Comments on: Learn | Harvard Extension School

By: Octamus

Octamus — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 22:48:15 +0000

HES is a good choice if you are ready for a serious challenge. The courses are very demanding. I may not be the brightest person in the world, and I hadn’t done academic work for many years, but three of the courses I took required thirty hours a week or more (each).

By: Sojourney

Sojourney — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:05:50 +0000

The HES degree programs are pretty darn tough. Put aside plenty of time for it and get ready to work your @@@ off, but it’ll be worth it in the end.

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:11:34 +0000

Hi!

I just took my first course at HES and like it a lot.
I am pretty sure though that the entry requirement for the ALM is three courses with a B plus an average of a B. E.g. B/B/B is fine, but A-/B-/B+ is not. (A-/B-/B+/B would be fine again)

By: Ken Vedaa

Ken Vedaa — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:51:19 +0000

Harris M,

You are correct that the requirements for ALM degrees are demanding, but it should be noted that not all ALM degrees require a thesis. For anyone interested in details I would suggest looking at the Harvard Extension School website, specifically under the degree program section.

Bernardo,

It would very too much by degree and one’s individual background. My personal suggestion is to pick a course in which you feel somewhat comfortable with the basic premise and that fulfills a core requirement for a degree that you are interested in.

By: Bernardo

Bernardo — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 05:53:07 +0000

What will be your recommendation for prerequisite courses (1 economics, 1 accounting, 1 elective?)

By: Harris M

Harris M — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:06:59 +0000

Harvard ALM is probably one of the best kept secrets by the university… however, it’s one of those degrees which very few people can actually graduate, due to the incredibly demanding thesis requirement.

By: Ken Vedaa

Ken Vedaa — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:34:44 +0000

Bonnie,

I am sorry to hear of the difficulties that you faced while at HES. As I mentioned many people will find some of the courses at HES to be quite difficult.

In addition for those who decide to pursue an ALM, I would suggest that care and effort be given to your application, and essay to ensure that you come across as a someone who is indeed serious about academic efforts.

While this can be somewhat nerve wracking, for many people this is indeed achievable.

On the bright side as mentioned above, there are also a number of other programs that aim to suit non-traditional students, including Stanford, UPenn, Georgetown, Colombia, Oxford, among many others. I think that the ongoing growth in this field serves the non-traditional student community well, both by providing a greater number of options as well raising the profile of self enrichment for those who have already taken the responsibilities of work and families.

By: caltechhottie

caltechhottie — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:29:22 +0000

Although Harvard ALM is not Harvard AM, it is a stronger credential than 99% of Master of Arts out there… UPenn has a similar program, though not as rigorous as Harvard ALM….

By: bonnie

bonnie — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 07:04:49 +0000

Don’t even bother applying to Harvard ALM, I thought I could get 3Bs easily and get into the program easily. It was much more difficult than I thought, the instructors marked me down for the slightest mistakes, instead of getting 3Bs I got an A-, B- and B+, and still I was told I did not qualify. I am now at Stanford doing their MLA (master of liberal arts) and am much happier.