Originally Posted by Pickles
I don't know where or what is Strayer University. And, no, getting a degree from the Extension School isn't going to help you get into grad school at an Ivy.
Strayer University
It's almost universally known here as the school you go to when you're trying to get a promotion or a bump in paygrade and the lack of an "accredited" degree is keeping you down.
Originally Posted by Pickles
I'm glad you appear to understand the difference between the ALB and a BS from Harvard College. However, your actions (revealed preference), and the amount of effort you are willing to spend to get said degree when you could possibly acquire the equivalent knowledge closer to DC (hey, why not Columbia or Princeton?), indicate to me that somehow getting the "Harvard" degree is going to improve your chances of getting into a good grad school. It won't.
I just don't like Princeton.
I looked at Columbia. They have a similar program but it's also extremely difficult to complete and expensive as hell. I took one look at the crazy requirements and thought better. We are planning on moving to Cambridge at some point in the future so Columbia didn't really fit the bill. On the plus side, they allow you to study in engineering or the physical sciences, And they have an excellent physics department. I might actually try for grad school there.
But I disagree with you about the edge part. I know from my advisors (here AND at Harvard) that entering and completing a difficult program known to be rigorous will help move things along. And I feel that I can get the kind of learning and guidance I need to complete an undergrad thesis by being exposed to a faculty that has that kind of academic background.
Originally Posted by Pickles
Take it from someone who taught in the graduate school at Harvard. Harvard will consider your application to grad school equally with everybody else's, and having an ALB from the Extension School does not give you an edge. You'll have to show the grades and the motivation, drive, and everything else to overcome the fact that your degree is not from a nationally ranked or recognized program.
I didn't say that going to Harvard Extension would give me an edge at Harvard. I said that the environment I'll be in will help foster the kind of understanding I'll need to get IN and COMPLETE an Ivy grad program. The Harvard name is just icing on the cake.
I won't deny that I'm a little bit keen on the idea of putting the word "Harvard" on my resume. But I could get the same mileage out of "Georgetown" down here.