@T26E4 No I have not been admitted/rejected yet but I have a good chance. If not there I would be surprised if I didn’t get into UCLA. But UCB’s 17% admit rate is lower than HES 4.5% degree “candidacy rate”. However I am starting to change my view, a poster above said not all courses are taught by Harvard instructors. Ill call Harvard in the morning.
LOL! Only a handful of HES courses are taught by Harvard faculty. The rest are adjuncts. Some may have a Harvard degree just like at many schools.
Does a bachelor in Extension studies increase the chances of attending a graduate school at Harvard?
^^ Nope. Here’s an article you should read: http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/09/did-i-really-go-to-harvard-if-i-got-my-degree-taking-online-classes/279644/
@gibby your article didn’t really help your argument against HES. It mentioned how only about 1/5th of students ever enrolled got a degree and it concluded with the author realizing she does belong at Harvard. Ill call big H tomorrow and see whats up.
Because many people who enroll in HES never intend to get a degree. That’s why it’s a 4.5% candidacy rate. If I were in Boston for an extended time, I could enroll in HES for fun. And I’d diminish the 4.5% candidacy rate.
This is not a measure whatsoever, of its selectivity. It’s a measure of how broad the HES offerings are for normal folks in the community. And your bachelors from UCLA or UCB would be MUCH better than an HES degree in terms of ANY graduate school, much less Harvard.
And what do you think Harvard is going to tell you when you call them? Of course they’re going to make its own pgm look wonderful. You simply want to manufacture your own answer. If you’re so set on being a poseur, go for it. Enjoy a RedSox game while you’re there. They’re fun.
@T26E4 What would you compare HES to? Like what school? Is a degree there similar to a degree from a top 20 school? Top 50? Is there any merit in the idea that you are getting a Harvard education? Or are you getting a Harvard education, but in a way that diminishes its reputation-but not the quality of the education?
I would compare it to Stanford Extension School. https://continuingstudies.stanford.edu Or UCLA Extension School. https://www.uclaextension.edu/Pages/default.aspx Or any other extension school at a good university. It’s an extension school. A great option for many people, but not the same thing as the traditional route. Also, the extension schools have very limited majors available. Do you know what you want to do?
The quality of the education–a Harvard education-- is not what you are getting at the extension school. You are not getting those professors, and you are not getting those classmates. You will not be under the same pressures or have the same opportunities. That said, if my daughter wanted to do it, I’d let her. I don’t agree that you’re a “poser” for going there as a young person although I do agree that you’re a “poser” for trying to convince people HES is the same thing as going to HU. It’s a viable option for working adults, not unlike UMass-Boston in the experience (and probably quality of education), which also services a large population of working adults in the area.
First of all, the obvious choice is UC Berkeley.
However, I think people are being a little too disdainful about Harvard Extension. Not only are there Harvard professors teaching SOME of the classes but students who are getting a degree are actually required to take a certain number of classes with Harvard faculty.
I know several 21 year-olds or thereabouts, and many other ages, taking classes at HES. They tend to be outliers, kids who have not followed the traditional path for one reason or the other. Ballet dancers, kids who had a mental health episode, high school students looking for challenge, parents (or grandparents) who already have a degree and want stimulation or who don’t have a degree and want it too, and working people trying to get ahead.
In recent years, HES has added more online classes, which means filmed classes from Harvard College (lectures) but less personal contact.
I believe some people who do really well can take classes in the college but remain in HES- but I could be wrong. Read the website thoroughly.
It is harder to do a full major ( or concentration) at HES. Just because the full slate of Harvard College classes are not offered, only a sampling. The classes are relatively difficult, compared to other adult education classes (I know because I browse in the Harvard Coop and see the reading lists). Word is that faculty love to teach there.
In short, HES is a fine school with excellent classes and an interesting student body. But commuters, yes.
For your purposes, of seeking a future in med school or with employers or whatever, UC Berkeley is a much much much much better choice. Unless you yourself are a bit of an outlier, don’t want the campus experience and so on. And truly want the classes and not the prestige. But if that were true- no need to move to Boston. HES is not prestigious but it is an interesting place.