The Fifth Season

读不了Harvard 的，可以读Harvard 夜间学校

Extension.Harvard.Edu

Accredited bachelor’s and master’s degrees

反正老师都是一样的！

（大部分一样，出来赚外快？）

东海岸知情的多，找工作有点困难；

不过西海岸的公司, 路途遥远，估计不在乎，

本来就是Wild Wild West

——–
这本来是一篇报道，记不清了是美文还是中文，

今天找到的是这篇，

还是当地小白的论坛，

讨论的还比较认真，热闹：

Harvard Extension School vs. State School?

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/787882-harvard-extension-school-vs-state-school.html

" — Some of the classes are a joke but in others the instructor has a chip on the shoulder about making the class difficult and/or grading it harshly. —"

看来也不轻松，难怪有人跑了：

http://www.douban.com/group/topic/11204124/

ZT

#1
MikeBFunk
New Member

Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 7

Harvard Extension School vs. State School?
I have read the long debates about Harvard Extension School and Harvard College. I see both sides. I have taken classes at HES and they were great. That being said, I am more interested in the difference between going to HES and going to a State University. I have the option of going to either HES or say Arizona State. I would like to go to law school after I graduate. I would be proud to say that I graduated from HES, I do not think there is any reason at all to be ashamed of this fact or the need to hide it on a cv. I just want to know which one will be more helpful and will hold more opportunities for me in the future. I am 26, am willing to spend the money on whatever it takes and have the ability to attend day or night classes. I simply want to go to the school which will provide me with the most rich and rewarding education. It is all about learning and the opportunities the school will provide (and hopefully help get me into law school!) Thanks, as any info is appreciated.
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Old 10-02-2009, 03:54 PM #2
siserune
Senior Member

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,433

The Harvard Extension School does not provide any information about the rate of admission of students to graduate schools, or what GRE, LSAT, GMAT scores those students attain. In fact, HES appears averse to providing any numbers that would allow any kind of comparison between their program and others.

This is a strategic decision by HES. One would think that if they score low on measures of incoming student qualification but higher on measures of outgoing graduates’ placement, that would show HES is providing substantial added value (as it probably does) and be something to celebrate. However, full disclosure would also permanently puncture the fuzzy aura of pseudo-Harvard prestige that is HES’ main marketing tool, so don’t expect any specific answers to pointed questions.
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Old 10-02-2009, 04:05 PM #3
MikeBFunk
New Member

Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 7

That is all fine. I am not worried about other peoples LSAT scores, just my own. The main point of my question though is in peoples opinions which would be a better choice. A degree from HES or a degree from a state school? Which one will provide a more rounded education?
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Old 10-03-2009, 12:50 PM #4
just_forget_me
Senior Member

Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 2,072

@MikeBFunk Can you get into the honors program at a place like ASU? Would you like the idea of hanging around with 18-22 year olds, or would you feel out of place?

I’m usually a strong proponent of a traditional college setting, where you end up learning a *lot* from your peers outside of classes (not to mention having a lot of fun). At HES, that doesn’t exist to the same degree, because many students are working jobs or not on campus physically.

That said, I think it’s less of a cut + dry case, because you’re 26. There are also a plethora of intellectual opportunities you can tap into in Cambridge (but be aware that some of the things available to Harvard College students aren’t available to HES students).
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Old 10-03-2009, 02:49 PM #5
siserune
Senior Member

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,433

For HES things are hard to predict because the students, even in a single class, are more heterogeneous. Sure there are the middle aged, low-key adult learners. But if you take a pre-med, pre-law or summer class you could be competing for the high grades with MIT grads switching careers, or Harvard College (and Tufts and JHU and …) students and alumni taking organic chemistry and neuroscience in a less competitive environment. Your multivariable calculus classes will be filled with smart high school students, in-service high school calculus teachers, programmers and engineers, all taking it for certification of various sorts. Half of the grades awarded at Harvard College are A or A-minus, but that may or may not be true of the Extension School courses. Some of the classes are a joke but in others the instructor has a chip on the shoulder about making the class difficult and/or grading it harshly. It’s hard to predict and changes year to year due to the turnover.

If you’re a superstar at HES and can fully leverage the Harvard College daytime classes, Law School classes (and professors) if those are accessible, research opportunities (if available), then that may pave the path to Harvard Law School or one of its competitors. This is not a standard or predictable track that anyone can count on, and neither, I assume, is admission from ASU. However, ASU may have enough historical data on graduates who got into top West Coast law schools, to get an idea of your chances.
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Old 10-25-2009, 06:28 AM #6
AmaraWhite
New Member

Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 2

@MikeBFunk - Going to HES would give you the better preparation.

I agree with part of what Siserune said - you will be in classes with students who have a plethora of backgrounds. This will prepare you better than being one of a few students at ASU with actual experience in the "real world." Students at HES will have more to contribute to class lectures, so you’ll learn more. For instance, if I had taken an HR Management course only with students right out of undergrad, I wouldn’t have learned as much as I’m learning now taking the course with students who are actually working in HR and trying to advance in the field, or students who have worked in other areas and are making the transition to HR Management. They have so much more to offer than sitting in a classroom where all of the other students know as little as I do about HR Management, and we’re all discussing class readings without having any type of real world knowledge to go with it.

I have a friend who attended my alma mater later in life, and she had a difficult time because it’s a traditional college and there weren’t a lot of students her age (the continuing education program is small and not really promoted, so she was one of only eight or nine adult students at the entire college). Sitting in classes with traditional students meant she had to deal with a lot of immature students. So you might want to look at the ASU population and see what the average age is of the students. I’m not saying you can’t learn anything from being in a classroom with traditional students, just that you don’t learn as much.

Also, HES gives you the option of taking classes at Harvard College, and if you can take the four (maximum) classes with the same professor (or a couple of professors), you can have some very good recommendations from both HC and HES professors (most, if not all of whom have some serious connections).

Also, there’s a camaraderie at HES that I haven’t seen other places. And because the other students are more mature, and coming out of the workplace (or still in the workplace), you’ll make a lot of connections with them that can also help you with law school.

The Fifth Season :: Jul.18.2010 :: Uncategorized ::

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