Harvard Extension School

I took a statistics class at the HES and I must say I enjoyed it. My classmates were from all over the world, instructor was very reasonable, professional, and knowledgeable. Definitely going to take more classes in the future.

The Extension School has left me with mixed emotions. On one hand, the school offers availability to top notch education, professors, and (restricted) resources. On the other, stigma and great prejudice towards HES students from both Harvard and the community. I often wonder whether or not I would start my education with HES again if given the chance to go back and decide. There's lots of pushback for HES student rights and accessibility to equal opportunity enjoyed by students from other schools at Harvard... All in all, choose very wisely before attending HES. All you see is all you get.

Wow, having a class even could be so good. Most of the classes I had in the past 30 years were boring. But these top Harvard professors make the classes into a different world. Also, I met several best TA in the world. Enjoyed a lot.

Recently completed Advanced Writing in the Social Sciences with Janling Fu. Although my initial focus wasn't on food, the theme for the class, I was able to learn a lot about different cultural experiences and perspectives. The readings were a highlight. As I've been away from school for a long time, the revisiting of writing mechanics was an adjustment. Interacting with students in Munich and Norway was really cool. Class participation wasn't listed as contributing to the final grade, an oversight that should be addressed in my opinion. Also, I actually researched another topic and drafted a second paper for my own interest and benefit since you have access to Harvard Libraries online. My advice is to outline the readings, and become intimately familiar with mechanics of structure prior to writing assignments. Also, hone in on most helpful writing guides. Finally, plan to spend a great amount of time and energy if you take the intense seven-week course.

As others noted: Unmatched quality for the cost you pay. Getting my bachelor degree from HES was a life changing experience. Later I attended one of the Oxford's online programs, and it was not even close to the quality and challenge offered by Harvard Extension.

The extension school at Harvard is simply put, a hidden gem! I have now taken 5 courses at the Extension School, and I can convey with great sincerity the great rigor and learning that is involved. I would recommend anyone in doubt to shadow some of the free courses offered, such as David J. Malan's CS50, or Harry R. Lewis's 'Bits' course. There are many lifelong as well as global learners in the walls of Harvard. And the experience offered can not be measured in words.

Fantastic school that goes to show that you don't need to be rich to go to Harvard-- you just need to be smart and / or determined. Great place for studying just about anything. Cambridge is amazing.

Really great school. Very well organized. Took PSYCH 15 and thoroughly enjoyed it. High quality teaching and super interesting. Taking more classes!

A current student in their graduate program and greatly appreciate the education that they provide to working professionals with the option to complete the program remotely. Teaching and support staff are amazing and curriculum is updated to stay current with industry. One of the best values for the high caliber of education offered.

There is systemic injustice at Harvard Extension School. Their policies as stated on their website are not upheld. I had a professor who graded anything beneath a 90% as a 0%. So, in other words, if you don't get an A you fail your assignments. I withdrew, brought this to the attention of the Dean, and asked for financial credit so I could take another course instead. She did not respond but simply forwarded my concern to a registrar who refused to do anything about it. The registrar said, wrongly, that the professor was acting in accord with HES policy. The grading system on the website does not in point of fact map onto the grading system of all the professors. So be forewarned that you may end up with a professor who will give you an F if you get less than an A. Don't waste your money at HES and don't expect the administration to act justly. I've matriculated a different program. HES just lost the 30K they would have made if they would have simply rendered a just decision.

I am extremely saddened to say that HES does not help International Students solve their financial issues at all. There are no Financial Aid options coming from the university itself, and 2 out of 3 student loan companies that their office recommends actually don't really accept Extension School students. The third one needs a lot of extra paperwork that the school isn't willing to help with. In order to enroll you need to pay in full and you don't get a letter of enrollment until after the drop out period, when it's too late. You can't get a loan without paying and you can't get enrolled without a loan. So it's a chicken and egg situation that has no end. They say the university helps cover for you until the loan is approved, but in reality, you have to pay in full first and they will reimburse you after the loan is paid. Which defies the entire point of asking for financial assistance. There is a very short window in which to apply for the loan after registration before being dropped out for non-payment. Paperwork takes more than a month, which is not nearly enough to get everything done. I've spent hours and hours with both the lending officers and the financial aid officers, and in the end, nothing got solved. Nothing. I am unable to join the courses. I am unable to get a loan. I feel like my potential is wasting away... Harvard has failed me.

Served me extremely well, as I earned my AA '01, ALB '06, and did graduate coursework to '12; started in the Fall of '97. I have made some wonderful friends, many connections and proud to be a part of the Harvard community. It is not Harvard College, but most of my professors were from Harvard schools; of 32 courses required, in my case, 28 were Harvard professors of The College, HMS, SPH and GFAS with 4 being: visiting scholars (2), BU (1) and MIT (1). Back in my day we had to test to get in prior to the three required courses prerequisite, then take the three courses, and finally apply for degree candidacy. Academically, not so easy and don't believe it's a "gimme money for a degree," but it is certainly a great alternative to BU's Metropolitan College or BC's night program which cost upwards to $1800.00+ (at the time) more for an undergraduate class. Furthermore, it would have been a bear to park at BU/BC....that's why I chose Harvard Extension: cost, access, academics and parking. Liberal Arts education, well rounded with a lot of requirements to do in order to earn your degree. Classes cost me $385.00 when I started and increased $100.00 each academic year. Full access to all things Harvard. As for the Harvard Extension shame, Professor William Henry Anderson, MD said to me, "...you should be proud to have worked full time, own a house and raise a family, all while making your way successfully through Harvard." Years later, in my field of biotechnology/pharmaceuticals, no one cares where you matriculated. However, there are some snotty and insecure folks who really believe that where you were schooled is all that matters. Truthfully what matters is the skills you have: how well you write, your analytical and critical thinking skills, how well you interact socially, and you learn to perfect that at Harvard Extension. No regrets whatsoever.

