But today Harvard is the hottest spot for transfers. The eight former Deep Springers in the Classes of 2000 and 2001 are the largest chunk of graduates at any college.

Wood says that while he has met plenty of new people, the existing group of Deep Springers eased his transition to Harvard this fall.

"Our major networks of friends are not Deep Springers, but we see each other pretty frequently," he says.

Everyone who went to Deep Springs remarks on the value of that network. After living with the same 25 men, working with them in the fields, arguing with them in class and on committees, Deep Springers say they know each other as well as people can, for good and ill.

"Deep Springs is less about friendships and more about...getting to know people even if they're not your friends--to live with people who you know," Kshirsagar says.

The close quarters and difficult labor build ties quickly. So does the all-male environment. Without the distractions of relationships and dating, Deep Springers turn to each other for emotional support.

"I've had female friends at Harvard say we're close to each other in a way that women are close," Gravois says.

In the culture at large, he says, men are often afraid to express affection for fear of having their masculinity questioned. But at Deep Springs, confining gender roles are less important.