Anyone following the viral Harvard University *Extension School* controversy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds as though Harvard University is the one running the grift here, if one buys your assumption (which is probably incorrect) that their online programs are not legitimate.

+1000

DYK how many places run these programs? Columbia has one in general studies, believe same @ Penn. So many schools have them. Heck, does USDA still run an extension school? That said, they are extension programs.

Harvard’s extension school is over 100 years old and was created for the working people in Boston who couldn’t go to college during the day. They are all taught by Harvard professors

plenty of universities have these programs. Yale has a physicians assistant Program at night separate from the school working with themYale Medical school. Online classes and on-site requirements.

Columbia has night school classes in certain degrees where students go at their own pace. Stanford,Penn, Duke, Brown, Northwestern and many many more.

What is wrong with catering to non-traditional students who might want a change in career or to get a better job but can’t spend all day at school with 18 year olds.

Universities are in the business of education. It’s exactly what they’re doing.

There are no scholarships... It's a cash grab

Nearly all colleges offer this kind of education.

For which colleges that offer it is it a "cash grab", and for which is it a reasonable offer?

Please answer. But I know you won't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds as though Harvard University is the one running the grift here, if one buys your assumption (which is probably incorrect) that their online programs are not legitimate.

+1000

DYK how many places run these programs? Columbia has one in general studies, believe same @ Penn. So many schools have them. Heck, does USDA still run an extension school? That said, they are extension programs.

Harvard’s extension school is over 100 years old and was created for the working people in Boston who couldn’t go to college during the day. They are all taught by Harvard professors

plenty of universities have these programs. Yale has a physicians assistant Program at night separate from the school working with themYale Medical school. Online classes and on-site requirements.

Columbia has night school classes in certain degrees where students go at their own pace. Stanford,Penn, Duke, Brown, Northwestern and many many more.

What is wrong with catering to non-traditional students who might want a change in career or to get a better job but can’t spend all day at school with 18 year olds.

Universities are in the business of education. It’s exactly what they’re doing.

First, HES classes are not all taught by Harvard professors.

Second, the Yale PA (assistant) program is being phased out. Last class graduates in 2026. That program is different than their PA (associate) program, which will continue.

Third, classes offered at night does not automatically = extension school, e.g., Georgetown Law has a track for night students. The time of day a program is offered doesn't determine the type of program.

Fourth, Columbia's version of HES is the School of General Studies. Unlike Harvard, believe one can transfer credits from CU GS to Columbia College. A lot of Columbia's General Studies program revolves around postbac students ISO medical school admissions.

In Rufo's situation, he took graduate classes through Harvard's Extension School, not the Kennedy School of Government or Harvard's Department of Government (FAS). Those are three separate master's degree programs (the latter two also offer PhD programs) and are to be identified as such.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know he took the back door. He knows it. Harvard Lite.

Pathetic.

Harvard is selling out, that's what's pathetic. Cheapening their own brand.

Naw. It’s the representation on his part. He knows he didn’t do the real Harvard. He did Harvard Lite. That’s fine. Nothing wrong with that. Just don’t represent it like you did the full Harvard.

Look if you know people like this you can figure out with a few questions what kind of program they actually did. Then you know what they know.

???

What's not understood? If you know people who say they went to Harvard and you ask what they studied, you will find out what program. If you think a degree from the extension school is "Harvard Lite" then you can sneer at them that it wasn't "the full Harvard." It's not a secret. I know people who have done these courses and they don't try to pretend it's anything else but they do say then went to Harvard (even if it was all online).

I can't imagine saying "I went to Harvard" if my degree was from the extension school. Look, the real sure way to know that someone went to Harvard is if they tell you they went to school in Boston.

Maybe I just hold myself to higher standards.

The people I know with these degrees have many degrees from lots of schools. They just decide to further learning in an area of interest, but they already have what you would consider full degrees from prestigious universities. They have law degrees, MBAs, etc but they wanted another notch in their belt, it's not really a big deal since it's not the only degree they have.

For folks going on and on about merit, this seems to be a fairly weak answer and an ambiguous standard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Extension schools are not new, and a far number of elite colleges- including those in the Ivy League - have them. They do exactly what they propose in their name: extend the reach of the school to non-traditional students. Often they offer the same classes and curriculum as their parent programs, albeit in an online and asynchronous format. They are legit educational offerings.

But the HES program is not that - they are not the same classes and curriculum. They are legit educational offerings, but they are not the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know he took the back door. He knows it. Harvard Lite.

Pathetic.

Harvard is selling out, that's what's pathetic. Cheapening their own brand.

