Joslin Joseph

I started looking at Harvard Extension School when I was having a hard time in corporate America. I was working at a startup that wasn’t going well. During the pandemic, I began freelancing as a writer, and found that writing brought me a lot of joy.

As I was grinding through post-pandemic corporate life, I realized maybe I should stop trying to follow the corporate path and finally follow a dream. That led me to start exploring master’s degree options.

I looked at about a dozen or so other schools, everything from MFA programs to certificate courses. But many of them judged me based on my past. One school looked at a GPA from 1997 and told me they couldn’t know if I’d succeed. Others required standardized tests or former employer recommendations to “prove” I could write. Harvard Extension’s “earn your way in” approach felt different. The process here said, take the courses and demonstrate your ability now.

As a Marine Corps veteran, I’m used to challenges. If someone tells me it’s difficult, I take it on. I signed up for a couple of classes. On the first day, looking at the syllabus, meeting the professors, seeing the classmates, I knew I had made the right decision.

Early on, when I was doing classes from home, I questioned whether I belonged. But as I completed assignments and progressed, I realized: yes, I can do this. It was hard, but totally possible.

Then came the on-campus experience. Walking through Harvard Yard, being in the halls, seeing classmates from all over the world, and sitting in class with those amazing professors and my peers was the moment it clicked: I belong here. Every one of my classmates felt it. Suddenly imposter syndrome faded. I had earned my place at Harvard.

Even now, years later, I stay in touch with people I met during the program, including friends from multiple countries.

The community you build at Harvard Extension School is strong and enduring.

Flexibility was everything. Harvard Extension offers a variety of course formats, including synchronous courses, asynchronous electives, summer sessions, and J-term intensives. I took courses that worked with my schedule.

I saw classmates who were full-time working parents, stay-at-home moms, and military spouses. These were people with busy lives and significant responsibilities. The program’s structure made it possible for them to succeed without having to compromise family or work obligations.

Do your research, and you’ll see both negative opinions and glowing endorsements. What I noticed is that the critics often haven’t walked the path themselves. The people who say it’s worthwhile are the ones who took that leap.

If you’re willing to work hard, push yourself, and take the risk, you’re good enough. Don’t get held back by past performance or fears. Take the step, and you’ll see how worthwhile it becomes.

Harvard Extension School is a wonderful challenge. From day one, you’re going to feel pressure when you see that first syllabus, hear the professor’s expectations, and join class discussions. But alongside that pressure is a kind of exhilaration, when you realize, I can do this.

You’ll be surrounded by people from all over the world who are there for the same purpose: to grow, learn, and belong. That sense of community, challenge, and possibility is unlike anything I’ve experienced before.

I’ve done some pretty hard things in my life, including serving in the United States Marine Corps, but graduating from Harvard is right up there with my proudest moments.

I remember walking across Harvard Yard in cap and gown, surrounded by classmates I had grown to call friends, hearing cheers from family and peers. That feeling was immeasurable. I’m a Harvard graduate, and I know that if you’re willing to work for it, you can be too.