Harvard Extension Really is Harvard
As you might guess, there is a bit of confusion regarding the degree programs from the Harvard Extension School. I was in my first semester at HES when the following article was printed in the New York Times:
Harvard, for Less: Extension Courses’ New Allure
One of my professors was interviewed for the article. His impression was that the reporter was trying to get him to admit that the program wasn’t as rigorous as the regular Harvard College classes.
For instance:
At Harvard, although extension students must maintain a C average and fulfill language, science and math requirements, they may deal with the perception that they are not full-fledged Harvard citizens.”Some people are like, ‘What are you exactly?’ ” Ms. Shortill said. “But some people are like, ‘Oh my goodness, you can do that? Wow, that was really smart of you to figure that out.’ “
It’s a topic that is endlessly discussed on various college websites whenever the school is mentioned.
I’m going to list a few reasons why I think that you can make a strong case that the degree you earn from Harvard Extension is comparable in many respects to the degrees you earn from the other undergraduate and graduate schools at Harvard.
There Are Barriers to Completing The Degree That Aren’t Obvious When You Start
The basic story about entering a degree program at Harvard Extension is that you must take three courses and earn qualifying grades in all three in order to apply for admission. For the ALB, it’s three 4-credit liberal arts courses with at least a B− grade. You also have to pass EXPO E-25 (Expository Writing) with at least a C− and earn a minimum 2.5 GPA for your work the previous term.
For many people going for the ALB, EXPOs (Expository Writing) is the problem. I took this class in my first semester and went in thinking that I would have an easy time. I’m a relatively good writer and never had any problems crafting essays that earned me good grades in previous classes at other schools. Boy was I ever in for a shock. This class only required three papers and I struggled with every one. Each paper took hours of reading and research and countless rewrites. My graded papers came back from the preceptor with corrections all over them. I ended up with a B+ for the class but it was a hard won grade.
Lots of people never even make it that far. I’ve kept in touch with someone who is taking the class right now. At the start of his class, there were 17 people in his section. Now there are 7. All of the rest dropped the class. Many of them dropped the class after they got their grade back for the first paper.
The thing is: if you don’t pass the class, you can’t apply for the ALB and there is no grade forgiveness at Harvard Extension.
You Take Classes from Harvard Professors
The majority of the classes are taught by Harvard faculty members. In large part, whether or not your professor is a true Harvard faculty member or a kind of adjust professor who may be full faculty at another school really depends on the class. For instance, my professor for Intro to International Relations was a full professor at Tufts. My professor for Intro to Cryptography was tenured Harvard faculty. If you’re really concerned about it, you can select classes that are exclusively taught by Harvard professors. It’ll take a little longer since you’ll have fewer classes to choose from, but it can be done. If you are really really concerned about it, you can take the FAS/College courses that are videotaped versions of the actual courses taught to regular Harvard students. There are about 20 classes each semester that are offered this way.
You Take Classes inside Harvard Classrooms
Most of my classes were taught at the Science Center or at various buildings right on Harvard Yard. The buildings are old and the desks are almost uniformly small and squeaky. Forget the modern campuses you see in the brochures. The facilities make you wonder why they call this the richest university in the world. You will, however, get the experience of trying to find a parking spot in the notoriously difficult parking environment that is Cambridge.
Of course, if you take classes on-line then this never needs to be an issue.
Many Graduates of Harvard Extension Earn Advanced Degrees
There are tons of examples of people who earn an undergraduate degree and then go on to advanced degrees at prestigious schools (including Harvard Law). I’ll just mention a couple here:
You Go to Commencement Just Like Everyone Else
Harvard’s 356th Commencement took place June 7, and many Extension School graduates participated in the day’s festivities. Early Thursday morning graduates of Extension School degree programs began the procession to Harvard Yard, where they joined graduates of all Harvard schools for Morning Exercises. At the degree and certificate awarding ceremonies in the afternoon, the Extension School awarded 305 bachelor’s and master’s degrees and nearly 80 graduate certificates, as well as numerous prizes.
You Can Join the Harvard Alumni Organization
Harvard Extension School alumni automatically become members of the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA), the University-wide alumni association and umbrella organization for Harvard Clubs around the world. Harvard Extension School alumni who have earned the ALB or ALM are invited to join their local Harvard Club.
You Can Join the Harvard Club as a Degree Candidate or Alumni
I just joined the Harvard Club of Boston. Since I don’t actually live in Boston, it’s still valuable to me for the reciprocal club privileges. There are at least three private clubs in the DC area that I can attend and many more worldwide.