Naw. It’s the representation on his part. He knows he didn’t do the real Harvard. He did Harvard Lite. That’s fine. Nothing wrong with that. Just don’t represent it like you did the full Harvard.

Look if you know people like this you can figure out with a few questions what kind of program they actually did. Then you know what they know.

???

What's not understood? If you know people who say they went to Harvard and you ask what they studied, you will find out what program. If you think a degree from the extension school is "Harvard Lite" then you can sneer at them that it wasn't "the full Harvard." It's not a secret. I know people who have done these courses and they don't try to pretend it's anything else but they do say then went to Harvard (even if it was all online).

I can't imagine saying "I went to Harvard" if my degree was from the extension school. Look, the real sure way to know that someone went to Harvard is if they tell you they went to school in Boston.

Maybe I just hold myself to higher standards.

Probably most say “I went to Harvard Extension School where I got a BA in liberal studies”. Would that be ok?

Sure, that's the accurate and honest response.

[Anonymous]

17 pages on this topic. Some of you need a hobby bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know he took the back door. He knows it. Harvard Lite.

Pathetic.

Harvard is selling out, that's what's pathetic. Cheapening their own brand.

Naw. It’s the representation on his part. He knows he didn’t do the real Harvard. He did Harvard Lite. That’s fine. Nothing wrong with that. Just don’t represent it like you did the full Harvard.

Look if you know people like this you can figure out with a few questions what kind of program they actually did. Then you know what they know.

???

What's not understood? If you know people who say they went to Harvard and you ask what they studied, you will find out what program. If you think a degree from the extension school is "Harvard Lite" then you can sneer at them that it wasn't "the full Harvard." It's not a secret. I know people who have done these courses and they don't try to pretend it's anything else but they do say then went to Harvard (even if it was all online).

I can't imagine saying "I went to Harvard" if my degree was from the extension school. Look, the real sure way to know that someone went to Harvard is if they tell you they went to school in Boston.

Maybe I just hold myself to higher standards.

The people I know with these degrees have many degrees from lots of schools. They just decide to further learning in an area of interest, but they already have what you would consider full degrees from prestigious universities. They have law degrees, MBAs, etc but they wanted another notch in their belt, it's not really a big deal since it's not the only degree they have.

For folks going on and on about merit, this seems to be a fairly weak answer and an ambiguous standard.

Who do you think gets these degrees? It's usually older people who already have at least one degree or more already. Such as Rufo. Where would the con be? Arguably these degrees don't really offer much benefit to the students. Can you really change careers after a short course?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know he took the back door. He knows it. Harvard Lite.

Pathetic.

Harvard is selling out, that's what's pathetic. Cheapening their own brand.

Naw. It’s the representation on his part. He knows he didn’t do the real Harvard. He did Harvard Lite. That’s fine. Nothing wrong with that. Just don’t represent it like you did the full Harvard.

Look if you know people like this you can figure out with a few questions what kind of program they actually did. Then you know what they know.

???

What's not understood? If you know people who say they went to Harvard and you ask what they studied, you will find out what program. If you think a degree from the extension school is "Harvard Lite" then you can sneer at them that it wasn't "the full Harvard." It's not a secret. I know people who have done these courses and they don't try to pretend it's anything else but they do say then went to Harvard (even if it was all online).

I can't imagine saying "I went to Harvard" if my degree was from the extension school. Look, the real sure way to know that someone went to Harvard is if they tell you they went to school in Boston.

Maybe I just hold myself to higher standards.

The people I know with these degrees have many degrees from lots of schools. They just decide to further learning in an area of interest, but they already have what you would consider full degrees from prestigious universities. They have law degrees, MBAs, etc but they wanted another notch in their belt, it's not really a big deal since it's not the only degree they have.

For folks going on and on about merit, this seems to be a fairly weak answer and an ambiguous standard.

Who do you think gets these degrees? It's usually older people who already have at least one degree or more already. Such as Rufo. Where would the con be? Arguably these degrees don't really offer much benefit to the students. Can you really change careers after a short course?

so all good with misrepresenting here, but not when other folks (allegedly) do it? Is that the standard?

[Anonymous]

Harvard Extension School (HES) is not really viewed as part of Harvard proper by people in the know. All the "we are Harvard" messaging is only done by HES, not by real Harvard. HES' job is to make money to fund the real Harvard so they have an incentive to sell their degrees in this misleading fashion. Their degrees are all in "extension studies" because they are watered down lite versions of real Harvard degrees which are incredibly competitive to gain admission.
Some examples: ALM concentration in government is a watered-down Kennedy School of Government degree or the Department of Government master's coursework. ALM in management is a watered-down MBA (taught in a completely different format from Harvard Business School), ALM in data science is a watered-down SM Data Science from the Paulson School of Engineering. None of them are proper degrees but "extensions"/lite versions of them and are therefore named accordingly. Notice how proper Harvard schools don't offer degrees in the same field whereas HES offers a ton of duplicates/mirror reflections of real Harvard's programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds as though Harvard University is the one running the grift here, if one buys your assumption (which is probably incorrect) that their online programs are not legitimate.

