The Jobless Class of '72

By choice or by chance, over half of the Class of 1972, found themselves with nowhere to go and nothing to do after graduation.

A report on the Harvard Radcliffe Class of 72, which was released yesterday by the Office of Graduate and Career Plans, revealed that half the students seeking employment had not found jobs by June. One out of three in the class had not even determined his or her career plans, the report showed.

The figures are based on a survey of Harvard and Radcliffe seniors at the time of graduation.

Some of the seniors' problems might have been caused by a tight job market. But this alone does not explain all the seniors' career problems. The report showed that those students who were planning on business careers were unwilling to make long-term commitments. It also said that many of the students who wanted to go on to graduate school also wanted to take a breather from the academic regimen.

It remains for members of the Class of 1972 to discover whether they can make a full-time career out of part-time jobs.