Commuting to Harvard...
 

Hi all!

I'm going to be taking a class at Harvard this fall and will be commuting from the DC area.

Does anyone who has made this run on a regular basis have any tips on getting regular reliable flights to BOS? My closest airport is IAD but I can do DCA as well without much more difficulty.

My class is in the evening and I will probably stay overnight as there doesn't seem to be any late night flights from BOS back to WAS.

I know there are shuttles to BOS from LGA/JFK, any experiences?

I'm really just looking for suggestions on ways to make this as painless as possible.

Fares to BOS are probably going to be lower out of IAD, since low-cost Independence Air flies this route and drives down ticket prices tremendously. And since your class schedule will be predictable well in advance, you'll be able to buy the cheapest, 14-day+ advance purchase tickets for your frequent trips.

You can fly either Independence or United nonstop from IAD-BOS. From DCA, American, US Airways, and Delta go to Boston.

As for shuttles from LGA/JFK to Boston, you mean air shuttles or ground shuttles? There are plenty of both from New York to Boston, but you might as well just fly nonstop from DC as fares are quite low.

Class at night- are you in the Harvard Extension School (as opposed to FAS- Harvard College & GSAS, or Divinity, or Design, or Business, or Government, or Medical, etc...)
Just wondering why you'd do this to yourself- there are plenty of colleges in WAS, or you should move to BOS if you're going to take many classes. Just curious.
Anyway, about the flights I think the latest BOS-IAD would be at 8:40pm, and earliest around 6 am, and both United Airlines/United Express and Independence Air run numerous nonstop flights between BOS and IAD.

Amtrak is your best bet
 

You would probably do alot better taking the Acela service. I do understand that you cant make it from DC to Boston for a 9am, but if you are a student I would think you'd welcome all that extra time on the train working in peace (with a place to plug in your laptop). Rather than dealing with the hassle of what are imho some of the worst airports in the US to deal with, some shuttle flight boarding areas *cough* AA *cough*dont even have restrooms inside of security checkpoint in Logan (yeccch)

Plus Amtrak is very generous with points on those segments and you will probably get select status, free trips and use of the Acela clubs really quick. Remember that shuttles often dont get you miles :)

You are going to end up flying sometimes, but dont rule out Acela service for the trips where you can take the time.
-Fish

Yes. I will be going to Harvard Extension. I've got a few credit hours to go to get my ALB.

With respect to the colleges available in WAS: none of them had quite the program I wanted and they didn't quite treat the "night-school" students as serious degree candidates. My goal in all of this is to get the bachelors degree and I can get a set of courses at Harvard that I can't find anywhere else. That includes Georgetown, American, GWU, and GMU.

Plus, it's Harvard. :D Has a nice ring to it.

I actually considered doing that but it expanded the total commute time way too much. The trips are about 5-6 hours in each direction, compared to about 1.5 hours in the air. They are also very expensive when compared to the cheap flights from IAD to BOS.

I have kind of resigned myself to dealing with the flights because it's simply the best of all the bad options I have. I'm eternally grateful for Independence Air which has been driving the airfares to BOS down out of IAD. They are really the ones that are making this possible for me.

When you take travel to/from the airports into consideration and allow the necessary time for checking in, going through security, and boarding, how long is the trip in each direction?

More like 3 hours. Still beats 6.5 though.

Acela
 

Hi,

While the flight option may be a good one theoretically, it probably won't be the best one in practice. Mainly because you don't factor in the cost of taking a taxicab or T ride from Harvard Square to Logan (to and from) and assuming the commuting cost is negligible on your end in DC. Also, there's certainly issues being cramped on a commuter plane with loads of people (especially if you class was on a Monday or Thursday).

I would definitely consider buying up the train tickets if you can afford the time to be on the train. I think when you factor in all the commuting costs (You could be at North Station which is definitely closer than Logan) and the benefits, it may save you the headache. Also, you can do some work on the train or watch a movie...and it's more comfortable.

Good luck!

