It is the dream of a lot of people to get a degree from Harvard University, but let’s face it, this is a very difficult task. What many people don’t know is that Harvard offers several ways to get degrees, and one of them is the Harvard University Extension School, or HES. Geared towards non-traditional students, HES is the only Harvard college to offer a liberal arts degree and also offers undergraduate and graduate degrees (i.e. a masters degree), certificates, and even a premedical program. Below we’ll discuss in detail everything from the Harvard extension school admissions rate to exactly how you can maximize your chances of getting into HES and advancing your educational and future professional career by leaps and bounds.
How It All Began
The Lowell Institute of Boston came about in 1839 and instantly became popular among people wishing to advance their education. Until 1910, people of all genders, ethnic groups, and ages took classes of all types, and at one point tickets had to be sold to them because so many people wanted to take the classes and they had to limit enrollment due to space limitations. These were not traditional students, but they had the opportunity for a higher education where none existed previously.
The Harvard Extension School was established in 1910 and specialized in continuing and distance education. By that time, A. Lawrence Lowell was the president of Harvard and set out to improve adult education in the school by establishing the Department of University Extension. In the mid-1980s, this department became the Extension School, which is a combination of the Arts and Sciences faculty and the Division of Continuing Education. It also includes the Summer School and the Institute for Learning in Retirement, but HES is perhaps the most well-known.
Is It Difficult to Get Into HES?
Today, HES has an open-enrollment program and is home to 15,000 students. Four-thousand of these students are actively working towards a degree, and most of them work full-time. Since anyone can enroll in any course being offered, they have a high acceptance rate, and there are two types of students: those that simply want to take courses, and those that are interested in working towards either a bachelor or master’s degrees. The requirements are different for each of these.
If you simply want to take courses, you’ll be automatically admitted, but if you decide to work towards a degree, you have to take three courses and earn at least a B in each of them. Students taking courses without working towards a degree do not need an SAT or ACT score, high school or college transcripts, or any of the other things normally required of the average college student. With rare exceptions, these students are always admitted to HES. When it comes to the admissions process for HES, it’s actually very simple to do.
If you wish to work towards a degree, the requirements are only slightly more stringent. Matriculating students have to take courses in three areas: sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Degree candidates can get a bachelor of liberal arts (ALB) or a master’s degree (ALM). They have to take a minimum of three classes and get a B or better in each of them. One of those courses has to be one called EXPO 25. If you get less than a B in this course for two semesters, you have to withdraw from the university.
The EXPO 25 class teaches you academic writing and critical reading skills, which is the reason they require you to get at least a B in the course. You can take the three classes all at once or one at a time – it doesn’t matter. But once you are enrolled in your third course, you can apply for admission into HES. Something else to keep in mind is that you don’t even have to take all of your courses with Harvard professors; if you get a bachelor’s degree, only 52 of the 128 credits have to be from classes with Harvard faculty members.
In practical terms, this means that the rest of your classes can be taught by adjunct professors or even professors from other colleges in the area. Or, you can take the class online. In fact, HES offers classes in person, online, and what they call “hybrid” classes, which are a combination of the two. Because you have to earn a B in your classes, this means your GPA has to be a 3.0 while you’re in HES. They do not look at your GPA from high school; this is not a part of the application process.
What Is Required to Get into HES
Okay, we’ve already determined there are no real “requirements” to get into HES, and very few of them if you wish to work towards a degree. Now let’s take a step-by-step look at what you’ll need to do if you wish to get into the school and earn either a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
Step 1: Making Sure You Are Eligible
The first thing you have to do is make sure the following apply to you:
- You do not already have a bachelor’s degree
- You are not working towards a degree at another school
- You have earned a high school diploma or equivalent
- Your high school diploma was earned in the past five years
Step 2: Complete Degree Courses Required for Admission
Again, you need to take three courses before you apply for admission to HES. You must also earn a B or higher in each of these classes. You do not have to take all three courses in one semester – taking a single course is permissible. In addition, one of these classes has to be the EXPO 25 Academic Writing and Critical Reading course. From then on, you’ll need to get an A or B in all of the classes you take while at HES, which means your GPA cannot fall below a 3.0. Finally, remember that you cannot get below a B in your EXPO 25 class more than twice; otherwise, you’ll have to drop out of HES.
Step 3: Get Together Some Supplemental Materials
The first thing you’ll need to do is get ready for your application, which you can fill out online. You’ll need the following items to do this:
- The names of any schools of higher education that you’ve attended in the past
- An updated resume
- Request transcripts from any previous schools
You can also review the tips and tutorials found on the HES website. This can be invaluable and give you more self-confidence before applying, making you a much more competitive applicant in the end.
Step 4: Submit the Application
When you’re ready to apply for these extension courses and to work towards a real Harvard degree, you can submit your application online. Make sure you see a section called Pre-Degree Advising and Admissions, and if you do not see it, contact the school via email and let them know. This is a very important step for new students because it gives them a chance to have contact with an adviser and get all of their questions answered.
You’ll also have to pay a non-refundable $100 fee, which you can also do online. HES also requires a payment of an additional $300 if you have already taken more than six courses towards the undergraduate degree for which you’re applying. Finally, if you do have college transcripts you need to mail in, you’ll need to do that as soon as possible. Many colleges will send the transcripts directly to HES if you wish, usually for a small fee, and this can make the task even easier.
When Should You Apply to HES?
Like most other colleges, HES’ extension studies require sending in the application by a certain deadline. While they vary with each school year, you can look online and get information on the specific deadlines, including when to submit financial aid applications and the date you can look online at your Extension Application Portal, which will give you updated information on your application status. Whether you wish to be a part of the undergraduate or graduate program, all of your information will be here.
