Eliot Tops Poll For First-Years

Eliot House is once again the number one choice of first-year students, who will enter the housing lottery tomorrow, according to a survey conducted by The Crimson.

The telephone survey, which has a margin of error of approximately 4 percent, found that 20.6 percent of first years would live in Eliot, given the choice. Adams House and Kirkland House followed as first-choice houses, with 17.0 percent and 14.2 percent respectively.

The Crimson questioned 155 randomly selected first-year students in a survey conducted yesterday and Sunday. Students were asked to name their first choice, their other three choices, and whether or not they plan to live with any of their current roommates.

While Eliot's popularity among first-years was not surprising--the house was also number one in last year's poll--Adams House's second place showing was a notable improvement over last year, when only 10 percent named it as their house of choice.

Winthrop House showed the greatest decline; only 3.9 percent of the students polled indicated it as their number one choice, as compared to 14.0 percent last year.

Judging by the survey results, when first-years turn in their housing forms at the Harvard Union on Wednesday, most of them will include Eliot House, Lowell House, or Kirkland House as one of their four choices.

Of the first-years polled, 57.4 percent said they intend to list Eliot, 53.5 percent to list Lowell and 52.3 percent to list Kirkland.

Lowell seems to be the "safety choice" of the Class of '95, since more than half of the students polled planned to list it as one of their four choices, yet only 5.8 percent of them would live in it if given their first preference.

About half of the first-years polled--50.3 percent-- said they plan to live with one or more oftheir current roommates next year. The other halfindicated that they would room with other studentsor enter the housing lottery as floaters,individuals who enter the lottery by themselves.

Most of the first-years showed little interestin houses at the Radcliffe Quad, as perennial lastchoices Currier House and Cabot House were againneglected by Yard residents. Only 0.6 percent ofthe first-years named Currier as their firstchoice, while the same number of students favoredCabot.

The most popular Quad house was North House,which was named as a first choice by 11.0 percentof respondents and as one choice of four by 23.2percent.

The poll also found a significant number of"leave it to the last minute" decision-makers as5.8 percent of students contacted were undecidedabout the four non-ordered choices they have tolist

Most of the first-years showed little interestin houses at the Radcliffe Quad, as perennial lastchoices Currier House and Cabot House were againneglected by Yard residents. Only 0.6 percent ofthe first-years named Currier as their firstchoice, while the same number of students favoredCabot.

The most popular Quad house was North House,which was named as a first choice by 11.0 percentof respondents and as one choice of four by 23.2percent.

The poll also found a significant number of"leave it to the last minute" decision-makers as5.8 percent of students contacted were undecidedabout the four non-ordered choices they have tolist