According to Wilson L. Hunt Jr. '65, assistant director of the Office of Career Services, although around 100 technology firms recruit on campus, there are only about 60 to 90 students available each year.

"There may be lots of Internet start-ups, but Sun Microsystems is still one of the best companies to work for," Hunt says.

According to professors, the companies that hire Harvard graduates have been more than satisfied with the results.

"Once companies get Harvard students, they tend to come back for more," say Assistant Professor of Computer Science Steven J. Gortler.

"If you talk to Microsoft recruiters, you will find that they think many other programs have gone 'soft' while our curriculum remains pretty hardnosed," Lewis adds.

In fact, more students are going directly into the job market than before, joining the start-up economy rather than going on to graduate school.

According to Shieber, "Harvard computer science majors have been a sought after commodity not only in industry, but also in graduate programs."

A Common Crossroads