While substantial in numerical terms,admissions officials said the early actionincrease could have been predicted three years agowhen Princeton, Yale and Stanford went to bindingearly decision programs. That year, Harvard hadits largest jump in early applications and thenumber has grown every year since.

Fitzsimmons gives partial credit to the buzzsurrounding applying early to college.

"The more `applying early' gets talked about inthe media and among families, the more likely youare to see some increases over time," he said.

While the number of early action admissionscontinues to increase, Harvard officials maintainthat is because the pool itself continues tobecome larger and more talented, not due todecreased standards.

"I am not concerned about the increasing numberof early action admissions at Harvard, given thatthe pool of candidates was very large and strong,"Lewis wrote.

Admissions officers maintain that despite thelarge pool, they can identify students that shouldbe accepted.

"Whenever the quality [applicant] responds weare committed to respond to that quality whetherit's the first or last application accepted," saidDavid L. Evans, a senior admissions officer.

Byerly Hall officials spent 10- to 12-hour dayssix days a week for more than two months. Havingsifted through 4,588 early action applications,admissions officers were able to relax thisweekend "without feeling guilty," Evans said.

For his part Fitzsimmons maintains that hisoffice continues to treat the early action poolthe same.

"What has happened is we are admitting the samepeople year in and year out, but on a slightlydifferent timetable," Fitzsimmons said."Ultimately the system is thorough enough that thesame decision will be made either way."

Admitted students have until May 1 to notifyHarvard of their enrollment decision