The wealthy and well-counseled have traditionally dominated Harvard's early admission pool, but the admissions office maintains that this year's 9.3 percent jump in early applicants will not skew the class of 2003.

"It is true that the early application process has a much richer clientele than regular action," say William R. Fitzsimmons '67, dean of admissions and financial aid.

However, Fitzsimmons says the "competitive edge," or the level of achievement necessary for admission, does not vary much from year to year, regardless of whether the most qualified students apply in the early process or the regular one. Nor does the more affluent background of the early applicant pool mean that the diversity of the class changes, he says.

The mathematical odds are worse for regular admission candidates, if the College admits a large percentage of the class in early admissions, as happened last year.

Last year, approximately half of the class-or about 20 to 25 percent of the early applicant pool--was admitted early. The acceptance rate of regular applicants was significantly lower at 8 to 10 percent to fill the remaining half of the class.

Fitzsimmons says it is actually harder to get in early, because the staff is more conservative in trying not to over-admit.

Nonetheless, early applications continue to rise steadily, leading to what some call a "frenzy."

"The early admissions mania has spread," says B. Ann Wright, chief public relations officer at Smith College and an expert on college admissions and financial aid.

Originally intended for college-bound students who had already decided on their top choices, the earlyapplication option has now become a mainstay formany high school seniors, Wright says.

"There's no question that some of the peoplehave made their decisions too early," Fitzsimmonssays.

Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68expresses similar reservations.

"People really learn a lot during their senioryear about themselves and about what they wantfrom colleges and what various colleges can givethem," he says. "It is too bad that people arefeeling railroaded into making decisions early."

With the stakes raised in the game of highereducation, some students can be left out. Wrightsays this group tends to come from disadvantagedor under-represented backgrounds.

Fitzsimmons agrees that Harvard's earlyapplication pool generally has fewer minority andfinancial aid-seeking applicants, but this yearunder-represented groups began to catch up in theearly pool.

Applications from black students were up 27percent, and applications from Hispanic studentsrose 23 percent. International applications,typically scarce in the early application pool,rose 30 percent, and the financial aid portion ofthe pool rose from 65 percent to 71 percent thisyear.

A shift toward earlier admissions may actuallyhelp those who are less privileged, says Frank J.Balz, vice president of the National Associationof Independent Colleges and Universities.