Don't misrepresent where you went to school.

[sanantone]

The top accounting firms hire students from the top accounting programs. If you can't get into Harvard, then the dumb thing to do will be to complete your degree at Harvard Extension. There are several cheaper public schools that supply many employees to the Big 4.

You do know that the average Harvard graduate has little debt, right? You also do know that Harvard is not ranked in the top 5 in everything? You do know that individual program rankings are usually more important than university rankings. You do know that extension programs are not ranked?

Why would I study in an unranked accounting program when UT is cheaper for Texas residents and ranked #1 in accounting? That would be stupid.

HES is for nontraditional students. If you want a spot at somewhere like FAANG or the Big 4 as a nontraditional student, you have to have to supplement your education with work experience. HES provides a good opportunity for students to continue in their current companies while pursuing education. As an HES student, you're on your own for recruiting, which is the norm for nontraditional programs anyway. It's certainly not for everyone, but the Harvard name alone gives the degree a lot of value.

As for the cost. It's relatively inexpensive. I priced out a masters at around $15,000 for people receiving the Harvard Extension School Grant. A bachelor's can be had for a similar cost if you transfer in the maximum of 54 credits they allow.

That's my point. HES is fine if you don't need a prestigious degree. Most people don't need prestigious degrees. If you're attending HES because you think it's going to give you the same opportunities as other Harvard schools, then you're going to be disappointed. 

As for the cost of the master's programs, you have to factor in the cost of moving to Cambridge for a semester if hybrid courses are not an option for your program. 

What is their cap on CLEP/DSST? When calculating the cost of a degree, I factor in the cost of transfer credits because those aren't free.

---

Apparently, at least 1,500 Extension School students don't like their degree names. They signed a petition and protested.

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/...y-degrees/

[alexf.1990]

That's my point. HES is fine if you don't need a prestigious degree. Most people don't need prestigious degrees. If you're attending HES because you think it's going to give you the same opportunities as other Harvard schools, then you're going to be disappointed. 

As for the cost of the master's programs, you have to factor in the cost of moving to Cambridge for a semester if hybrid courses are not an option for your program. 

What is their cap on CLEP/DSST? When calculating the cost of a degree, I factor in the cost of transfer credits because those aren't free.

---

Apparently, at least 1,500 Extension School students don't like their degree names. They signed a petition and protested.

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/...y-degrees/

HES is certainly a prestigious degree. They aren't a traditional school, so they don't have the infrastructure to support recruiting and networking, but they are certainly prestigious. It's not as prestigious as the other Harvard schools, except maybe their Divinity School.

50 credits can be had for next to nothing at a community college. They allow trasnfer credits in as long as the school was regionally accredited  when you attended. If you really wanted to save money, you could sign up for WGU, grind out the 50 credits you need in one semester and then transfer to HES.

The degree name issue is something I've recently addressed in another thread. They want you to list your major as "Extension Studies," which is just a petty way for them to differentiate between HES and HC. The Dean of HES, a man who has headed the school for four decades, fought for a change recently, but the university won't even address it.

[sanantone]

That's my point. HES is fine if you don't need a prestigious degree. Most people don't need prestigious degrees. If you're attending HES because you think it's going to give you the same opportunities as other Harvard schools, then you're going to be disappointed. 

As for the cost of the master's programs, you have to factor in the cost of moving to Cambridge for a semester if hybrid courses are not an option for your program. 

What is their cap on CLEP/DSST? When calculating the cost of a degree, I factor in the cost of transfer credits because those aren't free.

---

Apparently, at least 1,500 Extension School students don't like their degree names. They signed a petition and protested.

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/...y-degrees/

HES is certainly a prestigious degree. They aren't a traditional school, so they don't have the infrastructure to support recruiting and networking, but they are certainly prestigious. It's not as prestigious as the other Harvard schools, except maybe their Divinity School.

50 credits can be had for next to nothing at a community college. They allow trasnfer credits in as long as the school was regionally accredited  when you attended. If you really wanted to save money, you could sign up for WGU, grind out the 50 credits you need in one semester and then transfer to HES.

The degree name issue is something I've recently addressed in another thread. They want you to list your major as "Extension Studies," which is just a petty way for them to differentiate between HES and HC. The Dean of HES, a man who has headed the school for four decades, fought for a change recently, but the university won't even address it.

I guess the word prestigious is subjective. My definition is more specific and based on program reputation. For example, a criminology degree fron UPenn is not as prestigious as a criminology degree from University of Maryland - College Park. A University of Maryland PhD graduate can work anywhere because they're #1. When schools are trying to maintain a ranking, they rarely hire from a school that's ranked several or more spots lower. Outsiders wouldn't know any better, so they would label the Ivy League as being more prestigious out of ignorance; but, they aren't the ones doing the hiring.

Harvard's Divinity school is known as being one of the best in the world. Harvard excels more in theology than it does in engineering.

You plan on receiving an $18,000 grant for your master's program?

[videogamesrock]

It’s 9:46 in Nevada and we are on our way home. Everyone at the river agreed Harvard is Harvard with or without an extension added to it. If you have a chance stop in Searchlight, NV for a beer — totally worth it.

Cheers

[AJ_Atlanta]

That's my point. HES is fine if you don't need a prestigious degree. Most people don't need prestigious degrees. If you're attending HES because you think it's going to give you the same opportunities as other Harvard schools, then you're going to be disappointed. 

As for the cost of the master's programs, you have to factor in the cost of moving to Cambridge for a semester if hybrid courses are not an option for your program. 

What is their cap on CLEP/DSST? When calculating the cost of a degree, I factor in the cost of transfer credits because those aren't free.

---

Apparently, at least 1,500 Extension School students don't like their degree names. They signed a petition and protested.