You’ll Have the Satisfaction of Completing a Rigorous Program That Only a Few Ever Attempt
A big part of the Harvard Mindset that you acquire relates to your confidence level. If you shoot for the very best program that you can find and make it through, you start to think about yourself differently. Suddenly, a lot of things that looked impossible now look easy. It isn’t that things got easier; it’s that you start to measure your capabilities differently.
Make no mistake: earning any degree requires commitment. If you are in the middle of your career and feel like you need something to challenge you, trying just one class at HES will meet that need. In the end, whether it’s Harvard or not really shouldn’t matter. What matters is what you take away and what you do with it once you leave.
But yes, it really is Harvard.
28 comments
As a fellow HES student, I would like to thank you for outing forth a illuminating description of our little corner of the world.
Ken
You made an excellent case.
Hi Richard,
I also plan to take the Expo Writing Class this year at the Harvard Summer School.
And just for future reference, who was your professor for you Expo Writing Class?
And how many writing classes did you enrolled in prior to coming to HES?
I had Underwood for EXPOs. I didn’t enroll in any previous writing classes at Harvard. I had the good fortune of good writing skills when I started there.
Thanks for the reply, Richard. When I mentioned if you had taken any previous writing classes, I wasn’t refering to HES; rather at your previous college. How many writing/literature classes did you take at your former college?
I’ve heard that Dr. Underwood is a very tough Professor. I am planning to take the EXPO-20S with Dr. Cashman, if he’s still teaching the class at The Harvard Summer School.
At my school, I’ve completed 4 semesters of writing and literature classes. 2-As and 2-Bs. I’ve actually learned quite a lot about writing in different styles from my last two writing classes. I’m hoping that it’ll be enough for me overcome the challenges that the EXPO(weedout) classes are known for.
Carlos,
I can’t say that I took a large number of writing classes at my previous school. I had one or two but nothing really too demanding. I was in an engineering program, so writing wasn’t really a focus.
The exposure that I get to the liberal arts at HES is really extensive. It’s really impossible to get through without taking at least some classes where you’ll be forced to open your mind to some humanities oriented courses.
Correction:
Thanks Richard. By the way, are you taking some of your required CS classes through Special Student Status at Harvard College? From your experience, how tough is it to get into this program? I would think that this option is given to students who wish to enroll in classes that are not offered at HES.
I’m not taking any classes via the Special Student program. I’ve decided to try and take as many FAS classes offered via HES as possible. The best one of these is CSCI E-124 as far as I can tell. I’m also scheduled to take CSCI E-207 which is also looking like it will be a real winner. I took CSCI E-177 (Intro to Crypto) a few semesters back and that was another great class.
The Special Student program is great but not really an option for me. I’m not local to Cambridge, so taking classes there would be impossible. I really depend on the distance education program to make the classes available to me.
But if you think you want to do it you should plan early. The program has a long lead time for admittance and very tough requirements. I hear it’s tough to get admitted to it.
Thanks Richard. I want to major in Sociology. And the only way that I could do that is through the Special Student Status Program. I’ve complated three Sociology subjects already.
However, I plan to apply to the program during my second year at HES, if everything goes well for me academically. I should be able to complate my first 32 credits in my first year through a combination of 2 summer school classes and a total of 6 night time classes during the Fall and Spring Terms respectively.
The second year would give me the opportunity to speak to the Sociology program directors regarding my interests as a Sociology Major. I plan to apply for the Special Student Status program in my second year. If approved, I could begin my Sociology major in my third year. And I could re-apply for another year, which would allow me to complete the entire Sociology major requirements.
This is the primary reason why I wish to attend HES. I could do my major as a Special Student at Harvard College while completing HES requirements at night.
What are your thoughts about my plans? I’ve check into this program. And I saw no restrictions imposed on classes offered by the Sociology Department. It’s a small dept. that has a lot of program flexibility, which is fine with me.
Keep in mind that I’m not an expert, just a student. That said: there are some problems that I see in your plan.
1. Special Student status is difficult to get. First, you have to have a large number of credits under your belt. Second, you have to have a stellar GPA. Third, you need to have a credible story about why you need to take classes at the College. If those classes aren’t offered at HES, then maybe you’ll get through. Fourth, there is a limit to the number of classes you can take via SS status. This will slow you down.
