be as seasoned as some people," Ha says.

Still, he defends his choice to enter Harvard at age 16.

"I really can't see what kind of a difference two years makes," he says.

Steven M. Gipstein '98-'97 is in a similar situation to Ha.

Gipstein says his early entrance has been the source of many minor problems.

"Right now all my friends are 21, and for obvious reasons that makes things difficult," he says.

Gipstein, who is also applying to medical school, says some are concerned about his age.

"The trend for med school admittance has been to recommend a year or two off after college, and me applying even earlier than normal...it means I go in with a strike against me," he says.

But on the whole, Gipstein says he made the right decision when he enrolled here three years ago.

"I think Harvard was where I needed to be at the time that I entered, and I was definitely ready," he says.