It's also MUCH more expensive. I've been checking prices and a comparable trip would be almost $360 on Acela vs. about $150-200 for the air option. Even with the 1.50 for the T, it's a no-brainer on cost alone.

And the trains that they have from WAS don't go to BON, only BOS. So there goes any advantage of being closer to Cambridge via the T.

What I might do is try both and see which one I like more. I've already done a dry run of the flight option and it didn't present any special hazards or inconveniences. I'll likely give the train option a try and see how I feel afterwards.

$10 Chinatown bus between NYC and BOS Chinatowns. Too bad those don't have middle seats.

Thought of it. WAS-NYC = 5 hrs & $20 ; NYC-BOS 4 hrs & $10

I just couldn't bring myself to spend 9 hrs on a bus.

Yeah, the Extension School doesn't really count as a full-fledged true Harvard degree. The extension school is an extension- part of the continuing education program founded as an "experiment in popular education". It serves many respected people, mostly those who need more skills for job or adults who already have bachelors and a job but now are going back to grad/med school. Nothing bad or wrong with extension school, but it's not like graduating from Harvard College.

Well...I certainly don't think it has the same cachet as getting a degree from Harvard College, but I would take exception to saying it isn't a real "Harvard" degree.

I did a lot of research before I decided on taking this path. I live not 3 miles from a respected state school and not far from Georgetown, George Washington University, American, and Univ of Md. NONE of these schools could offer me what I could get from Harvard, namely, a REAL education. Too many of these schools are simply not set up to take in a 35-year old who has a job and a family and give them a shot at a degree OR they will give you a kind of rush-job degree that really isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

I've spent a considerable amount of time talking with people and trying to figure out if this is REALLY a good option for me and in particular, how this degree is TRULY viewed. I went out to Harvard and started asking questions and met with instructors and advisors there. SEVERAL of their students went on to Harvard Law School. Many others went on to Harvard Medical School and more went to graduate programs at other respected schools. Also, there is the option of becomming a "special student" which entitles you to take the exact same classes that the regular Harvard College students take during the day.

It's NOT easy to do this. Let me dissuade you of that notion. They haven't handed out degrees to a lot of students because the program is academically challenging.

I've heard the naysayer arguments before. This isn't University of Phoenix. If I have to get my degree in a non-traditional program, I want it to be the BEST program I can find.

True- I hope I didn't come across as too brutally critical of the Extension School. I know a few people who are in Extension school right now to go to Med school. My point was that it wasn't Harvard College, but the Extension school is a fine school and probably the best adult program. But won't your family miss you-how much mental/physical toll will your commute take out on you?
Anyway, go CRIMSON!

This reminds me of the friend who pointed out to me that my degree from the adult division of a school that I attended was not technically Ivy League even though the regular program was...

Who cares.

I went to that school after being horribly disappointed with a "very well respected" state school in New England that reminded me more of Ferris Bueller's Day Off than anything else. (Picture Ben Stein looking at the sea of blank faces... "Anybody? Anybody?")

Much more important is that you get the teachers, the curriculum and perhaps most importantly of all, the motivated, prepared, interested and enthusiastic fellow students sitting all around you in every class.

Sure I "got over" in that I was able to substitute a few of the core curriculum courses with other courses of my choosing, but 90% of the time I was sitting right next to those "Ivy Leaguers" having the same experience and doing the same work, as them... except I was working 8 hours a day in a real job at the same time.

I went summers, after work, before work, whatever, and I got my BA 2 days before my 30th birthday. (And I also stretched it out long enough that my employer paid for most of it!! ^ ^ ^ )

Mid, good for you. Don't let people's ridiculous snobbery or skepticism take away from this. It's a great decision and you'll be happy you did it.

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement Remy. This will end up being a significant committment in time and money for me. I'm only going to be doing the commuting for a single semester and then taking other classes via distance education until I can actually move there to finish up the program.

I'm only doing the commuting thing because I want to get into the ALB program and they require that you take a particular course that is not offered remotely at all before they grant you admission. I can't move there now for various reasons that may or may not be important in the coming years.