+1000

DYK how many places run these programs? Columbia has one in general studies, believe same @ Penn. So many schools have them. Heck, does USDA still run an extension school? That said, they are extension programs.

Harvard’s extension school is over 100 years old and was created for the working people in Boston who couldn’t go to college during the day. They are all taught by Harvard professors

plenty of universities have these programs. Yale has a physicians assistant Program at night separate from the school working with themYale Medical school. Online classes and on-site requirements.

Columbia has night school classes in certain degrees where students go at their own pace. Stanford,Penn, Duke, Brown, Northwestern and many many more.

What is wrong with catering to non-traditional students who might want a change in career or to get a better job but can’t spend all day at school with 18 year olds.

Universities are in the business of education. It’s exactly what they’re doing.

There are no scholarships... It's a cash grab

Nearly all colleges offer this kind of education.

For which colleges that offer it is it a "cash grab", and for which is it a reasonable offer?

Please answer. But I know you won't.

Are all colleges Harvard? NP here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know he took the back door. He knows it. Harvard Lite.

Pathetic.

Harvard is selling out, that's what's pathetic. Cheapening their own brand.

Naw. It’s the representation on his part. He knows he didn’t do the real Harvard. He did Harvard Lite. That’s fine. Nothing wrong with that. Just don’t represent it like you did the full Harvard.

Look if you know people like this you can figure out with a few questions what kind of program they actually did. Then you know what they know.

???

What's not understood? If you know people who say they went to Harvard and you ask what they studied, you will find out what program. If you think a degree from the extension school is "Harvard Lite" then you can sneer at them that it wasn't "the full Harvard." It's not a secret. I know people who have done these courses and they don't try to pretend it's anything else but they do say then went to Harvard (even if it was all online).

I can't imagine saying "I went to Harvard" if my degree was from the extension school. Look, the real sure way to know that someone went to Harvard is if they tell you they went to school in Boston.

Maybe I just hold myself to higher standards.

The people I know with these degrees have many degrees from lots of schools. They just decide to further learning in an area of interest, but they already have what you would consider full degrees from prestigious universities. They have law degrees, MBAs, etc but they wanted another notch in their belt, it's not really a big deal since it's not the only degree they have.

For folks going on and on about merit, this seems to be a fairly weak answer and an ambiguous standard.

Who do you think gets these degrees? It's usually older people who already have at least one degree or more already. Such as Rufo. Where would the con be? Arguably these degrees don't really offer much benefit to the students. Can you really change careers after a short course?

so all good with misrepresenting here, but not when other folks (allegedly) do it? Is that the standard?

What has been misrepresented? He has a degree from Harvard. You may just not be very impressed with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds as though Harvard University is the one running the grift here, if one buys your assumption (which is probably incorrect) that their online programs are not legitimate.

+1000

DYK how many places run these programs? Columbia has one in general studies, believe same @ Penn. So many schools have them. Heck, does USDA still run an extension school? That said, they are extension programs.

Harvard’s extension school is over 100 years old and was created for the working people in Boston who couldn’t go to college during the day. They are all taught by Harvard professors

plenty of universities have these programs. Yale has a physicians assistant Program at night separate from the school working with themYale Medical school. Online classes and on-site requirements.

Columbia has night school classes in certain degrees where students go at their own pace. Stanford,Penn, Duke, Brown, Northwestern and many many more.

What is wrong with catering to non-traditional students who might want a change in career or to get a better job but can’t spend all day at school with 18 year olds.

Universities are in the business of education. It’s exactly what they’re doing.

There are no scholarships... It's a cash grab

Nearly all colleges offer this kind of education.

For which colleges that offer it is it a "cash grab", and for which is it a reasonable offer?

Please answer. But I know you won't.

What kind of gotcha is this?

No scholarships+ high cost is cash grab.

Make the degree free or cheap. This isn't complicated. Otherwise it's a cash grab.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know he took the back door. He knows it. Harvard Lite.

Pathetic.

Harvard is selling out, that's what's pathetic. Cheapening their own brand.

Naw. It’s the representation on his part. He knows he didn’t do the real Harvard. He did Harvard Lite. That’s fine. Nothing wrong with that. Just don’t represent it like you did the full Harvard.

Look if you know people like this you can figure out with a few questions what kind of program they actually did. Then you know what they know.

