I am an expat R&D executive with >10 years of experience and wanted to explore a part-time MBA alike experience while working (I will eventually return to China in same technology management track, hopefully promotion, but want to leverage being in Boston to invest on learning business for potential career switch), Harvard GMP sounds attractive given the speed of getting into alumni, PLD looks like another great experience too with a longer (and hopefully more thorough) learning schedule, I also noticed I could choose to apply Harvard extension school general management master degree, which obviously need more time commitment without alumni privilege. any advice which one works better for people in my situation? thanks

Graduates of the extension school are Harvard alumni, with all privileges. What are your goals?

I think the PLD is designed for a younger cohort (10-15 years of work experience vs. 15-20 years of work experience.)

I'm currently enrolled in PLD. Strong program, excellent and accomplished peer group, and reasonably rigorous. If someone is looking for vertical growth within an organization/sector it's great (ex as a physician and rising healthcare exec it does the trick). However, if you're trying to change sectors, break into consulting, banking, etc I just don't feel it has the breadth or depth to do that. In that case the full MBA or EMBA would be better. Just my two cents. Good luck.

Graduates of the extension school are Harvard alumni, with all privileges. What are your goals?

[Edited by George Patsoulis on Aug 25, 2017]

Do you have a link to where it says recruiters have the option to opt out from HES? I am skeptical that recruiters can opt out from just one school. As a former HES student, I found that there is a huge range of recruitment events on campus that are open to final-year degree takers in any Harvard school . There are more than a dozen careers fairs each year, all of which are open to final-year students: https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/career-fairs. Indeed, the only fair that can be attended only by students from one school is for HES students.

HES degree students who are working with a Harvard careers advisor can also access on-campus interviews. But, certainly, most jobs that come to the central careers service are either functional roles or junior ones.

2. HES graduates *are* real Harvard alumni. But, certainly, undergraduate alumni are snobby about all the graduate schools because they are less selective.

3. The ALM *does* have stated fields. Harvard says you have an ALM in management. See the screenshot at http://blogs.harvard.edu/lamont/files/2013/09/hes_almm.jpg