"Originally, I never wanted to come to Harvard because I really thought it was a lot of nerdy, straight-laced people," she says. "I didn't have any concept of class other than my own [class]."

"No question that if you come from a blue-collar or less affluent background, you face a more difficult transition here, and also in your background and growing up you had access to far fewer resources," acknowledges William R. Fitzsimmons '67, dean of admissions and financial aid. "There's no question that the deck is stacked out there in the real world against those who come from blue-collar backgrounds. That can be seen very directly in the steep correlations between SAT scores and socioeconomic backgrounds."

Fitzsimmons notes that Harvard recruiters do seek out talented students in inner-city and rural high schools. But since these high schools generally have fewer resources, it's more difficult to find inner-city and rural students who look qualified on paper.

In addition to lack of counseling and Advanced Placement courses, students in poorer communities are also far less likely to have access to exam-preparation courses that teach strategies for doing well on standardized tests, or to be able to hire private college counselors, a tactic increasingly resorted to by anxious students.

But Fitzsimmons says the admissions staff is particularly impressed by students who have had to face difficult barriers on the path to college.

"Some people were literally beaten up for bringing books home by peers, and in many cases had to resist extreme peer pressure that would encourage people not to study," he says.

Costs and Culture

The decision to matriculate is obviously affected by a number of factors. For many, college costs weigh heavily.

Davis says that Harvard's guarantee of meeting the full financial need of all accepted students was a major component in his decision to attend.

Even for students not on financial aid, college costs were--and are still--an important consideration.

A small inheritance prevented the family of Charles C. Savage '98 from receiving financial aid from Harvard, but steep tuition costs compel the sophomore to work 15 hours a week.

"It was expected of me in a big way," says the English concentrator, who lives in Fort Wayne, Ind. "They were making a lot of sacrifices and it was expected that I would contribute through a term-time job and a full-time summer job."

Savage pays for all his books and living expenses, and recently purchased a computer; his parents cover tuition, room and board.

Costs are not the only prohibitive factor for middle- or working-class students deciding whether or not to attend Harvard. Many students say the glossy admissions brochures and cocktail receptions at the tony Harvard Clubs spread throughout the country intimidate rather than entice.

Still, Fitzsimmons is optimistic about Harvard's ability to attract students from different class backgrounds. "The reality is that the future leadership of this country are going to come from an increasing variety of ethnic and economic backgrounds," he said. "One of the things we are doing here is educating future leaders. Everybody has their own set of obstacles that they need to overcome."