WASTE OF MONEY!!!! They charge $3k for courses that deliver content that you can learn for free by watching YouTube and admission isn't even guaranteed. Save your money and don't waste your time.

Really unsatisfied with admin employees. Amazing professors and diverse classmates but outdated admin procedures and admin staff act like robots. Very unfortunate and not worth the money.

They have no considerations for people who are doing certificates, the courses are very random in terms of quality and they change policies without ensuring that people are aware. Stay away as much as you can if you want to have a quality degree.

I've just recently been admitted to the Extension School's ALB (Bachelors degree) program, and let me tell you, folks, this is the real deal. Sure, you can bitch about the educational weekend warriors in your class, but I've found that the open enrollment policy is part of what makes the classes so good. Instead of sitting in a college class with a bunch of eighteen year olds who haven't really experienced much outside of high school and proms and summer camps (no offense to eighteen year olds, but you'll know what I mean once you get a couple cross country road trips under your belt), the HES classes draw a diverse group of people with a wide range of life experiences. For example: this past spring I took a class about World War II. The average age in that class was probably up in the 50s. There were plenty of us youngins in the class, but there were also a surprisingly large number of people who were children during the war. One man grew up in London and vividly remembers sitting in his mother's lap in a crowded underground subway station during the Battle of Britain. Some students were the children of Holocaust survivors. Other students were just WWII buffs who came to learn more about their hobby topic. That class sure beat the pants off of any WWII class I could have taken in a more traditional college environment. I've taken 5 classes so far and, for the most part, my fellow students are serious-minded, hardworking, and are there because they want to be there. The classes are intellectually stimulating and the professors are top notch. Some Harvard College kids may feel threatened by the fact that you're 67 and pursuing a hallowed Harvard undergraduate degree, but who cares what Harvard College kids think, anyway? (Just kidding, Harvard College kids. Go easy on me when you're running the world.) But seriously: if you're interested, take a look. Peruse their website. If you're ready to be a serious student you can get an Associate, Bachelor, or Masters degree from Harvard Extension School. If you just want to take a class for personal enrichment or for fun (History of Electronic Music? Sign me up!) you can do that too. Check it out for yourself. I've enjoyed my time there, but (as LeVar Burton used to say) you don't have to take my word for it!

Hello- This would be a five star review, but I can not do this given my circumstances. I have thoroughly enjoyed my museum studies courses over the last five years. Kathleen Burton Jones is special and the access to the Harvard museums are a real plus. I have especially enjoyed my in-person and hands-on classes, but have not particularly enjoyed the remote classes. There is nothing one can do about this during the Covid pandemic, and it is especially trying if you need 16 credit hours for the certificate and have to get this done in three years. My big argument is the Harvard Extension School policy of having these credits completed in three years. This is NOT consumer friendly for stay-at-home moms who have to dip in and out of taking classes over the years as they care for children and elderly parents. Many of us (and I have a Harvard University FAS degree) are contemplating career changes after parenting. I took one course in 2014 and one course in 2015 until my mom received an Alzheimer's diagnosis in 2015. When I had time to return, I discovered in 2018, these courses did not count for the certificate. This policies penalizes fathers or mothers who can not take their courses over a three year continuum, or for that matter, five years for the graduate degree. Museum Studies is not Cyber Security. This would be a five star review if not for this.

I've recently just started to use HMM, so far so good. Looking through the resources "Become a More Patient Leader" caught my attention and I assumed that it was is regard to having a "short fuse". Surprisingly the article was speaking to being patient for the long game. A short but well written article that reminds us to use patients for the long game and apply that to our plans.

It feels a bit cheesy to write a review about an institute of higher learning, but I had trouble finding a great place to take night classes, and the reviews on Yelp helped me decide. I've taken classes at a lot of different places, and I would definitely take another one at HES. Considering both price and quality, I think it's the best choice in the Boston area. I took Abnormal Psych this semester, and just finished my final yesterday night (woohoo). The class had a "distance option", which was pretty fabulous- lectures and materials were posted online. In addition, the midterm and final were open book and online. The class was taught by Professor Carson, an actual Harvard Professor, and the class had 3-4 dedicated TAs who all had great experience in Psychology and were available outside of class to talk to us about our interests and career. Like many colleges, there was a good bit of coddling, grade inflation, and requirements that reminded me a bit of high school, but I came out of the course having learned a lot. The quality of the education was fairly high, and the class held me accountable, so I couldn't slack off. We had to write 5 weekly response papers, participate in 5 sections (online or in person) and write a 12-page literature review paper. We also had to take a midterm and a final. The class was approximately (this is from memory, so could easily be wrong) $600 to audit it for non-credit, $800-900 to take as an undergrad, and $1.8k to take as grad credit. Their pricing is significantly cheaper than most of the other area colleges. HES also offers undergrad and grad degrees. I considered getting my masters here as I worked on my applications for PhD programs, but decided against it, mostly because I want to pursue my education full-time. If not, this would have been a fantastic option. The adviser for the department was so-so in helpfulness, but the application process is fairly straightforward. For the Psych masters program, you take 3 classes (1 stats, 1 psych, 1 proseminar) and then "apply". Acceptance is mostly based on your grades in those 3 classes and your application. Enrollment in courses are open to everyone. If you're looking for a night class to supplement your education, especially while working full-time, this is definitely a great option!

