But despite the sea of uncertainty associated with startups, many students are sticking by them. Computer science concentrators and others say the excitement of working at a potentially lucrative dot-com is worth the risk.

"I think some people are really attracted to the experience you get working 50 feet away from the company founder," David J. Mitby '01 says. "The hope is [the risk] produces some gains, both in terms of experience and financially."

Gambling on Greatness

Last summer, Mitby, a computer science concentrator, worked at a technology startup called Tellme Networks.

Mitby says he met Tellme's vice-president of production at last year's dedication of the Maxwell-Dworkin building. Tellme's CEO visited Harvard that November, and after meeting him, Mitby decided Tellme would be a stimulating place to work.

"Tellme builds infrastructure for the telephone network, not just the computer network," he says. "It is a unique way to look at an old medium."

Mitby says he views Tellme as less of a risk than other startups because it has big-name backers and founders who have already been successful in the computer industry.

But while not all startups can claim that, many soon-to-be-graduates say they still aren't too wary of companies that might not be around this time next year.