If the myth of coming to Harvard is "sink or swim," most first-years might be forgiven for anticipating a life on the ocean floor.

The stereotypes of Harvard advising call to mind a leaky life raft with no oars. First-years are told not to expect any help when they pass through the gates of the Yard.

In fact, a wide range of resources is available to first-years, and their experiences are as diverse as each incoming class. But even students who remember their advisers fondly wish the program had adapted better to their needs.

Some students develop relationships with proctors or non-resident advisers that are of enormous value to them throughout their Harvard years and beyond. Others tell tragic tales of advisers who become part of their problems rather than helping solve them. Nearly everyone has a story to tell.

But out of the anecdotes swapped in Annenberg, a particular pattern emerges. For many first-years, the advising process is an innocuous hurdle; a few others build lasting friendships with their proctors and non-resident advisers. But everyone agrees improvements are in order.

Students and administrators say the system is like a lottery.

A minority of first-years is paired with non-resident advisers who often share their interests. For them, there's the chance to get to know an adult who they wouldn't otherwise meet and who can often bring a valuable perspective.

Most, though, get proctors who must function as jacks of all trades. Many students say their proctors are genuinely helpful and interested in their lives. But for others the relationship can seem forced, an accident of housing.