2. HES doesn’t really have majors. It’s a Liberal Arts degree. Period. You can have a concentration in a particular subject, like CS, or something else; but not a major.
3. You might be better served by a regular sociology program at another school. Don’t get caught up in the Harvard name. It’s much more important to find a school where you have a good fit. If that’s HES, then great. But if you have the time during the day to take classes, why not a school where you wouldn’t have to apply every year for status to take the classes for your major?
Hi Richard,
I love the type of subjects that HES has to offer. It was not the HARVARD name that attracted my interest. The academics were the main selling point for me. Pure and simple. I want to maximize everything that the Extension School has to offer. It offers the academic challenges that I’m looking for. In addition, I plan to major in the Social Sciences. I have a lot of diverse interests that I feel that HES could provide. I am in no way looking at HES as a backdoor to Harvard College.
The concentration programs are optional. And since HES doesn’t have classes related to Sociology, I believe that I have a strong reason for wanting to do Special Student Status. I am aware that I’m only limited to two classes a semester at Harvard College for one year, which I don’t mind at all. In addition, it is possible for me to renew my SSS application for another year, provided that I do well in the sociology program.
I plan to take a total of 32 credits in my first year, which is required for the Special Student Status application to begin with, along with a 3.5 GPA. So the first year will be very important to me. In my second year, I plan to take 24 credits. Around that time, I’ll submit my application. By the end of my second year at HES, I’ll have a total of 56 credits, or a total of 14 classes completed before the third year starts. That should be more than enough to qualify me for the program.
I do care very much about HES and the academic opportunities it offers. I am not doing it for the name brand recognition. I am doing it for myself. This is the sort of challenge that I’ve been looking for. And unless, I am rejected into the ALB program(despite having met the grade requirements of a B+ or higher), I can’t think of a better school that I would rather be.
I’ve have checked into the other schools regarding the Sociology major. However, none of the other schools has the academic ciriculum that HES has. The Harvard Extension School has both the academic rigor and an diverse program that holds my interests.
Hey Richard,
I wanted to tell you that the Sociology program at Harvard requires only 12 classes to complete the concentration. I’ll be coming in with 3 of those classes, which would knock the requires down to about 9. In addition, I am allowed to include two non-related class subjects like history into the major as well. Thus, I only need to take 8 classes with the Sociology Department. Special Student Status would only grant me 2 classes per semester, or 4 classes for the entire school year. So a second year is neccessary. After that, I’ve not only completed the concentration requirements, but the entire HES ALB degree program as well.
I’ve completed 19 classes at my present college, Miami-Dade College. I have just started my 20th class, which is Calculus I. After that, I am off to Boston to take the EXPO S-20 at The Harvard Summer School. I am not sure how many of those classes will transfer. But I’m assuming around 9-12 of them would come through in to the ALB degree program.
Well, good luck!
I think you might be passing up a good opportunity to attend the University of Florida though. It should be possible for you to transfer there, get in-state tuition, and avoid all of the problems associated with trying to make the ALB work for you as a Sociology major.
In my case, there simply wasn’t a program locally that offered what HES did: distance education. There are good local schools here but they don’t offer classes at convenient times for me. For this reason, I delayed completing my degree for a very long time.
You don’t seem to have that problem. If HES is what you want, then go for it. But you might be surprised at how far it is from what you really want to achieve.
Carlos,
Keep in mind that HES doesn’t offer a Sociology program. You seem to be under the impression that they are connected. They aren’t.
Richard,
I never had any impression that HES had a Sociology program. Special Student Status allows a student to take classes within Harvard FAS division, that includes that Sociology Department. I never claimed that HES has a Sociology program. I could do a special concentration by partition.
Also, I don’t like the University of Florida. That school is definately not a fit for my personal interests.
The Special Student Status allows me to enroll in the sociology classes that interests me. That’s all I want. The classes that I take at Harvard College will be used to create an independent concentration at HES. Most schools have this option.
Hi Richard,
I wanted to let you know that a major and a concentration are one and the same at Harvard. You already know about HES certificate programs as well. The degree focus are only available in the usual three areas:
Social Sciences
Humanities
Natural Sciences
Concentration/Major Options
Carlos,
I’m aware of the concentration/majors at Harvard. I hope you understand that even if you take every sociology class at Harvard, your concentration will still be in the Social Sciences. You might be able to get what they call a “field of study” certification but I’m not sure there are enough classes in sociology to make that a realistic option for you.
