New from Harvard Extension School

[Jonathan Whatley]

I don't need to spend over $22k for a second class citizen degree at a school of professional studies

It's a degree with a different title. Someone could dismiss TESU as a second class citizen institution within the New Jersey public system, compared to Rutgers. There'd be some empirical support for TESU to lose that match. But the comparison wouldn't be useful for much, and the speaker would be wrong to dismiss TESU generally.

that's ashamed of non-traditional students

HES certainly isn't ashamed of non-traditional students! Every HES student is non-traditional really. You may mean to say Harvard University is ashamed of non-traditional students. Because the degree titles are different? That's reading in a lot.

There is office politics. There's going to be in a university established in 1636. Units within the university move around each other sometimes gingerly. If there's a turf battle between Harvard Extension School and Harvard College and the outcome of the battle means a lot to the right people associated with Harvard College, Harvard Extension School will probably lose. Harvard Extension School is less powerful than Harvard College in this sociological sense. But to say Harvard Extension students are "second class citizens" is a stretch.

And there aren't many turf battles, and there is a lot of sharing resources.

with the hope of tricking people

I hope you don't judge everyone from HES based on the very worst reason to go there!

into believing that I was an elite student.

Going to HES doesn't mean you are an elite student, but doesn't mean you aren't either. I'd say there are elite students practically everywhere, including open enrollment schools whether the Big Three or HES or The Open University.

HES is unlikely to elevate you to or within the socioeconomic elite the way Harvard College or Harvard Business School often seem to elevate people.