"It's a daunting place, and you have to be sort of arrogant just to apply," Yellin said.

Yellin said she believes this sort of confidence is not always encouraged in young women.

Harvard also has a reputation "as a place where you're on your own," Yellin said. "I think that could deter women who aren't comfortable being assertive."

Yellin said she believes the low number of women professors and the lack of courses specifically geared to gender issues can discourage prospective women applicants.

"When you look through the course catalogue, it has an impact," she said. "For people interested in women's issues or gender studies, this is an overtly hostile environment."

Admissions officials will continue to make a special effort to recruit a strong pool of women, Lewis said.

She attributes this year's rise in female applicants largely to increased attention by alumni recruiters.

"A big effort was made to develop the participation of women alumni," she said. "There was a lot of special recruiting, making sure women knew that Harvard-Radcliffe was an option for them.