Also keep in mind that when you look at the deadline, that means the information and paperwork have to arrive at HES no later than that date. If you’re applying online, just make sure you get online on that date or even earlier. If you’re sending in transcripts or other documentation, always mail them a minimum of 3-4 days before the deadline so that they reach HES by that date. Otherwise, you might be disqualified from attending that particular semester.
Different Ways to Attend HES and the Costs Involved
HES is a fully accredited Harvard school, so whether you’re only interested in exploring options for professional studies or personal fulfillment, or you wish to research undergraduate or graduate degree programs, this is an excellent school to consider. In fact, when you’re interested in HES, you have four basic options, including the following:
- Register for just one course to “test” the waters. When you do this, you’ll have more than one-thousand courses to choose from, and you don’t even need an application to enroll. This is a smart option for people who aren’t sure if they want to take classes for self-improvement or to work towards a degree. The costs are $495 per credit for undergraduate courses, $775 per credit for graduate courses, and $375 per credit for non-credit classes.
- Begin a certificate. When you do this, you can take courses without committing to a degree, and there is no formal application required. The cost is $5,940 for up to three courses in the undergraduate program; and $9,350-$15,500 for taking 3-5 courses in the graduate program. For both of these options, you can take in-person or online courses, depending on your preference.
- Begin earning a degree. Once you’re admitted because you’ve taken a minimum of three courses with a minimum B average, you can move forward with the undergraduate degree program and take 16-32 courses, which will cost anywhere from $31,680 to $63,360. For your master’s, you’ll take 10-12 courses at a cost of from $31,000 to $37,200. If you’ve looked into other schools, you’ll know that this tuition rate is very reasonable.
- Enter the pre-med program. You can use these courses either to fill in gaps from the schools you’ve already attended or plan to remain in the program until you finish. This program is for both pre-med and pre-dentistry majors. For the 2022-23 school year, the tuition was $495 per credit, but that number (and the numbers already mentioned) might be different by the time you read this.
Even though HES has the name “Harvard” in it and is considered a reputable institution, you have more options for attending the school than other Harvard schools. And while it is a bit easier to get into the college in the first place, the degree or certificate you earn will be just as prestigious because of the name.
How Do I Pay for HES Tuition?
While the tuition for HES is actually very reasonable, that doesn’t mean that everyone will be able to pay for it on their own. If you wish to try to pay for at least part of the tuition yourself, you can do this through one of two methods:
- Credit or debit cards. HES accepts most major credit and debit cards, including MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover. If you use one of these cards to register online, make sure the card goes through and gives you confirmation that it did so. Otherwise, you won’t be officially enrolled for the course. Remember that the school is not responsible for fluctuations in international exchange rates or fees, so you’ll have to keep a close eye on them. This is important if you’re an international student.
- Checks. Yes, HES still accepts checks to pay for tuition. This includes regular checks, company checks, e-checks, money orders, and online bank checks. Starter checks are not accepted, and all checks have to be drawn on a US bank. If you are submitting a regular paper check, it has to be mailed to HES, Student Financial Services, 51 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. Checks can also be converted and processed using the Automated Clearing House (ACH) Network. If your check is returned because of insufficient funds, you will be charged a $25 penalty fee.
What About Student Aid?
Of course, much like traditional schools, HES does have a financial aid department that can help with financial assistance through various types of grants and loans. To recap, a grant is money, usually from the government, that you can use to pay for your education, and you never have to pay it back, making it the preferable option, but often only offered on a need-based basis. It is, for all practical purposes, free money. On the other hand, a student loan is made specifically to pay for your college education, and it is usually a low-interest loan, which is a long-term financial obligation students should not take lightly. That said, many student loans are designed so that you don’t have to start making payments until six months or even a year after you graduate, giving students some time to find a post-graduation job to fund their future payment obligation.
Keep in mind that you can also apply for certain scholarships, but you have to check their qualifications carefully. Many scholarships require you to take the ACT or SAT – something that isn’t required to get into HES – and have high test scores to receive the money. Some even require you to keep a certain GPA the entire time you’re in school, but considering that HES requires a 3.0 average throughout your college career, this shouldn’t be a problem for most HES students.
Usually, the money you receive via a scholarship, loan, or grant is automatically disbursed into your bank account (or directly submitted to the university’s tuition payment portal) by a certain date. Your online account (known as MyDCE – Division of Continuing Education) will let you know immediately once the money is in your account. You can check this online portal anytime you need to in order to get the information you need regarding your registration, deadlines, financial information, and anything else regarding your time at HES.
Harvard College vs. Harvard University
Most people think of Harvard University when they hear the name “Harvard,” but Harvard College encompasses numerous degree-granting schools encompassing diverse professional courses, including:
- Harvard Business School
- Harvard Medical School
- Harvard Kennedy School
- Harvard Law School
- Harvard Divinity School
- Harvard Graduate School of Education
- Harvard Graduate School of Design
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
When a quality education is what you want, we all know Harvard is one of the most prestigious universities globally, so you really can’t beat the Harvard name, regardless of education division, be that for a full degree program, certificate program, or simply an opportunity to learn a new discipline of professional skills for a career change. Harvard Extension School is a great place for non-traditional students who want a good education but don’t want to go through the rigorous requirements of Harvard University or some of their colleges.
Conclusion
HES is the perfect place to attend school for the thousands of students who are going to school there on any given day. Because you have many different options when you’ve chosen this as your school, it can be easier to apply and easier to get into than it is at other schools. And even though there are some requirements for those who decide to pursue a degree at HES, most people find those requirements to be much less stringent than in most other colleges and universities, as referenced by the Harvard Extension School admissions rate and acceptance criteria. This is why, if you’re a non-traditional student or you’re not sure exactly which route to take, HES might be right for you.