<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 01/31/96
000 C000000 0000837529
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 DEAN WITTER STRATEGIST FUND
001 B000000 811-5654
001 C000000 2123922550
002 A000000 TWO WORLD TRADE CENTER
002 B000000 NEW YORK
002 C000000 NY
002 D010000 10048
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
007 C011100 11
007 C011200 12
007 C011300 13
007 C011400 14
007 C011500 15
007 C011600 16
007 C011700 17
007 C011800 18
007 C011900 19
007 C012000 20
007 C012100 21
007 C012200 22
007 C012300 23
007 C012400 24
007 C012500 25
007 C012600 26
007 C012700 27
007 C012800 28
007 C012900 29
<PAGE> PAGE 2
007 C013000 30
007 C013100 31
007 C013200 32
007 C013300 33
007 C013400 34
007 C013500 35
007 C013600 36
007 C013700 37
007 C013800 38
007 C013900 39
007 C014000 40
007 C014100 41
007 C014200 42
007 C014300 43
007 C014400 44
007 C014500 45
007 C014600 46
007 C014700 47
007 C014800 48
007 C014900 49
007 C015000 50
007 C015100 51
007 C015200 52
007 C015300 53
007 C015400 54
007 C015500 55
007 C015600 56
007 C015700 57
007 C015800 58
007 C015900 59
007 C016000 60
007 C016100 61
007 C016200 62
007 C016300 63
007 C016400 64
007 C016500 65
007 C016600 66
007 C016700 67
007 C016800 68
007 C016900 69
007 C017000 70
008 A000001 DEAN WITTER INTERCAPITAL INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-42061
008 D010001 NEW YORK
008 D020001 NY
008 D030001 10048
010 A000001 DELETE
011 A000001 DEAN WITTER DISTRIBUTORS INC.
011 B000001 8-45262
011 C010001 NEW YORK
<PAGE> PAGE 3
011 C020001 NY
011 C030001 10048
012 A000001 DEAN WITTER TRUST COMPANY
012 B000001 84-1785
012 C010001 JERSEY CITY
012 C020001 NJ
012 C030001 07311
013 A000001 PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
013 B010001 NEW YORK
013 B020001 NY
013 B030001 10036
014 A000001 DEAN WITTER REYNOLDS INC.
014 B000001 8-14172
015 A000001 THE BANK OF NEW YORK
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 NEW YORK
015 C020001 NY
015 C030001 10286
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 120
019 C000000 DEANWITTER
020 A000001 *DEAN WITTER
020 B000001 94-1671384
020 C000001 68
020 A000002 *CANTOR FITZGERALD & CO.INC.
020 B000002 95-1786286
020 C000002 64
020 A000003 *LAWRENCE (C.J.)
020 B000003 13-2730828
020 C000003 48
020 A000004 *GOLDMAN,SACHS & CO.
020 B000004 13-5108880
020 C000004 35
020 A000005 *BRIDGE TRADING COMPANY
020 B000005 43-1450530
020 C000005 34
020 A000006 *MORGAN STANLEY & CO.INC.
020 B000006 13-2655998
020 C000006 32
020 A000007 *DONALDSON LUFKIN & JENRETTE SEC.
020 B000007 13-2741729
020 C000007 30
020 A000008 *SALOMAON BROTHERS INC.
020 B000008 13-3082694
020 C000008 28
020 A000009 *MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
020 B000009 94-1701676
020 C000009 22
020 A000010 *MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
<PAGE> PAGE 4
020 B000010 13-3224016
020 C000010 20
021 000000 628
022 A000001 *BA SECURITIES,INC.
022 B000001 95-4035346
022 C000001 6382762
022 D000001 0
022 A000002 *BANK OF NEW YORK(THE)
022 B000002 13-5160382
022 C000002 541167
022 D000002 0
022 A000003 *MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INC.
022 B000003 13-2655998
022 C000003 199
022 D000003 174505
022 A000004 *MERRILL LYNCH,PIERCE,FENNER & SMITH INC.
022 B000004 13-5674085
022 C000004 129243
022 D000004 166944
022 A000005 *PAINEWEBBER INC.
022 B000005 13-2638166
022 C000005 66447
022 D000005 105720
022 A000006 *C S FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
022 B000006 13-5659485
022 C000006 145833
022 D000006 0
022 A000007 *DONALDSON,LUFKIN & JENRETTE SEC
022 B000007 13-2741729
022 C000007 47664
022 D000007 43491
022 A000008 *SCOTIA MCLEOD (USA) INC.
022 B000008 13-5239583
022 C000008 41691
022 D000008 39353
022 A000009 *GOLDMAN,SACHS & CO.
022 B000009 13-5108880
022 C000009 31247
022 D000009 22928
022 A000010 *KEEFE,BRUYETTE & WOODS,INC.
022 B000010 13-5160382
022 C000010 541167
022 D000010 0
023 C000000 8259587
023 D000000 715357
024 000000 N
025 A000001 DELETE
025 D000001 0
025 A000002 DELETE
025 D000002 0
025 A000003 DELETE
<PAGE> PAGE 5
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 12356
028 A020000 0
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 12966
028 B010000 16533
028 B020000 3254
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 12148
028 C010000 15120
028 C020000 0
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 13335
028 D010000 15009
028 D020000 0
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 12732
028 E010000 336778
028 E020000 71418
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 13928
028 F010000 21982
028 F020000 0
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 33401
028 G010000 417778
028 G020000 74672
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 98510
028 H000000 417778
029 000000 N
030 A000000 0
030 B000000 0.00
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 0
031 B000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 6
032 000000 0
033 000000 0
034 000000 Y
035 000000 720
036 A000000 N
036 B000000 0
037 000000 N
038 000000 0
039 000000 N
040 000000 Y
041 000000 Y
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 100
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 4217
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 500000
048 A020000 0.600
048 B010000 500000
048 B020000 0.550
048 C010000 0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 1000000
