The single-track focus on such careers led Houses to create public service tutors and other initiatives to ensure their seniors considered more non-traditional career paths.

“I recall discussion among the masters concerned about fascination with business and going out to make a lot of money,” McCarthy says.

Despite these concerns, Saunders, bound for Teach for America, says the attitude still exists both inside and outside the College that many public service jobs—such as teaching—are “the kind of jobs Harvard students shouldn’t be doing.”

But she says she did find the tutors in Quincy House supportive of her efforts to obtain a public service job and believes the resources at Harvard are improving for students interested in service.

The decreased pressure to go into a certain set of high-paying jobs has also led OCS to see an increase in the number of seniors thinking critically about their plans instead of just following what Wright-Swadel calls “the lemming effect” into consulting or I-banking.

While this kind of reflection may not make the job hunt easy, students often get rewarded in the end for their efforts.

“The process has been more stressful for students, but students who have been persistent have found quite fulfilling jobs,” Onie says.

And ultimately the Class of 2003 seems to be taking the economic problems in stride.

“Harvard students know that they’re always employable,” says Cabot House Co-Master James H. Ware. “There’s a certain amount of anxiety, but I don’t sense it’s out of control.”

Even those entering the real world tomorrow without plans are able to look on the bright side.

“I remain hopeful,” Pereira says. “It’s an issue of perseverance.”

—Jenifer L. Steinhardt contributed to the reporting of this story.

—Staff writer Daniel P. Mosteller can be reached at mosteller@post.harvard.edu.