Harvard Extension School Undergraduate Privileges

<p>Hi guys, so we all know that people can get Bachelors degrees from Harvard's Extension School and not just Harvard College, but does anyone know in specific (more detail than the Harvard website describes) what the privileges undergraduates that are enrolled in Harvard College have over the non-traditional students? I know that Harvard Extension graduates are graduates of Harvard University legally and get pretty much all the rights of all the other Harvard grads (access to alumni association, Harvard clubs, all the good stuff etc), but is the only real difference that the Extension undergrads can't walk-on/be recruited for Ivy League teams and live in the dorms? On the website it says that you have a lot of the same privileges as Harvard College undergrads (student ID card, library/computer access, Harvard email, research/employment opportunities, on campus clubs/IM sports), but I just wanted to know from informed individuals or even Extension undergrads themselves what the situation is. </p>

<p>Note: This thread isn't about "Is a Harvard Extension bachelor degree equal to a Harvard College bachelor degree" or any of that subjective stuff. I'm merely asking for some facts. Feel free to discuss whatever you want about Harvard Extension if you want to post it though, but I am not looking to start a debate about Harvard College vs. Harvard Extension. </p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>Most Harvard College classes occur during the day. Extension School classes occur at night; the assumption being that students who take Extension classes have a full-time job during the day.
The course offerings of the Extension School are not the same as the College. See: <a href=“http://www.extension.harvard.edu/courses/course-search[/url]”>http://www.extension.harvard.edu/courses/course-search&lt;/a&gt; and <a href=“http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/courses-exams/courses-instruction[/url]”>http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/courses-exams/courses-instruction&lt;/a&gt;.
In addition, although the Extension School offers financial aid, I believe that FA is not calculated in the exact same way as FA in the College.</p>

<p>Thanks, gibby. Those are the kinds of things I was looking for. So assuming one can attain Special Student Status at Harvard Extension (allowing you to take Harvard College classes), is the main difference then just financial aid, the aforementioned Ivy League Sports, and housing? Also, the children of Harvard Extension bachelor degree holders cannot claim “legacy” when applying on the common application for Harvard College, correct? Or is any Bachelor degree from Harvard/children of individuals in the Harvard Alumni Directory fair game? </p>

<p>Thanks for answering.</p>

<p>You need to do a close-reading of “Special Student Status.” To take 2 classes per semester at the College, you need to have already taken 32 credits at the Extension School and have a 3.33 GPA. See: [Special</a> Options | Harvard Extension Undergraduate Degrees](<a href=“http://www.extension.harvard.edu/degrees-certificates/undergraduate-degrees/special-options]Special”>http://www.extension.harvard.edu/degrees-certificates/undergraduate-degrees/special-options). So, an Extension student does not get to automatically take Harvard College classes.</p>

<p>Or…you need to do a close reading of my post. I said, “assuming one can attain special student status…” meaning I understand the requirements and am assuming if someone is granted this state then are the only real differences financial aid, legacy, Ivy League sports, and housing? But I understand what you’re saying, it isn’t “sign up at extension, take Harvard College classes.” That would be pretty unfair to the people who have worked so hard to study at the College.</p>

<p>EDIT: Upon further reading my previous post, maybe I wasn’t clear enough that I knew the application process for Special Student Status. I meant to write, “Let us assume one can and does attain Special Student Status…”</p>

<p>Assuming you can attain “special student status”, you really cannot interact, at a classroom level, with Harvard students until amassing 32 credits. And you cannot interact at a residential college level at all. I think those two things are critically important to the Harvard experience. To quote William Fitzsimmons from a NY Times blog:</p>

<p>“Harvard alumni/ae often report that the education they received from fellow classmates was a critically important component of their college experience. The education that takes place between roommates, in dining halls, classrooms, research groups, extracurricular activities, and in Harvard’s residential houses depends on selecting students who will reach out to others.”</p>

<p>Thanks, gibby. I appreciate your answer, and edited my previous post to say that I wasn’t specific enough about SSS. </p>

<p>So basically, I shouldn’t tell someone about this path if they want to get an undergraduate degree/Harvard experience, but got rejected from Harvard College? This isn’t for me, I am already at another college, but I was just wondering since you are a veteran poster around here, and there are a lot of people with the above mindset (although it is a bit shallow to think that way) that I know.</p>

<p>That’s correct, because it’s not the same experience. </p>

<p>BTW: I know two students currently at the Extension School; one is 38, the other is 53 – and both have family’s. It’s not exactly the same as living in a residential house with students between 18 and 22.</p>

<p>extension school offers B.L.A degrees, whereas the college offers B.A.
both bachelor degrees but very different.</p>

<p>there’s no reason not to tell anyone this path if they want to take courses at Harvard. courses are also offered online for free- right now only a few, but I’m sure more will be added in the upcoming years.</p>

<p>gibby: How do the two individuals you know like it so far? Do they feel like they are getting a Harvard quality degree and experience as the general public would interpret that phrase? </p>

<p>HazelCapri: I was mainly making this thread for reference for recommending the degree seeking programs (mainly bachelors program), not just taking online courses. I know the names of the degrees are different, the school within Harvard that awards the BLA degree is different than Harvard College, but I was trying to get some qualitative differences cleared up such as legacy status (is it enough to say “I have a parent that has an undergraduate degree from Harvard University”), joining on campus organizations, and the like.</p>

<p>@g0ld3n: Both are taking pedagogy courses so they can teach and advance their careers. For them, it’s night school. They are not there for “the Harvard experience” although I suppose they chose H over other schools in Boston because of the name.</p>

<p>I understand to most it is a night school, but on their website it clearly states:</p>

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<p>So it’s not that unexpected, or even unwanted of HES to have traditional college aged students pursuing bachelor degrees or why would they advertise it on their website? It’s true that it is mostly a night school, but I was just wondering if it is looked down upon if someone goes there for the degree as a traditional student given that it comes with a decent amount of privileges too.</p>

<p>@g0ld3n: If you want the true Harvard Experience as an Extension Student(After being admitted), you could enroll in the on-line classes and ask the Professor if you could take his class during the day at Harvard College? There are admitted HES students who have enrolled full-time at Harvard College by enrolling in the online classes and simply asking the teachers if they could sit in during their live lecture with no problems at all. And some students take advantage of this option. But your HES experience is how you make it. It all boils down to what you want and how to pursue it.</p>