Advanced standing

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

So I recently heard about this program and it actually sounds pretty appealing - being able to graduate within three years or graduate with two degrees within four years

I was just wondering why is that not a lot of people ppursue it? I know the not graduating with your class part is a major factor but if you chose to stay for a forth year and pursue a one year masters degree won’t you still graduate with your class?

I’m just slightly confused can someone elaborate on this? Much appreciated!

2

I guess what I was confused about was that if one does chose to do advanced standing and do the one year masters - is one a “senior” their third year or forth year

3

Very few Harvard students actually opt for Advanced Standing every year. I can’t remember where I read this, but it’s about 5 or 6 students per year, even though over half the class qualifies. Those students that do opt for Advanced standing usually replace their freshman year with the credits, so upon matriculation to Harvard they start as sophomores. See: http://oue.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k18059&pageid=icb.page498253&pageContentId=icb.pagecontent1065010&view=view.do&viewParam_name=asgeninfo.html#a_icb_pagecontent1065010_a_icb_pagecontent825552_apexams

Students who purse Advanced Standing must know exactly what they want from their time at Harvard, and need to hit the ground running from Day 1. Sometimes students must take 5 or 6 classes per semester (instead of 4) to get all their general education credits completed. It’s a ton of work in a compressed 3 years, which is why most student’s don’t do it.

4

Well, a third according to Harvard…

Perhaps [url=http://oue.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?pageid=icb.page498253&pageContentId=icb.pagecontent1065010&view=view.do&viewParam_name=asgeninfo.html]here[/url] although the exact number is not quantified.

5

So if for example I am supposed to be class of 2020 and I do chose this along with a forth year masters would I be class of 2019 or 2020

6

You should send an email with your questions to Noël Bisson (bisson@fas.harvard.edu), who is the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education in charge of Advanced Standing. In the meantime, please read this: http://mybiasedcoin.blogspot.com/2009/11/4-year-masters.html

7

Not to be nit picky but in three posts you spelled fourth as “forth”. I’m correcting you in case you decide to send any emails out with your questions.