Before you get started, do some research into the Special Student option. Give them a call and talk to an adviser. They can give you a better indication of what the chances are of you actually being accepted into that program.
Thanks for the advice, Richard. I’ll do that. I do know that my concentration is still be in the Social Sciences. The Sociology classes are just for personal interests. Anyway, I’ll worry about the Special Student Status Option if I ever get to complete the 32 credits and a B+ needed for consideration. Until then, I’ll simply concentrate on obtaining a least a grade of an “A or B” in Calculus I.
Afterwards, the main concern at the Harvard Summer School is the Expository Writing class. This class will be my top priority subject. Thus, the future classes at HES won’t mean anything to me if I can’t pass the class with at least a “B”.
I’ll just have to take it one semester at a time. Thanks for all of your help, Richard! You have been a big help!
I believe one of the reasons why some of the students can’t pass the Expository Writing classes for the ALB program is because they do have have the foundation to do so. Most of the applicants accepted into the ALB Program have always been strong students to begin with.
Weaker candiates will be excluded from consideration if they lack the skills to succeed. So they might get frustated with the class material and drop out. Those who have the skills and know what they want from Harvard Extension will do very well. That said. not everyone who gets into ALB program remain. Not because they could not handle the classwork, but because they have decided to transfer elsewhere. So I believe that most people come to Harvard Extension to take classes only. Therefore, the ALB degree is only an option that a few people apply to.
Most college age students who apply to Harvard University focus on Harvard College instead of Harvard Extension School. The former attracts more people than the latter.
In the end, Harvard Extension is what a person makes of it.
Hi Carlos,
Could you give a little feedback on how the prerequisite
placement test for EXPO E-25 was in terms of difficulty and what
materials it covered (grammer, vocabulary, etc)?
Is it similar to SAT? how should I prepare for it?
And when they say a B- or better on 3 ALB(4 credit each) course,
do they mean a cumulative grade point average or a singel
course?
When I took the placement test it was quite simply an essay question.
We were asked to read a passage and write a response arguing a position on the material that we had just read. The key skill for this type of exam wasn’t so much vocabulary and grammar (although I suspect that these are important for people) but the ability to use evidence in a source document to argue a point.
The best way that you can prepare for it is to read critiques of other people’s writing. A good example is a book review written by an opponent of the reviewed author.
The skill they are trying to teach on EXPO E-25 is academic writing. A good SAT verbal score will help but it’s not really testing the same thing.
As for admission to the ALB program, you need to take three courses and earn a B- in each. This isn’t hard to do if you choose your courses carefully but you will find it difficult to get these grades if you aren’t prepared or don’t do the work.
The classes at HES aren’t easy but they aren’t impossible either. They require no less study or work than you would find at any other college.
Good luck!
Hello Richard,
Thank you for you prompt feedback. I really appreciate your help.
Richard, could you take more than main 3 courses(ALB-4credit
each) and use the best 3 out of all?
And could you use remaining courses later as credits?
Sang,
There is a maximum number of classes that you can take before applying for the ALB if you plan to use them towards the degree. If you take more than 5 classes, you’ll need a waiver to apply for admission.
But if you take 4 classes and get a B- in three of them, the fourth grade doesn’t matter (much) for admissions.
The most important class to do well in is EXPO E-25. It’s the primary gateway to admission for the ALB.
Thank you for your feedback, Richard.
Sang
Hi Richard,
I’ve just taken the placement test (critical reading & writing), and thought of it as challenging. I wrote the essay but couldn’t completely finish it; I wrote intro, bodies, and concluding paragraphs.
Did you run into a similar problem?
Regards,
Sang
When I took the placement exam, it wasn’t available online. I had to travel to Boston and take the exam in person.
I didn’t think of it as to difficult but I didn’t feel comfortable with my handwriting as I was trying to scribble out a complete and coherent essay.
The main thing to show is that you can make an argument that you support with facts. In my exam, we had to read a passage and then make an argument supported by the facts that we read in the passage.
If you did this, then you should be fine. There will be plenty of opportunities to fix what you do wrong when you take EXPOs.
Thanks for your feedback, Richard.
Sang
Thank you all for sharing your experiences and comments about HES. I plan to enroll in EXPO-25 in December and am looking to take the placement test in November. The information shared was very helpful to me as I am a little anxious about taking the placement test. Although I consider myself a creative writer and write frequently, I haven’t taken a college-level writing course in twenty years.
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