Yale Colleges To Share 200 Best Freshmen

Yale will distribute its top 200 freshmen among its ten upperclass resident colleges, if present plans hold.

The new program, announced this week, is designed to insure a more even distribution of outstanding men throughout the colleges, which are similar to the Harvard Houses. A special committee of freshman advisers is choosing the men from the over 1,000 in the class.

Applicants now put down only one choice, and list why they prefer that dormitory. This year, for the first time, these reasons are expected to play a large part in the selection of candidates.

The college masters have the privilege of requesting certain men, but this is no guarantee of assignment. If a close relative of the applicant stayed at a college, the applicant is automatically assured of acceptance there.

Freshmen Leery of Plan

Several freshman advisers, however, said that they had never heard of the idea. Freshmen there are reportedly not in favor of it.

When Harvard Houses were built, the administration planned that each should contain a cross-section of the College. The policy was never clearly defined, though, and some House masters have tried at times to select freshmen who would give the House a distinctive character.

The cross-section policy has usually received strong support from the Dean's office. Acceptance in at least one House were shifted around in the spring of 1949, because that House had chosen mainly one type of student.

Freshmen are already sampling the food in various House dining halls and within the next ten days will receive their application blanks.