New from Harvard Extension School

[alexf.1990]

Students from within Harvard and other schools, professors, etc. They all talk so badly about extension students via student forums, reddit, etc. It makes me feel like if I go there I’ll be like a stray mutt dog who’s trying to mix in with the dogs that are well groomed ready for competition, and have nice owners. Basically like duke from the secret lives of pets. But then again this is all stuff I make up in my own head based on info that could very well be misinformation.

I've obsessively scanned Reddit for the last year or so to see what everyone is saying. It does have a "bad" reputation among some posters, but they're a small minority. Part of the reason for its bad reputation is that its less than 1% end up earning degrees. A lot of HES students, especially since online courses became common, are just passing through. Another reason its students earn a bad rap is that HES students don't have to jump through all the hoops regular students do just to get in the door. HES is also significantly cheaper.

I've seen a couple of posts from professors on the Crimson's website say that say admitted HES students' work is on par with what they see from Harvard College student. This is because the average HES student has a few years of work and life experience, while the average HC student is fresh out of high school. I also remember reading a post from a grad student who worked at another Ivy (I can't remember which) who said that they code HES and HC similarly in their admissions system. This is also the case for the military.

Ultimately, the decision whether to attend depends on your goals and where you are in life.