I feel compelled to leave this review after the recent blow up on social media and after reading Farrah A's review. She either went to a very different school or is simply not telling the truth. My classmates included a Turkish mother of four who worked for the IMF, a Nobel prize nominated plastic surgeon who had done charity work all over Central Asia, a Nigerian immigrant, Chinese and Indian citizens, military veterans, and community activists working right here in Boston. My graduating class defined diversity. People from all over the world tapped into the classes and brought an incredible depth to the courses. The Harvard professors are literally the best in the world. Their passion for their subjects was undeniable, and the rigorous process they have to get through to become instructors leaves them as unquestioned experts in their fields. I was, however, most impressed with how they treated people. I watched professors and their graduate students quietly pull struggling students aside and spend countless hours tutoring students to get them to acceptable levels. They encouraged risk taking and research initiative while mentoring us through the process. They encouraged us to use the considerable talents of our peers as both sounding board and quality assurance. I have never served in a more professional or supporting organization. The academics were demanding and insightful. The lessons in how to treat people with dignity? In selflessness? These were invaluable. Contrary to reports, the cost is on par with our regional institutions. To claim otherwise is to simply not check neighboring tuition rates. At Harvard, at least, you get way more than you pay for. There is a reason Harvard has established itself as the brand for academic and intellectual excellence. Having been through the process, it's a very well earned reputation.

I am getting ready to close out my first semester of management courses at HES. I'm taking Managerial Accounting with Dr. Ned Gandevani and our final is next week. As a professional with three children, a high-paying career, and desire to further my education and gain some knowledge that I can apply to my full-time job, HES in FANTASTIC. In just one class, I have learned a ton and met some intelligent and similarly driven classmates. The cool thing about the Extension School is that you can take classes without wasting precious time studying for and taking the GMAT or GRE, pulling together mind-numbing essays, and thinking in absolute terms about the incredible world-changing things that you'll do with your Harvard degree. You just enroll for a class... yes, you literally go online, grab your wallet, and plunk down $2,550 for grad classes (as of Dec 2016), and you are a Harvard Student. Get a B or better, rinse and repeat two more times with your remaining admissions courses and you can then apply to become an admitted degree candidate. It's certainly an expensive "admissions" process, but all of these courses are required for graduation so really you've saved a ton. Not only on the absolute cost of the program, but on application fees, test prep, and test-taking fees. In terms of the quality -- you get out what you put in. If you want to take the classes live on Harvard's campus, engage in discussion, put in lots of study hours you can do that. You have access to talented teachers and TAs (I can only speak on the class I've taken!), and other capable students. I'm running long here, but what I will say is that for many of us, the opportunity cost of taking time off to get an MBA is far too high. HES ticks all of the boxes for me: cost, flexibility, and quality. I'm looking forward to graduation in a few years.

I am taking classes at the Harvard Extension School and definitely took the help from the enrollment counselor. I am on my way to receiving my Masters in Liberal Arts: Management degree. Full of excitement to be studying at a prestigious university!

I registered for one class as a "test drive" before I committed to pursuing my graduate degree there: less than impressed. I understand it is the extension school but a semester of Powerpoint Karaoke is not what I expected from a Harvard instructor. On top of that, difficult to find help if you are having issues with your class or grades. IMHO, The Extension School might be a good option for a graduate certificate but not for a graduate degree. They charge almost as much as what a business school at a good state university charges even though the degree they offer is not quite a Master's of Science or Master's of Arts but a Master's of Liberal Studies and based on many instructors' bios I checked, many of them do not seem to be university instructors but consultants, high school teachers and grad students.

It may sound counter intuitive to many, but I have found the Harvard Extension School to not only be at the same level academically as Harvard College, but more difficult, too. And especially more difficult to graduate from because of the following: 1- The education is exactly the same as the rest of Harvard. This is Harvard! Same campus and all. 2-While Harvard college focuses on making it hard to get in, they loosen up when you are in. It is hard to get in, but not that hard to graduate. I have friends who graduated from Harvard College who were employees of mine at one point. It is the opposite with the extension school. Unnecessary tests are not needed to see how brilliant you are, because most people who apply are professionals with years of proven experience and many have the scars to prove it. What you need to get accepted is pass three classes with at least a B grade. This is more than fair. Then you need to have a 3.0 GPA to graduate. So graduating with a degree from HES is way more difficult. 3-HES was created over a century ago at Harvard, but it may be the most innovative program yet. The traditional education system in America and in most countries doesn't match up to the technological and business breakthroughs we experience frequently these days. Harvard college students are paying 4-9x time the amount for a degree that is just as valuable as that from HES. I don't blame the students for this. But their parents don't get any brownie points in the "smart parents" category. But some don't care because they have the money and want their kids to have a proper college experience, which is perhaps the most valuable part of any school anyway. There are many reasons why the Extension School trumps the Harvard College any day. I am making some great connections, learning from the same faculty and getting the same education, I wear the same badge, I get access to all the facilities and resources, and I am sitting next to people with real world experience.