Right now I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it to stay in a hotel overnight or try and "rough-it" by hanging out at one of the all-night coffee shops at MIT or Logan. I've slept in an airport before and it's not my idea of a good night out BUT it sure beats paying $200 for about 6 hours of sleep. The flight schedules are murder. There is a period of about 8 hours in the middle of the night where I will have to occupy myself until the flight leaves at 6:00AM. That means taxi from a hotel since the T isn't really in full swing before then to get me to BOS -or- spend the night at Logan in front of the Dunkin Donuts in terminal B.

Grrrr.

Check the prices at the Hampton Inn at the airport. I stayed there one night about three years ago and I seem to recall it costing less than $100.

The price on expedia.com is about $149 plus taxes. Not much better than what I could get in Cambridge.

Yeah, I still have a lot of work to do in checking out my sleeping options. The one thing I have to nail down is transportation to and fro since I won't have a rental car during any of these trips.

I been thinking about bombarding priceline.com for hotels and seeing how far that gets me.

At any rate, I've got something like 3-4 months before I start classes so I've got a lot of time to check out alternatives and options.

Priceline is sure to have plenty of options under $100. Check out betterbidding.com for a list of successful recent bids.

It's also possible that Harvard might have a 24-hour library. Many universities (including my alma mater, the University of Virginia) now keep one of their libraries, or at least a dedicated study area, open all night.

You might also consider flying one-way up to Boston and then taking Amtrak's night train on your return (I believe it leaves at 10 p.m. and arrives in DC at 7 a.m. the next morning).

Here's more information on the train:

#67, leaving Boston South Station at 9:45 p.m., arriving Washington Union Station the next morning at 7:00 a.m. One-way tickets are $91.

Coolio! That's good information. I'll definately look into that! THANKS!

craigslist
 

also, check out craigslist.com to see if you can find a way of subletting around harvard,kenmore,mit square. i'm sure you'll something for one night a week in the middle of the week that'll be cheaper than hotels.

but i still think the acela is the best bet for the commute from dc to boston.

I second the suggestion of Priceline - check out www.betterbidding.com and www.biddingfortravel.com - IIRC the Hyatt at the airport or Cambridge is a regular for about $50.

Unless you have big $$$, I can't see Acela. The problem is pricing. Even factoring EVERYTHING in, its still way more expensive AND it takes longer to take Acela.

Now that night train might make sense, but...give up on Acela. I can't fathom the attraction if you are going DC-Boston.

Independence Air, on the other hand, is excellent. Quick, easy, low stress, and high on flexibility. An absolute winner.

I had considered that but seeing as I will only be spending 8 hours overnight in Cambridge it seemed like a waste on par with getting a hotel. I kept thinking that I wouldn't open my home to some stranger for $25-$50 once a week, etc., etc. As least not if I had the coin to live in Cambridge.

That might be a winner. I'll look into it as soon as I have the registration information from the school.

The key for Hotels is going to be proximity to either Cambridge or BOS, and availability or scheduling of public transport to the airport.

Thanks again for everyone's help.

I'm beginning to think that Indy Air is going to have a big hand in making this possible for me. Their flight prices are cheap cheap cheap and the fact that they are at terminal A at IAD makes getting to them THAT much easier.

The only real question I have right now is which flights to pick and whether or not hotels will be a big part of this mix during all or part of my little adventure. I'm almost attracted to the idea of staying up all night (being the night owl that I am).

Of course, I also like sleeping like the dead.

got a friend or anyone that can link you into a corporate or group travel plan?

last i checked a company *cughcough* mine did acela for like $104 one-way.

Actually you might be surprised. I'm pretty sure I've seen ads on craigslist looking for just that.

I did a quick check on craigslist.com and found a bunch of ads in the "Housing Wanted" section that seemed to fit the bill but were for roommate type situations.

I'll give it another gander as I get close to making actual travel arrangements.

All that for 1 Class?
 

In the greater DC area you can't take the same class? GW? Georgetown? George Mason?

Just seems like an enormous hassle and cost for a college course.

