Tradition Broken As 25% of '53's Escape English A

Another Harvard tradition fell by the wayside this year, as the usual 3 percent exemption from English A was upped to 25 percent.

The main difference between the new and the old systems is in the tests that are given to incoming Freshmen, according to Theodore Morrison '23, Director of English A.

"The old tests were designed only for the very top men," he said. "The new tests cover a broader range of ability."

Entrance Exams Considered

When the blue books are corrected, they are ranked in order of score, and the top 25 percent are exempted. In borderline cases, an English proficiency score based on entrance-exam performances is used.

291 out of 1100 Freshmen were exempted this year as compared with last year's 30 out of 1100.