I took CS50 through the Extension School and it was first rate! Although I am a distance learner, the teaching fellows were highly available and made it a terrific learning experience, culminating in the CS50 fair where I presented a project on campus with a classmate, which we are now turning into a startup. I think what distinguishes HES from other part time programs is the sheer amount of resources they are willing to put behind their offerings to make it the very best. Visiting campus was a very welcoming experience. I got to network with many of my classmates as well as those involved who were attending Harvard College. Truly, when you come to the Extension School, you come to ALL of Harvard. I can't wait for my next courses - I plan to pursue the full degree program here because of my positive experience!

For my 100th review, I wanted to review something that has impacted most of my life in Boston. With a little luck and a TON of hard work, I will graduate from the Harvard Extension's undergraduate program in June. When I made the decision to move to Boston to finish school, I would have never predicted I'd end up at HARVARD, but I am so lucky to have found this program. With challenging classes taught by Harvard professors and many students looking for a little intellectual stimulation, I found the perfect environment to finish my degree. Although there are plenty of casual "lifetime learners", the diversity of the student population has greatly enhanced my experience and made class discussions more enjoyable. There's the requisite know-it-alls and douchebags (including one kid who wore head-to-toe Harvard apparel every single day!) in every class, but that's no different than pretty much any other school. Now let's talk about the value. Yes, for a casual student, the classes are expensive. But I am getting a degree from Harvard for less than $4000 a semester on average. Seriously?!?! This is the country's best kept secret. No one outside of this city really understands what the Extension School is, and when I try to explain that the admission requirements are nowhere near as stringent as Harvard College, they shrug it off and say "whatever, it's Harvard." And who am I to argue?

I'm over halfway done with a Masters in Software Engineering (Information Technology). The classes are mostly fantastic, although there are clearly some problems with their hiring practices that let a few bad apples in. Harvard has a great CS department, however, they have far fewer professors to fill the positions in the IT program than in other programs. This leaves a big gap that, I feel, has been filled by sub-standard professors with questionable teaching abilities. So far, I've found that these are not professors who teach in any other colleges in the University, but just in the Extension School, which is somewhat telling. I'd go from taking the Theory of Computation, taught by Harry Lewis (a world-renowned lecturer, who taught this same class to Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg) to a class on content management systems that *I* was more qualified to teach. The professor knew only the basics of programming, and was stumped by simple questions about WordPress and CSS. The professor's resume also left their appointment to this position in the first place somewhat of a mystery. When a class was good, it was very very good. The security class by Scott Bradner was another excellent one. When the classes were bad, they were an exercise in tedium, but hey, at least you get a degree at the end, right? I never had a class where the ineffective teaching practices negatively influenced my grade. There were many sleepless nights and tears shed over difficult assignments, however, these were usually in the better classes, taught by professors who knew how to challenge clever students. I felt elated at the end of the process -- I stepped up to the challenge, and received a hard-won education and credit for it. The bad classes were usually fairly easy. Painful not because they were hard, but because they were badly taught, and lacking the real educational value I thought I was paying for. About a third of the classes have been mind-blowingly excellent, a third have been extremely useful and routine, and a third have been... meh. The Extension School really needs to concentrate on weeding out the less-than-excellent professors, especially in IT. Just a few switches here and there would, I think, vastly improve the program. For the most part, however, it's a fantastic program, at a great price, and I feel far more competent as a software engineer after completing just over half of the program. I can't wait to finish it and get my degree!

This is Harvard? When I began my first class last fall the professor assured us that we were going to receive the same education as the folks in the business school across the river. I'm skeptical. I'm all for education for the masses and I applaud the school's open-enrollment policy - no need to apply to take courses so long as you've got the bucks to shell out for the class. However, as someone looking for "graduate level" management courses, the mingling of graduate, undergraduate, and folks in the "hell, I need something to do on Tuesday nights and have some money to blow" category didn't really create the sort of stimulating intellectual environment I craved, or that I felt could truly help me in the working world. To be honest, it felt like an informal book club gathering more than an HBS course. A great option for those looking to expand their minds or the achievement obsessed who need "just one more degree" and would like their next to be from Hahvahd, but be prepared to guide your education as much as it is guided for you. Your ambition and your curiosity will determine the value received and NOT the classroom discussion or the school's name on the tuition bill you receive.

I finished the ALM program with a concentration in Information Systems. The Professors were world-class and the TA's were very helpful. The course work was geared toward comprehension and learning. I work full time, so the online structure made the program more conducive to my schedule. I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to get a quality education at the best school around. It's not cheap, but it was worth every penny.

I took some excellent classes at HES, particular a superb legal studies class called Internet & Society. I also took an Ocean Environments class (eew, science requirement) and a class called Law and Psychology that fulfilled my strange fascination with serial killers. The classes didn't count towards my GPA but they were good enough that I went regularly and worked hard and got good grades -- which tells you something because if they sucked I would not have gone. The professors were Harvard professors, and while some of my classmates would never have gotten into Harvard to say the least, the material was great, the profs were great, the classrooms were comfortable and modern, and one of my classes had a very cool online option. Since I am that kid that doesn't shut up in class, that made me an internet celebrity. Now, I know it's way cheaper, but i recently took an evening class at UMass Boston and it was like night and day -- HES spoiled me!

