1,137 early action applicants will start this year's holiday season with cheer when they learn that they have been accepted to Harvard's Class of 2004.

They are only a slightly smaller group than last year's 1,185 early admits, but they are a much smaller fraction of the early applicant pool--only 18.9 percent--compared to last year's 25.9 percent. The total number of early applicants jumped 31.8 percent this year.

The acceptances were mailed out yesterday--along with 4,617 notices of deferral and 220 rejections.

"The admitted group included unusually promising potential scholars in all fields," said Director of Admissions Marlyn McGrath Lewis '70. "We believe they have much to offer their teachers and fellow classmates in the years ahead."

According to Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William R. Fitzsimmons '67, this year's outcome is not a complete surprise. He said that the number of admits is consistent with the range of 900 to 1,200 established over the last few years, since the admissions staff acts conservatively in extending early offers of admission.

"We've always been conscious of the need to make certain that we don't find ourselves in the position of turning down stronger students later," Fitzsimmons said, "and this year is no exception."

Harvard's early action program, now almost a quarter-century old, has become the choice of an increasingly large number of college applicants, particularly over the past decade. The program's growth accelerated even further in 1995-96, when several other top schools moved to binding early decision programs, which require students to attend if they are admitted.

Yale and Princeton both use early decision rather than early action.