339 Must Pass Computer Test With a Week Still Remaining

More than one-fifth of the freshman class has yet to pass the computer part of the quantitative reasoning requirement, but Harvard officials are optimistic that most will finish by the end of the semester.

Three test dates remain--tonight, Saturday, and next Thursday--and that should be enough to accommodate the students who have yet not passed the test. Jeffrey Tecosky, a preceptor in the Core Program who oversees the requirements said yesterday.

All freshmen are required to pass two quantitative tests in their first year. They must take a multiple choice data exam, and must also write a simple, 10-line computer program. Those who fail to pass these must enroll in a relevant course, petition the Administrative Board to return during freshman week their sophomore year for another chance, or face disciplinary action.

Currently 339 students have not taken the computer test, compared with 69 who have yet to complete the data test.

Last fall more than 100 members of the class of 1985 returned early to fulfill t he computer requirement.

More freshmen have fulfilled the requirement on time this year because the test dates and the penalties for non-compliance have been better publicized, Tecosky said.

"The people not taking it turned out to be our biggest source of headaches," Hollis Professor of Mathematics Andrew H. Gleason said of the three-year-old program. He added the lack of computer capacity forced officials to spread the testing out over several dates, and had increased students' temptation the requirement off.

Gleason added that because there are fewer dates to take the data test, it has created fewer problems for the QRR program. The last date test was on April 4.