My first class at Harvard Extension did not go well. I had a horrid instructor that went over simple concepts in class and tested us on the dumbest details at length (like methods sections in scientific articles). Waste of my life. Yeah, I'm bitter. So, I vowed never to take an extension class. Until the next semester when I found myself wanting to pick up some computer programming skills for work. Now, I find this class very slow moving and wasting my time (again). The online aspect of this class has put procrastination on a different plane of existence. Now, I can watch all of my classes on top of scrambling to get my homework done all in the same evening/night/overnight/next morning. Is this really Harvard? If you don't add "extension" on your resume, folks around these parts consider that an unforgivable sin. If you plan on moving to the Midwest, people will think you're a genius even if you emphasize that it's extension. I do not see the quality in the education that people are commenting on in the reviews. For science, classes are mostly taught by post-docs. Your experience depends on your instructors as any other school. Maybe, I'm just unlucky. Twice. In two different fields. I mean, it's not THAT bad, but it's not excellent either. The price is right (~$1,900 per graduate class), and the evening classes make it possible to actually work while going to school, so they get brownie points for that. Picking up a masters from here would probably be beneficial.

Serious teaching at a reasonable price. Some continuing ed courses are amateur hour with some self-declared expert reminiscing about something they used to work at, or a hobby of theirs. Not Harvard Extension School. This is the real deal. A lot of the classes are the same ones that the same professor teaches during the day. Some require a very serious commitment; several I took were 20 hours a week between classwork, homework and labs. There was one I had to pass on because it was close to 40 hours, with a calendar for what would be needed on every day of every week for the semester, including Sunday. (Organic chemistry, wouldn't you know). However, the intensity can be graded; some classes are offered audit-only, others can be taken at undergraduate level, and for the immersion experience, you can take it graduate level. The price also adjusts accordingly. Speaking of price, it's not at all what you would expect with the Harvard brand; $1250/$2000 for undergrad/grad; a whole Masters will cost around $20k. Not bad when you think what a single year of undergraduate at Harvard could cost! One tip: look out for courses taught by people who teach during the day. Individual researchers who are moonlighting are much more hit and miss. Some know how to teach, how to set up homeworks and exams, others are just winging it. Another trick is to sit in on the first class of 3-4 courses and decide which course grabs you the most for that semester. I've found it's not always the subject I most wanted to learn, but how well the teacher and the subject went together.

I had a very painful education experience here studying finance. The prof made material much more complicated than need be. The final was based on trivial formula based information and left much of the practical information alone. Also the prof said all graded material would be covered by his lectures, however some items from homework AKA problem sets, was only available from attending or watching the class sections held by TA's. My grader would constantly mis-grade my assignments. I had to correct grader several times, even on the final! Sometimes having to speak with the teacher because grader was so stubborn. It all worked out in the end, but when you're paying for education you shouldn't have to put in work just to get the proper grading on assignments- particularly when you're being graded on a curve! If you're military using GI Bill, know you will have to wait a long time to get paid. The veteran coordinator at this school lies like Bill Clinton. He told me I would be compensated in September for Fall semester. I didn't get any payment until November. Bottom line I learned some useful information and did good enough to use this as a stepping stone to something better. Don't regret it at all but wish there was better options. Good is good and bad is bad, but this actually sits on the border and gets sentenced to Purgatory. As for night classes, its the best option I know of, for the material I was interested in. But I would rather move and find another school than suffer through another semester here.

I've taking classes four and five now, and I still have a high regard for the school and program, especially now that I'm into courses I don't already have a strong background in. I have to study. Things are definitely not dumbed down. And I've gotten to know some of my fellow students now - there are some amazing students in the programs, in one class I have a classmate who's on active duty in the U.S. military stationed in Baghdad and another who has both an MBA and a law degree, and the rest have great career experience, too. Excellent classes, excellent classmates, excellent program.

Solid academics. In 2012, I took a math course at the Extension School to help prepare for the GRE. The professor was top notch; although the math department tutors were not as useful. At that time, all undergraduate courses had a flat rate of $750, which made it incredibly affordable, even more so than going to the local community college. Unfortunately, as of this year, Harvard Extension became greedy and raised undergraduate tuition by 80%. Each undergrad level course now costs $1,350 at minimum. Affordable higher education in the US?? hahahaha! Dream on. "At Harvard Extension School, we keep our tuition rates competitive, aligning our costs with those at similar institutions." Read: tuition rates are competitive, not affordable.

I graduated with an ALM in Management in 2010; finance concentration. I began the program as an adult working professional. I had been out of school about 8 years. My first classes were pretty rough (my skills were rusty) but by the 2nd year, I had adapted my work, personal and academic schedules to sync together. I figured out that by focusing on the finance and accounting component that I may qualify for the state cpa exam. I had to take a few xtra classes but have now qualified to sit the exam parts. I have noticed that there is some transition going on with the accounting program (I took 5 classes in ACCT. and Managerial Finance) today there are only 3 classes in Accounting offered. I checked in with Suffolk and Northeastern U and their MSA in accounting (twice the cost) is also designed to help students qualify for the cpa exam. HES helped me to further my career, gain a master's degree and instill new skills that I use daily at work. Good luck!

