Others say the hours students put into the class--several students estimated that they spend a minimum of 10 hours per week on the course--justifies getting credit semester after semester.

HRO President Laura M. Bacon '02 says her past experience in the class more than justifies its credit-giving position.

"I would definitely stress that you were working as hard as you would for a regular class," Bacon says. "People work for it and prepare for it and put as much thought into it as you would another class.

Bacon also points out that students who do not play in an on-campus musical group can take Music 180r, "Performance and Analysis." Like Music 91r and 93r, the seminar can be taken repeatedly.

Still, the unusually high proportion of As given out raises a few eyebrows.

"There are people who have received less than an A, but they have to really screw up," says HRO Conductor and 93r supervisor James Yannatos.

Everett acknowledges the disproportionately high percentage of As awarded in the course, but says the classes' self-selecting nature explains the grades.

"Because the students are self-motivated in a project of their own choosing and in an area of their special interest...the students generally throw 100 percent of themselves into these special opportunities," he says.