???

What's not understood? If you know people who say they went to Harvard and you ask what they studied, you will find out what program. If you think a degree from the extension school is "Harvard Lite" then you can sneer at them that it wasn't "the full Harvard." It's not a secret. I know people who have done these courses and they don't try to pretend it's anything else but they do say then went to Harvard (even if it was all online).

I can't imagine saying "I went to Harvard" if my degree was from the extension school. Look, the real sure way to know that someone went to Harvard is if they tell you they went to school in Boston.

Maybe I just hold myself to higher standards.

The people I know with these degrees have many degrees from lots of schools. They just decide to further learning in an area of interest, but they already have what you would consider full degrees from prestigious universities. They have law degrees, MBAs, etc but they wanted another notch in their belt, it's not really a big deal since it's not the only degree they have.

For folks going on and on about merit, this seems to be a fairly weak answer and an ambiguous standard.

Who do you think gets these degrees? It's usually older people who already have at least one degree or more already. Such as Rufo. Where would the con be? Arguably these degrees don't really offer much benefit to the students. Can you really change careers after a short course?

so all good with misrepresenting here, but not when other folks (allegedly) do it? Is that the standard?

What has been misrepresented? He has a degree from Harvard. You may just not be very impressed with it.

He has a graduate degree from the Extension School. When someone receives a graduate degree from Harvard, it is from a specific school @ Harvard, not from generic Harvard University.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds as though Harvard University is the one running the grift here, if one buys your assumption (which is probably incorrect) that their online programs are not legitimate.

+1000

DYK how many places run these programs? Columbia has one in general studies, believe same @ Penn. So many schools have them. Heck, does USDA still run an extension school? That said, they are extension programs.

Harvard’s extension school is over 100 years old and was created for the working people in Boston who couldn’t go to college during the day. They are all taught by Harvard professors

plenty of universities have these programs. Yale has a physicians assistant Program at night separate from the school working with themYale Medical school. Online classes and on-site requirements.

Columbia has night school classes in certain degrees where students go at their own pace. Stanford,Penn, Duke, Brown, Northwestern and many many more.

What is wrong with catering to non-traditional students who might want a change in career or to get a better job but can’t spend all day at school with 18 year olds.

Universities are in the business of education. It’s exactly what they’re doing.

There are no scholarships... It's a cash grab

Nearly all colleges offer this kind of education.

For which colleges that offer it is it a "cash grab", and for which is it a reasonable offer?

Please answer. But I know you won't.

What kind of gotcha is this?

No scholarships+ high cost is cash grab.

Make the degree free or cheap. This isn't complicated. Otherwise it's a cash grab.

Answer the damned question. Nearly all colleges offer this. For which ones is it a cash grab? All of them?

For the record HES offers financial aid and its tuition is half Harvard’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know he took the back door. He knows it. Harvard Lite.

Pathetic.

Harvard is selling out, that's what's pathetic. Cheapening their own brand.

Naw. It’s the representation on his part. He knows he didn’t do the real Harvard. He did Harvard Lite. That’s fine. Nothing wrong with that. Just don’t represent it like you did the full Harvard.

Look if you know people like this you can figure out with a few questions what kind of program they actually did. Then you know what they know.

???

What's not understood? If you know people who say they went to Harvard and you ask what they studied, you will find out what program. If you think a degree from the extension school is "Harvard Lite" then you can sneer at them that it wasn't "the full Harvard." It's not a secret. I know people who have done these courses and they don't try to pretend it's anything else but they do say then went to Harvard (even if it was all online).

I can't imagine saying "I went to Harvard" if my degree was from the extension school. Look, the real sure way to know that someone went to Harvard is if they tell you they went to school in Boston.

Maybe I just hold myself to higher standards.

The people I know with these degrees have many degrees from lots of schools. They just decide to further learning in an area of interest, but they already have what you would consider full degrees from prestigious universities. They have law degrees, MBAs, etc but they wanted another notch in their belt, it's not really a big deal since it's not the only degree they have.

For folks going on and on about merit, this seems to be a fairly weak answer and an ambiguous standard.

Who do you think gets these degrees? It's usually older people who already have at least one degree or more already. Such as Rufo. Where would the con be? Arguably these degrees don't really offer much benefit to the students. Can you really change careers after a short course?

so all good with misrepresenting here, but not when other folks (allegedly) do it? Is that the standard?

What has been misrepresented? He has a degree from Harvard. You may just not be very impressed with it.

He has a graduate degree from the Extension School. When someone receives a graduate degree from Harvard, it is from a specific school @ Harvard, not from generic Harvard University.

It's still part of the university, even if you wish it wasn't.