I had a bad experience when I took courses here years ago. In my Biochemistry class, during the exam, several students were cheating, and when the professor almost caught them, they ran out of class and pulled the fire alarm...WTF!!!! The police and fire department came. SO GHETTO. Who does that? It was a huge class. In my Genetics and Physiology class, there was no structure and the TAs couldn't have cared less about answering my questions. I absolutely hated my experience and the only reason why anyone would take courses here is because it's Harvard, the most overrated school on earth that has spent several fortunes on advertising how it's the "best" school on earth, but it SO ISNT. It's such a disgusting shame that we humans think Harvard is the best fit for everyone while it's not. It's all about networking at Harvard, and everyone knows how Harvard loves to accept certain students who don't deserve to be there, but they just want publicity and attention. I wish I would have never WASTED my time and money on the 3 courses I took at Harvard extension. It was a ridiculous waste of time, and I honestly would have learned more in a community college or taking an online course. Guys, please don't let the Harvard name fool you, the only reason why Harvard gets so much attention is because of the toxic, cancerous media, and because Harvard is so rich ($36 Billion endowment) that it can advertise and advertise and advertise for light years. I've been here. There's no culture on campus, it's dry as hell, there's a sense of disgusting privilege in the air, and it's unfairly overrated. Furthermore, the city of Cambridge is conservative and it feels like old England (I absolutely hate it). I would never in a million years want to live in Boston nor Cambridge. Go to a school that's right for you. Lots of insecure kids want to say "...I went to Harvard..." but people are going to want to befriend and date you for YOU, not your degree...so please be true to yourself and don't get caught up in status. I, too, got caught up in the Harvard name, but now I realize how stupid and immature I was. Harvard extension was the worst academic mistake I ever made. Good luck everyone. Make wise choices. Make individualized choices. Remember, you are unique and can have a wonderful life and career if you do well in the school that's a right fit for you.

The Book Art class taught by Ilavenil Subbiah is really wonderful. I have never been to an art class that was simultaneously challenging and supportive. Somehow Ilavenil was able to create an atmosphere where there was none of that competitiveness that usually turns me away from art classes. (I was an art minor in college and found that art classes could often be a bummer in that way). The only problem is, they only offer her classes every other year! Unless people write to the Extension School and request that the course be held in the off-years, the course is not held. I guess the school is afraid they won't get enough students to hold the class. It's really worth it. I'll never think of a hard cover book - or any other book for that matter - the same way again.

I saved this review for my 100th Yelp review because it is special to me. I cannot tell you how welcoming to me they have been and what a great education I have gotten here. Everyone is so nice and they really want you to succeed. I cannot recommend high enough for anyone who wants to continue their education to come here. You will work super hard but you will learn so much. The professors are great and the staff is great and willing to help you however they can during your degree process.

I have taken some extraordinarily good classes at HES in the past. It has been a while, but for somebody like me with such a colorful educational history (read : homeschooled) it was one of the best programs I found offered. I went when I was highschool aged. They have special pricing for (or, well, had... Had over a decade ago...) teachers and high school aged students. A really really good deal since some of the classes can be EXPENSIVE. I suggest setting an appointment to talk to somebody about transfer of credits, ecc if you plan to transfer to another school to finish. The offices are right on Brattle Street, at the end of Church.

Do you love feeling smart? When I was younger, this was not the case for me; I preferred feeling cool, pretty and popular. I hated most of my classes and most of my teachers. Now that I am old, my priorities have changed, so when I want to feel intellectual, I sign up for courses at the Harvard Extension School. There's absolutely no way I'd get into Harvard following the normal pathway, but The Extension School lets me work with Harvard professors, lounge around in Harvard lecture halls and work hard. No application required. I love being a Harvard student. I've now taken three courses here, and I have really appreciated each one, although the teachers were all very different. There's a lot of reading and writing involved, which I enjoyed, and we had some assignments that really challenged me. Two of my courses involved field trips, which were fascinating as we got to go behind the scenes and meet some incredible people. My courses were in the evening, but you can also take online courses if you do not want to go to Cambridge at night. You can get a degree if you want (undergraduate or Master's), or you can just take the courses for fun. I have studied alongside a few high school students and quite a few middle aged folks and grandparents. I really enjoy meeting my fellow students who share similar interests; we are all here because we want to be. Biotech, Museum Studies, Journalism....it's all here. There are now more than 600 courses. Worth every penny for me. The Extension School has an awesome staff and all of my questions have been answered promptly and efficiently. So now I feel smart. Thanks, Harvard. I never expected to make that statement.

I took one class here to get me back into a studying frame of mind. Unfortunately, the class I took didn't do much studying. However, I found it so useful. I learned so much from my team leadership class that I apply to work on a daily basis. I was very impressed by the level of discourse. While sometimes, a few students might bring the class down, the majority really participated and knew what they were talking about. I can't speak about their programs, but people who I knew that were enrolled really seemed happy with them. Definitely if you're looking at taking a few classes, spend the extra cash and go here.

I took one class online, CSCI E-10AB, to perhaps go for a graduate certificate in programming. The class was going well until it really hit me---I was paying $2850, I never saw the professor live, and the recordings were from 2 years ago. Their assignments were also recycled from previous semesters, more than a year ago, and the only difference between graduate and undergraduate students was extra assignments. The only interaction you had was with their TA's. Needless to say I dropped it. Not worth my time or money. I think the tech related certifications aren't even worth it, as you can pursue certifications from EDX for a ridiculously cheaper price....

I have been a part of the HES system for the last year and a half. I completed my certification in corporate sustainability and innovation very recently and found the experience of going through the process extremely enjoyable. I am now looking to continue on to the masters program in Sustainability.

