III.

Undergraduate Activities

Harvard College, the university's oldest division, offers undergraduate courses for men and women, leading to a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree granted by the university. Graduates of Radcliffe College, the affiliated undergraduate institution for women, have received Harvard degrees with the Radcliffe seal and countersigned by the president of Radcliffe since 1963. In 1975, Harvard abolished the quota limiting the number of women students. A joint Harvard and Radcliffe Admissions Office selects students on an equal basis. With admission criteria ranking among the most selective in the United States, Harvard-Radcliffe accepts less than 20 per cent of all applicants; three-quarters of those accepted actually enrol.

During their freshman, or high school year, students live in halls within Harvard Yard, a walled enclosure containing several structures from the early 18th century now used as dormitories, dining facilities, libraries, and classrooms. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors live in the 12 residences known as houses. Named in honour of a distinguished alumnus or administrator, each house accommodates approximately 350 students and a group of faculty members who provide individual instruction as tutors; social and intellectual exchange between students and teachers is thus fostered. Each house also has a library and sponsors cultural activities and intramural athletics. Undergraduate life has the additional attraction of proximity to Boston.