The two Harvard sororities have similar problems keeping up with the demand for female social groups.

When Noelle S. Sherber '01 joined DG in fall of her first year, there were only 19 members. But two and a half years later, Sherber is president of a 60-member sorority.

Only seven seniors are graduating today, but DG has accepted 35 new members since September.

Theta, with 62 members, has also experienced an explosive growth of interest from female students.

Pomey says the spring formal rush was extremely successful for both groups, which took 18 women each.

"As far as I know it's the biggest new member class we've had," she says.

For a few years Theta has been "over total," the member limit set by the national pan-Hellenic council, but DG has maxed out on members for the first time this year.

With such continued interest, Pomey says she thinks women might start a third sorority as early as this fall, although they would need to work with national sororities to get any new club started.

"I think we need it," Pomey says. "Trying to fit 62 girls into Sigma Chi is a nightmare. We could easily have enough members for a third sorority."

Sherber speculates that the boom time for female organizations may be due to the end of Radcliffe.

"While we can't fill the gap of Radcliffe, we're trying to build a community, a women's place," Sherber says.

Pomey agrees that women need a home at Harvard.

"What attracts [female students] to sororities is that the presence of male groups is just so phenomenal," she says.

The perceptions of the organizations have also changed.

Many of Sherber's friends at other schools eagerly looked forward to their chance to rush sororities, but Harvard never gave her that same excitement, she says.