048 K020000 0.500
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 Y
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 Y
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 Y
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 Y
055 A000000 Y
055 B000000 N
056 000000 Y
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 N
060 B000000 N
061 000000 1000
062 A000000 N
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 0.0
066 A000000 Y
066 B000000 N
066 C000000 N
066 D000000 N
066 E000000 N
066 F000000 N
066 G000000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 8
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 Y
070 B010000 Y
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 Y
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 Y
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 Y
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 N
070 K010000 N
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 891883
071 B000000 821213
071 C000000 920285
071 D000000 89
072 A000000 6
072 B000000 12365
072 C000000 5577
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 2820
072 G000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 515
072 J000000 48
072 K000000 0
072 L000000 59
072 M000000 12
072 N000000 87
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 23
072 S000000 13
072 T000000 4217
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 2
072 X000000 7796
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 10146
072AA000000 12586
072BB000000 0
072CC010000 69131
072CC020000 0
072DD010000 10727
072DD020000 0
072EE000000 70592
073 A010000 0.1920
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 1.2595
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 0
074 B000000 838
074 C000000 229000
074 D000000 253779
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 832785
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 14204
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 8584
074 M000000 81
074 N000000 1339271
074 O000000 54369
074 P000000 1797
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 1026
<PAGE> PAGE 10
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 1282079
074 U010000 80848122
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 15.86
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 89842
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 979495
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 N
077 C000000 Y
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 N
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
080 C000000 0
081 B000000 0
082 B000000 0
083 B000000 0
084 B000000 0
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
SIGNATURE SHELDON CURTIS
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
dean witter strategist fund
01/31/96
annual
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000837529
<NAME> DEAN WITTER STRATEGIST FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> JUL-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> JAN-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 1,157,829,945
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 1,316,402,372
<RECEIVABLES> 22,788,092
<ASSETS-OTHER> 80,588
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,339,271,052
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 54,369,266
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 2,822,599
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 57,191,865
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 1,124,638,196
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 80,848,122
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 55,289,486
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 3,248,373
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (4,379,809)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 158,572,427
<NET-ASSETS> 1,282,079,187
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 5,576,618
<INTEREST-INCOME> 12,365,384
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 7,796,472
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 10,145,530
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 12,586,461
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 69,131,075
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 91,863,066
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 10,726,896
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 70,591,947
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 26,891,069
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 6,192,604
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 4,860,171
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 404,483,861
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 3,987,969
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 53,642,087
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 2,820,226
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 7,796,472
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 979,495,375
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 15.87
<PER-SHARE-NII> .16
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 1.28
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.19)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (1.26)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 15.86
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.58
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>