First-Years Browse At Concentration Fair

Memorial Hall was buzzing yesterday as more than 350 first-year students attended the Undergraduate Council's all-day concentration fair.

First-year students must submit a plan of study indicating their choice of concentration by the first week of reading period. Some honors programs require special applications due shortly after Spring Break.

Advice and Information

Representatives from each of Harvard's 40 departments spoke with interested first-years, giving them advice and information about the academic programs offered.

Undergraduates currently in the concentrations and graduate students in the tutorial and advising systems answered most of the questions.

Perennially popular departments like economics, government and English once again drew the largest crowds. Economics department officials said they ran out of copies of the guide to their programs.

Interest in `honors only' concentrations seemed particularly high this year. A large number of students milled around tables for social studies and for history and literature.

Fair Was `Helpful'

Most students interviewed said they found the fair extremely useful, especially for first-years who were confused or who had not done much thinking about their academic future. Many also noted that the fair was beneficial for students who went with specific questions they wanted answered.

"The people were helpful and honest," said Aaron M. Helsinger '95. "The person at the physics desk was not interested in selling me on physics--just in telling me what the department is like. She made me realize that maybe physics isn't the right choice for me."

Although other students had different views on the quality of information available, most interviewed had positive things to say about the event.

"There wasn't much new for anyone who had done some research, but that free food table--now you're talking!" said John Aboud III' 95.