Well....this course is a required course to enter into the Harvard ALB program. Taking this course and two others will, with the required grades, get me into a program that will allow me to get my Bachelor's from Harvard University.

FWIW, I looked into finishing up my Bachelor's at all of the universities you mentioned. ALL of them were ridiculously expensive and far inferior in terms of how they handled "older" students who were also working full-time. For instance, GWU now charges a flat-rate for tuition per year of almost $36K. Their rate per credit hour for part-time students is ~$900. That would make a class of 4 credits about $3600. That SAME class at Harvard will go for about $700. I looked at George Mason as well (since they are right down the street from me and my g/f goes there) and believe me when I tell you that the quality of the other students is far from optimal.

At least with Harvard I can almost be guaranteed that the students will be serious and the teaching will be excellent. I got this question from others in this thread as well as from the advisor at Harvard (he wondered the same thing) and the MAIN reason that I'm willing to put myself through this pain is the quality of the education is what is most important to me, NOT the degree. At any rate, all this travelling is doing is getting the ball rolling. I will still have to move to Cambridge to finish up at some point in the future. Doing the commuting thing only helps me to get started a little earlier on making progress while I wait for my job/family situation clears up here and my schedule is a little more open for temporary relocation.

Your girlfriend, excepted, I hope ;)

Once again, all these shenanigans, for the ALB? You do understand that the ALB is run out of the Extension School, and although a "legitimate" Harvard degree, it is mostly taught by second-stringers and temps? Mind you, you will get a reasonable quality education (not "excellent", and certainly no better than you would get at the regular program at Georgetown), and the students are older and usually pretty dedicated and bright. Just don't delude yourself that your degree is from "Harvard". Nobody at Harvard believes that, except those who went to the Extension School, who will spend the rest of their life justifying their choices.

But then again, it is your money and your life. It just sounds like overkill.

Harvard an execellent education? Think again. Everyone gets an A no matter what and nobody ever fails any course. Serious students? Why be serious when the worst that can happen to you is a B avergare?

Also, the prestige of the degree is what you're looking for I assume. All fine and good. But the real value of a Harvard education is the connections you make while there - more so at Yale probably but I digress. You going there for a night class will not open those doors.

As for cost, think of the cost of your time. Take that $2900 and divide it by the number of hours you spend on the road. Is that hourly rate worth it to you? Is the added stress you incur?

This is one of the old, "regional" trains, not an Acela. Hence the nine-and-a-quarter hour trip.

You're right. I'll just go to Strayer University.

I don't suppose that will help me get into grad school at an Ivy but hey, it's only my life and my money.

Believe me when I tell you that I've kept my head clear about what choices I have and their various advantages and disadvantages. I think I made it clear in earlier posts that I didn't consider an ALB to be of an equal weight to a BS from Harvard College. I am grateful that you chose to remind me, however.

Maybe you could start at the beginning of this thread and locate for me where I was soliciting advice on educational options vs travel ones.

OH, and BTW, I got an appointment from the Secretary of the Navy to attend Annapolis 15 years ago but had to drop out for other obligations after only two years. I don't need a Harvard degree to feel good about myself.

I would beg to differ with you on almost everything you said in your post. I have a family member that just graduated from Harvard Extension (he kept it a secret). He's no dummy and he didn't get straight A's as you suggest. He didn't even get "cum laude". He had to fight in every course for his grades and he only took a single class per semester.

The whole point of this exercise is to get a non-traditional degree that will hold it's own when I apply to grad school. The fact that they take extension students into Harvard Law and Harvard Med School is all the "validation" I need.

BTW, there is an option to take classes during the day at Harvard College; even if you are an extension student. It's called "Special Student" status and it requires a considerable amount of work and excellent grades to apply. But it has been done and it is "for real." In that case, you can make all the connections you like. Not that I need any. I'm doing just fine, thank you.

I'm all done with the career counseling advice. If you don't have anything travel-related, please file your post in /dev/null.

Whoa!! Slow down.
My comments about everyone getting As was for Harvard in general, not the extension school. Larry Summers the prez of the school said the same thing, so relax will you?