My back up plan, Harvard Extension School.

[MarieTea]

Hi everyone,

So, I'm applying to 5 graduate programs and knowing my luck, I'll most likely be rejected by all. Anyway, if that happens, my "safety" school is the HES graduate program in clinical psychology. I've been on the HES website and it looks like a great program, however, I decided to google "HES" to see if I could find some more first hand information on it from students. The search turned up a lot of posts of people trashing HES! Many even claimed it wasn't really Harvard, which confused me since I thought the Extension was one of the schools within Harvard. I don't know if these are just bitter opinions from students who attend the "real" Harvard or what? Can anyone offer an honest, unbiased opinion on HES?

Thanks!

[med latte]

The classes may not be taught by the same faculty who teach on campus. It may be that they are a compilation of MOOCs from several sources. Not a bad thing -- I'm in a MOOC now and I'm learning a lot! But it will not be the same experience as being on campus. Just know what you're getting into, and look at the costs. Sometimes you cannot get financial aid for extension / prof dev programs and certificates. 

If you are open to another plan B, I would suggest taking graduate classes as a student at large at the program you are interested in (assuming it is near where you live now). That would show that you can do graduate work and build up relationships with professors who can serve as references if you have to apply again next cycle. 

[svent]

I think many classes are in person (with an online option), but it seems to be their night school. Different from Harvard College, and you'll be judged for going for the name, whether it's true or not.

 

It often is on campus, just not the same professors that the normal students take.