I would like to further weigh in on HES since my last review. Is this really Harvard? Yes. It is one of 12 degree granting schools at the University. What makes HES special and distinct is based primarily on two functions: 1) It IS a part of the Dept. of Continuing Ed, which offers courses to the community at large and degree seeking candidates as well. The courses are extremely rigorous as there is no difference in degree of difficulty. The courses that are offered here are NOT designed by HES for its students. They are the same courses that are offered campus wide to its students. If it is not offered at one of the other schools at the University, it will not be offered here. And yes, the courses are delivered by the same professors. The downside is that the offerings are not as multitudinous as you would find at the College,HMS,KSG, etc. 2)The offerings of courses are represented by ALL 12 of the schools. I have taken courses from professors from the College, KGS, HMS,HDS- I have also taken courses there from visiting professors from other colleges. These professors, Arthur Kleinman and Paul Farmer, for example, are the leading academics in their field. Look it up yourself. Some may report activity of grade inflation- it might be true in certain regards, but I am skeptical of this now. Grade inflation was a large focus of criticism at the College a few years ago. This shows you that it is not germane to HES, and thus lowering its qualitative level and expectations of its students. The courses are generally offered at night but if one of them is an "online only" course, then it means that it is being streamed live from the College or another school. The professors are generally open to you attending those courses in person with the rest of the traditional students. Once you matriculate you will be offered the same Harvard ID card as everyone else, which affords you the ability to walk through all of the open doors such as Widener. HES also has its own SGA and clubs to join. I do not think that any other school in any other country or state can touch Harvard's commitment to the non traditional student. There is a reason that we are consistently ranked the #1 University in the world, and the students of HES are a part of it. So if you desire to be academically challenged, do not hesitate to become a part of Harvard University Extension School. Cheers.

I graduated from Harvard Extension class of 2000 and had a great learning experience. There was much camaraderie among those of us who had to work days and attend school nights and sometimes weekends. We all helped each other out with homework, sharing class notes when some had to travel for work or stay with sick kids. Harvard professors were also happy to have us! Some told us stories about regular Harvard College day students that made us wonder how they got into ANY college, let alone Harvard. Yes, the prestige of going here made some difference but I received a GREAT education and made lifelong friends and connections at age 40.

I can't believe this is Harvard. I thought Harvard was supposed to have standards. Granted, I have only taken one course so far, but I was astonished at the overall incompetence of the teaching staff. The course I took was writing-intensive, but the professors and teaching assistants were the worst writers ever! I saw them write things like, "alot" and "should of," and I saw assignments with misspellings, redundancies and sentence fragments. Worst of all, they were incredibly verbose, but not in an academic manner. They seemed to think that the more words they packed into a sentence, the smarter they would seem. We all know, of course, that the opposite is true. I told myself that these teachers may not be gifted writers, but they must be knowledgeable in their field and probably very effective speakers. Wrong again! From what I could see, these teachers knew very little of their subject and most of the info they conveyed was ten years old. The lead professor was a forgetful but amiable coot who insisted on telling the same irrelevant, endless corny old war stories at least two to three times. After getting only a B on my first exam, I discovered the secret to success. When I skipped their lectures and avoiding reading the teacher's writings, my grades went UP and I averaged out with a B+. Proof that I performed better with self study than with their tutelage, which is rather sad. I mention that I got a B+ from professors I abhor to let readers know that I am not disaffected and bitter because of a bad grade. Regardless of the grade, these teachers were really substandard, and should not be teaching anywhere, let alone Harvard. I truly hope I can get better professors in future courses, but now that I see how low the standard is, I am not optimistic.

Check out Fareed Zakaria's book "In Defense of a Liberal Education." That and some other fairly random occurrences have landed me here. I am eager to take my first class in a month. From my research, I am really impressed with what Lowell and Harvard have done for the last century. I think you get out of it what you put into it. I appreciate the on campus/online modality, the rigor, and the openness. This kind of education is the way of the future. Think MOOCs, for example. Sure, the high barrier to entry is not there. But neither is the $$$$ of Harvard undergrad. It's overall a great thing to do. I didn't think two days ago that I could study toward a grad Cert and potentially a MA in liberal studies. There is honor in studying such a thing in this day and age. It shows you have earned your stripes the old fashioned way.

The Harvard Extension School does not treat students fairly. For example, one admissions course is clearly stated as a course that may need to be taken twice. The failure rate of the course is higher than other courses. Students, therefore, cannot accurately assess the time needed or the cost to complete the degree. This leads to much frustration. Professors are across the board in quality from award winning professors to low level instructors who are unwilling to offer guidance. In addition, a university representative clearly stated that the tuition paid by the Extension School students would be used to fund free courses for future students. Currently, HarvardX is offering free courses similar to the courses that the Extension School students paid tuition to complete. Do not register with the Extension School. Sign-up for HarvardX or edX and take the courses for free.

I earned the ALM degree focusing on marketing management. I absolutely loved the program and miss my classes. They were very challenging, and definitely real world experiences. I got to do a lot of presentations which has helped with my current sales role. I would highly recommend the program. The value is excellent. Students are determined and intelligent, and teachers are top notch.

Maybe Mr. R. needs to learn more about the school before he speaks. Obviously, he is only a random course taker who knows LITTLE about the school, its programs, and standards . To straighten the facts, there are only two entry-level courses in the Management degree program offering both undergraduate and graduate credits. The rest of the courses in the program are only for graduate students (graduate credits). I am a graduate student in the Management program. I found the environment intellectually stimulating, the professors/(most) peers hard working, and the resources abundant. It is a university environment for active learners, not for lazy/dumb people waiting for a kick in the *ss. If you are a pretender with cash to burn, you may take a (open-enrollment) course and fail. But, you will NEVER be admitted into the (NON-open-enrollment) degree programs--not to mention earning degrees.

