Record Number Of Students Gets Advanced Status

Sixty-nine Freshmen, including 14 foreign students, have been admitted to Sophomore standing, in the most extensive use of the Advanced Placement Program in its five year history.

The 55 U.S. students with Sophomore standing come from only 20 schools, ten public and ten private. "Other schools simply don't give their Seniors Advanced Placement courses," Edward T. Wilcox, Director of the Program of Advanced Placement, explained yesterday.

Increase in Schools

Wilcox added that the "program is still growing," and pointed out that the number of secondary schools participating has increased from 25 in 1955 to 107 this year.

It was also learned that 37 per cent of the applicants for this year's Freshman class were admitted, compared to 46 per cent last year. Total applications increased from 3602 to 4200.

Cites 'Program' Publicity

"My own guess is that publicity from the Program for Harvard College was partly responsible for the increase in applicants," stated Richard G. King, Associate Director of Admissions, yesterday.

The increasing ability of applicants is "making it even harder to get into the College," King said. This year, their median College Board Tests score was over 600, as against 595 last year, he reported.

However, King asserted, the University is not deliberately raising admissions standards. "He said, "The problem is that close to 90 per cent of those applying for admission could be predicted to get a C, or over, at Harvard."