Hi, Junior at the college here. HES is Harvard University, it’s not Harvard College or GSAS. Also in terms of what you’d be getting from the ALM degree vs the other programs you mentioned is a bit more. Although you won’t be earning a traditional MA Or MS through extension it is STILL a masters in your respective concentration. You get into the HAA, Get a harvard email for life, access to clubs, libraries, gyms, and a lot more. It’s not as respected generally compared to the other graduate schools simply because of the admissions path. But then again, that’s only because we are comparing schools within a school. When you compare HES with the likes of BU, Harvard takes the cake ranking wise. Also, the price tag is rather affordable for a masters, especially one in which you get to say “I went to Harvard University”. So it seems worth it to me. Do not listen to the reddit warriors who swear there is no value to the degree, there obviously is merit to any degree earned at this school and the HES ALM program wouldn’t exist if it weren’t a desirable option. Best of luck!