Comments on: Harvard Extension School Overview

By: Austin

Austin — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:32:00 +0000

The course-load can be a shock if you haven’t done rigorous academic work recently. Try not to take two writing intensive courses at the same time unless you have 30 or 40 hours a week to devote to them (outside lectures and sections).

Also, some students don’t take sufficient account of writing requirements before enrolling. This is a big mistake, even for courses that don’t specify writing related prereqs.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 01:16:00 +0000

Scott, I agree. The IT class I took was incredibly challenging and really helpful.

By: Scott Young

Scott Young — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:45:00 +0000

A GREAT school! I have learned some much in the field of Information Technology, and wouldn’t chose any other distant education program. If you love taking courses online this is the school from you.

By: Ed Shull

Ed Shull — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 07:21:50 +0000

But you have to consider that many people take classes to just expand their knowledge on a subject, not earn a degree. This is probably especially true for online classes through HES.

By: arrowsmith

arrowsmith — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 05:35:24 +0000

I've read elsewhere that fewer than 5% of those accepted into the Harvard Extension School degree programs actually complete them. So while it's easier to get into HES than to Harvard College and some of the other Harvard graduate schools, it is extraordinarily difficult to "get out".

Published numbers bear this out: the College graduates roughly 1500 ABs a year. By contrast, the Extension School typically graduates fewer than 130 ALBs.

By: SocialDarwin

SocialDarwin — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 03:52:16 +0000

Agree with most of the comments above. Start by trying just one class. A lot of work involved, but worth the effort if you've got the time to devote to it.

By: Ed Shull

Ed Shull — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:48:00 +0000

Agreed. My classes at Harvard were extremely challenging.

By: IvyVet

IvyVet — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:32:09 +0000

I've taken 7 courses at Harvard Extension, 3 via the distance learning option. If you're not ready to work really hard don't bother. The courses I've taken thus far are more demanding and rigorous than Princeton, where I took my BA. The computer science courses in particular are killers. In my classes there's been an average attrition rate of about 1/3, some leaving well after there was any hope of getting their money back. The people who make it all the way through the Extension degree programs have my respect. It really means something.

By: Katherine

Katherine — Wed, 26 May 2010 14:21:10 +0000

I earned my BA from Harvard Extension and in the two classes I had with undergrads from the College I was surprised at how the pace of the teaching was slowed to accommodate them and, in one class — unfortunately — how disruptive and rude some of them were. I want to emphasize that I wrote that only some of them were ill-mannered; most of them were thoughtful, funny, and engaging. They enlarged my experience considerably and I was lucky to study with them.

Dear Hrvoje:

I sometimes think the Extension School is the best-kept secret in ivy education. And, yes, people have left the College to finish at the much, much cheaper Extension Program.

By: filthylucre

filthylucre — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:47:58 +0000

Narae, the classes are not easy, but not impossibly hard. Have you taken any other college level classes yet?

One suggestion is to buy the book ahead of time, and maybe ask the professor for an advanced syllabus, or maybe one from last year. I wouldn't try taking more than 1 for the first semester.