10-23-2015, 09:35 AM
Hi,
I wanted to get some feedback/tips from current students or alumni of the Harvard Extension Schoolâs ALM in Software Engineering. Any feedback would be great but here are some that came to mind:
A bit of background on me:
I have been in the web development field for 15 years (started as a graphic designer and now primarily doing front-end development). I was almost done at Rutgers for a BA in Communication but left to join a startup as a graphic designer and have been working since. I am currently working for a major consumer technology company as a web developer. I always felt not having a technical degree on my resume was a road block in getting through the HR filter for upper tier positions. I am currently in the process of finishing up my last few credits at Thomas Edison State College for a BA in Communications, since I have met most of the degree requirements already, and focused on getting a masters in CS or similar field to help with future employment.
And information you can share is greatly appreciated!
I wanted to get some feedback/tips from current students or alumni of the Harvard Extension Schoolâs ALM in Software Engineering. Any feedback would be great but here are some that came to mind:
- How challenging are the courses?
- What was the biggest hurdle?
- What do you wish you knew before you started the program?
- Did you feel it was worth the ROI?
- Did the degree greatly improve employment opportunities, or were employers mainly focused on the technologies listed on your resume?
- How did the degree impact your income?
- Do you come across any negative inference to HES from the âtraditionalâ Ivy leaguers?
A bit of background on me:
I have been in the web development field for 15 years (started as a graphic designer and now primarily doing front-end development). I was almost done at Rutgers for a BA in Communication but left to join a startup as a graphic designer and have been working since. I am currently working for a major consumer technology company as a web developer. I always felt not having a technical degree on my resume was a road block in getting through the HR filter for upper tier positions. I am currently in the process of finishing up my last few credits at Thomas Edison State College for a BA in Communications, since I have met most of the degree requirements already, and focused on getting a masters in CS or similar field to help with future employment.
And information you can share is greatly appreciated!
![[-]](https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/images/collapse.png)
) Most traditional Ivy Leaguers won't know the extension school from anything else, though a Harvard College student (from the undergrad traditional campus based group) might give you some grief, I doubt you would here anything from most students. From time to time The Crimson will run a story or some media outlet will pick up something about HES being "Harvard on the cheap" or something, but she hasn't experienced anything negative from her affiliation. I do hear rumors that locally in Cambridge/Boston employers understand a difference, might be true of certain industries (like investment banking). We live in Florida and while she takes great pains to clearly indicate extension school on her resume, the Harvard brand still seems to carries weight. She has been interviewed for every job or internship for which she has applied and she has been offered every job/internship for which she has interviewed. You won't make contacts the way I imagine traditional students do, but they have opened up full job seeking services and there are alumni affiliations to add value to the program. Anecdotally, she has HES classmates that have gone on to NASA and DoD positions...I believe the vast majority of employers will look favorably on a HES degree.
