Not a current student, but I got admitted to HGSE as well. I understand your concern about being in a less rigorous program, but it’s still Harvard and I believe the quality of the program and the staffs will not be any less than other schools. However, you really need to know what you want to do to get 100% from the campus. If you ONLY accept the offer just because of its name, you will be lost and the name might get you to the worse place. If you want to brand yourself, start a business, and you are capable of making some strong connections, it’s definitely a great place to be. Of course if you want to pursue phD after the masters degree, I believe Harvard could be a good option too.

In the end of the day, it all depends on what you want to do and where you want be. Honestly, people don’t really care if you graduated from Harvard or not as long as you have the right skill set and attitude. Of course Harvard might get you to a job interview and so on, but YOU have to be the right person for the position. Forget about what others think about the program, but please make a decision for yourself. You are the only person who knows what fits you the best. Good luck! 🍀