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/...y-degrees/

Wait, I could be persuaded to agree that the night school (HES) has never been as prestigious as some of the other Harvard schools but it is certainly better than literary hundreds of schools nobody ever head of; probably get more mileage out of it than a number of Sate schools as well.

Secondly if you are factoring CLEP/DSST limits then you pretty much are excluding every prestigious school.  But as you say it really depends on what you need.  I suspect a large percentage of adult learners are needing to check a box to get past an automated candidate system or other lazy HR practices.

[dfrecore]

That's my point. HES is fine if you don't need a prestigious degree. Most people don't need prestigious degrees. If you're attending HES because you think it's going to give you the same opportunities as other Harvard schools, then you're going to be disappointed. 

As for the cost of the master's programs, you have to factor in the cost of moving to Cambridge for a semester if hybrid courses are not an option for your program. 

What is their cap on CLEP/DSST? When calculating the cost of a degree, I factor in the cost of transfer credits because those aren't free.

---

Apparently, at least 1,500 Extension School students don't like their degree names. They signed a petition and protested.

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/...y-degrees/

Wait, I could be persuaded to agree that the night school (HES) has never been as prestigious as some of the other Harvard schools but it is certainly better than literary hundreds of schools nobody ever head of; probably get more mileage out of it than a number of Sate schools as well.

Secondly if you are factoring CLEP/DSST limits then you pretty much are excluding every prestigious school.  But as you say it really depends on what you need.  I suspect a large percentage of adult learners are needing to check a box to get past an automated candidate system or other lazy HR practices.

I'm pretty sure that if you go to the local state school in your area, you will find hundreds or thousands of people in your area who also went to that school.  You will not find thousands that went to HES.  The school that people say "oh, I went there" is going to make an HR manager who went to your school remember you above many others.


But honestly, I don't care where I went to school, I just care that as I get back out in the workforce, I have a degree.  Period, end of story.  Prestige won't get me any further than a no-name school when I'm trying to get my resume looked at by a computer or hiring manager.  Just having the degree is enough.

BTW - when companies put job descriptions out, none of them say "business degree required, one from Harvard is preferable."  Nope, they say "business degree required."  I've never seen a school listed as the one they care about.  Most don't (probably 99%).

[a2jc4life]

No kidding.  I'm not at Harvard anything, but literally the only reason I'm pursuing a bachelors degree at all is that the real program I want to enroll in is a masters program and they won't consider an exception to the degree prerequisite.  So checking the box it is.

[cookderosa]

In the 10+ years I've paid attention, I've met only 1 person with a negative opinion about Harvard University's extension program- of course, it's here in the middle of a zillion view thread debating the prestige of the #3 university in the world. But hey, have at it lol.

[sanantone]

It’s 9:46 in Nevada and we are on our way home. Everyone at the river agreed Harvard is Harvard with or without an extension added to it. If you have a chance stop in Searchlight, NV for a beer — totally worth it.

Cheers

Sure. And, everyone I talked to about this a couple of years ago agreed that Harvard Extension is different from the rest of Harvard because it is.

I rarely drink. Alcohol kills brain cells.

---

That's my point. HES is fine if you don't need a prestigious degree. Most people don't need prestigious degrees. If you're attending HES because you think it's going to give you the same opportunities as other Harvard schools, then you're going to be disappointed. 

As for the cost of the master's programs, you have to factor in the cost of moving to Cambridge for a semester if hybrid courses are not an option for your program. 

What is their cap on CLEP/DSST? When calculating the cost of a degree, I factor in the cost of transfer credits because those aren't free.

---

Apparently, at least 1,500 Extension School students don't like their degree names. They signed a petition and protested.

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/...y-degrees/

Wait, I could be persuaded to agree that the night school (HES) has never been as prestigious as some of the other Harvard schools but it is certainly better than literary hundreds of schools nobody ever head of; probably get more mileage out of it than a number of Sate schools as well.

Secondly if you are factoring CLEP/DSST limits then you pretty much are excluding every prestigious school.  But as you say it really depends on what you need.  I suspect a large percentage of adult learners are needing to check a box to get past an automated candidate system or other lazy HR practices.

I'm pretty sure that if you go to the local state school in your area, you will find hundreds or thousands of people in your area who also went to that school.  You will not find thousands that went to HES.  The school that people say "oh, I went there" is going to make an HR manager who went to your school remember you above many others.


But honestly, I don't care where I went to school, I just care that as I get back out in the workforce, I have a degree.  Period, end of story.  Prestige won't get me any further than a no-name school when I'm trying to get my resume looked at by a computer or hiring manager.  Just having the degree is enough.

BTW - when companies put job descriptions out, none of them say "business degree required, one from Harvard is preferable."  Nope, they say "business degree required."  I've never seen a school listed as the one they care about.  Most don't (probably 99%).

Of course. This is exactly the reason why I'm not paying $33k to pretend I'm special.

---

In the 10+ years I've paid attention, I've met only 1 person with a negative opinion about Harvard University's extension program- of course, it's here in the middle of a zillion view thread debating the prestige of the #3 university in the world. But hey, have at it lol.

Harvard's ranking is not based on Harvard Extension. If they treated Harvard Extension like the other schools, their ranking would drop because it's almost open entry, and the graduation and retention rates are abysmal. This is why Harvard keeps HES segregated.

[jsd]

I’m fully on board when this forum states most degrees are a checkbox and employers don’t generally care where a degree is from, but when people start pointing at the non competitive Harvard Extension School that even Harvard itself intentionally distances itself from and starts pretending it is in anyway similar to the prestige of the traditional Harvard schools, it’s a big blow to the credibility of this forum and the judgement displayed.