I just finished my first semester at the Harvard Extension School and I cannot believe what an incredible experience it has been! The courses are everything and more in what I have always dreamed a Harvard education would be. At first I was hesitant in dedicating myself to a second masters degree program that would require me to travel from Washington D.C. each week for the two on-campus terms while juggling a full-time demanding career. However, after making it through this semester, I know made the right decision and I am thrilled to see where my newfound journey will continue to take me. Education is the key to life. If you have a curious mind and passionate goals, the Harvard Extension School is the place to be! What I appreciate most is that the Harvard Extension School allows talented people from around the world to be able to participate in this rigorous and prestigious program through semi-distance education. With my career, I would not have been able to move to Boston but this program affords me an opportunity of a lifetime to study under the world's finest scholars. For this, I am profoundly grateful.

I took a few online courses here to fulfill some general ed requirements. I took two AWESOME history classes, but the philosophy class I took turned out to be a pain in the tohkes. First off, I thought I'd be interested in philosophy...as it turns out, I'm not. But I won't blame HES for that. For the philosophy class, the TA who graded my papers was a total pretentious turd who criticized every aspect of my rough drafts without actually giving me constructive criticism that could help me. They gave me an incomplete for the semester, needlessly, and I had to battle with the professor and the administration to get a grade. I wound up with a B+ and I think it was partially just to shut me up. But yeah, the history classes were chock full o' awesomeness! I took a Boston history class and it was really fun and interesting. If I had more free time and more dough, I'd take some journalism classes there just for fun and personal enrichment.

The Extension School does NOT give out degrees to anyone who applies. In fact, there IS an admissions process for degree-seeking candidates, which could be considered similar to "tryouts". However, anyone with the money can take a class for credit or non-credit on a class by class basis. Therefore it's easy to take a class, which was the whole point in creating the Extension School 100 years ago. There are a lot of people who ask, "But is it really Harvard?" What does that even mean? It's called Harvard Extension School, it's taught on Harvard's campus, and upon graduation, you are Harvard Alum. If you're asking "do the students of the other schools at Harvard consider it an equal?" The answer is most often "no." By the way, Med students think they're smarter than the Law students who think they're smarter than the Business students who think they're smarter than ... well you get what I'm saying. Egos run rampant at Harvard, especially among the teenagers at the College. They're proud they got in- and they SHOULD BE. But since they're still young and aren't quite yet confident, they resort to ridiculing others to feel good about themselves. I don't hate them for it; I think most of us do that as youngsters. (I'm in my 30s.) I've learned a lot in the masters degree program. Excellent teaching and excellent resources. If you're looking for a degree to help you get a job, you can do that at any school. However, if you want to learn in a university where you have access to a TREMENDOUS amount of resources that can take you from good to outstanding (but it's up to you to go after them) and care more about your education than you do about impressing people with a sheet of paper, HES is the place. There have been many, many students from HES to go on to earn masters degrees and doctorates from other Ivy League programs, including Harvard. However, if you only want to choose a school because of how cool the name sounds, you might want to consider what you're really trying to accomplish with your life. What do you want more, to actually BE smart? Or just APPEAR smart?

I can speak only for the MLA Information Technology. In full honesty: If you are not ready to have 30 to 40 hours of homework every week out of ONE class, find another program. This is an engineering degree, and the teachers will not leave you to the wind. Expect to earn 5 to 7 vendor specific certificates (e.g. Sun Micro systems, Oracle, Cisco, etc) by the end of the program. I'm taking it only via distance education, so my contact with fellow students is near zero, except for the chat room of the class. I admit it is rigorous, and not for the faint of heart, nor for the one who wants to "have fun". You will become a programmer, a network manager, a systems administrator, a database developer, and be able to do any job in the Information Technology, including, but not limited to, writing machine code. There is only one problem (consider this a sever warning): If you do not get a B or above in EVERY class, you can kiss the degree good bye. It is NOT like other Harvard schools, where you can do awesome in some classes and barley pass others, then get the degree at the end. It is NOT a school/country club. This is PURE education. Do not try to lean on the guy next to you for 'elite' support, or 'alumni supremacy', or 'future networking'. Only your hard work will get you through and make you an engineer. A real good one too. You will become a Harvard IT engineer. It will take you 5 years to get it though, because it is insanity to try to take two classes per semester. So if you are not a Marathon runner who wants to become an iron man triathlon, stay away from MLA Computer Science program. Find something else like history or politics or business, and stay away from Computer Science. You have been warned.

I'm sadly disappointed with most of the Harvard classes I have taken. Of the six courses, only two have been taught well. Some professors don't use the same information in the lectures or homework that they use in their midterms and finals, meaning, it's new information you would have no way of knowing - not in the texts, not in the lecture, not in the homework. Classes are "case study", meaning you've paid to hear what other students think about the case, and essentially don't learn anything and have paid for virtually nothing. In some cases there is no study session, so you paid for four credits, and only have two hours of lecture, which is primarily listening to other students talk. In one case there was no book and the lecture is mostly rambling, with no concrete examples of problems. The result is trying to learn the material on a graded project and spending TA hours trying to understand the questions, which are not real world, and make no sense. I had one great class, one good class, and four bombs. That's $18k+ gone and no degree. Seeking a real graduate degree elsewhere. Thanks a lot Harvard.

I'm almost finished with a MLA Management degree from this school. I would recommend it. It is a reasonable way to work and earn a master's at night. My professors were very good. A good diversity of students. Check it out...