"This year is clearly the most diverse andleast affluent of any early admitted group we'vehad," he says.

Fitzsimmons maintains that early action"doesn't mean poor students will get shut out.People have been predicting that we'd get richerand richer [by accepting more students earlyaction], and that's just not the case."

The fact that black and Hispanic students madethe greatest gains in this year's early actioncycle would seem to signal progress in theCollege's attempt to have the early action poolmore closely match the demographic make-up of theentering class.

Fitzsimmons says Harvard has long been anattractive destination for minority students.

"We have the strongest group of minoritystudents in the country here--all kinds of studiesshow that the quality of the student bodygenerally, and the strength of the minoritystudents specifically, has been a big draw,"Fitzsimmons says.

His feelings are seconded by student leaders.

Dionne A. Fraser '99, president of the BlackStudents Association, says "Harvard offers aspecial environment for blacks because many ofstudents here are at the top of their game."

Referring to a Black Enterprise poll scheduledto appear in the magazine's January issue, whichplaced Harvard 28th in a list of the top 50institutions for black students, Fitzsimmons saidHarvard should strive to do better.

"Harvard should not congratulate itself onbeing 28th. Better that than being lower, but thatpoints to what we need to do," he says.Fitzsimmons singled out the need to intensifyrecruiting efforts for minority students