A 3-Year Administrative Failure: 63 Credits, 4.0 GPA, and No Degree…read more This school is a SCAM. BEWARE. I am writing this to provide a factual account of my experience in the Dual Degree Graduate Expressive Therapies program (Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Music Therapy) at Lesley University. I moved from Los Angeles to Boston specifically for this program. Despite maintaining a 4.0+ GPA over three years, completing my thesis, and finishing 63 graduate credits, I was left without a degree due to what I can only describe as a total lack of administrative accountability. The Learning Environment While Lesley preaches tolerance and inclusion, the physical and social reality is quite different. Graduate classes are held on the fourth floor of a dilapidated old mall. The facility is poorly maintained, the elevators are frequently delayed for 10+ minutes, and the environment is often unsanitary. As a student with a professional background in the music industry, I felt immediate friction; if you do not fit a very specific "stereotypical" mold, you are marked as an outsider by the faculty and cohort. The Second Internship: 2Life Communities (Framingham) During my third year, I was placed at 2Life Communities under supervisor Jennifer Rich. * The Commute: Despite my transparency about my location, I was forced into a commute that took 2 hours each morning and 3 to 4 hours each evening--a 5-to-8 hour daily round trip. * The Work: Though this was a clinical internship, I was frequently utilized as unpaid kitchen staff, a waiter, and a busboy. * Performance: Despite the conditions, I led over 100 groups. I was told by residents that my music therapy sessions were the highlight of their week. I passed my fall evaluation (Val) with a 4/5, meeting the first of two criteria required to pass the internship. The Administrative Error (Chris Yang) The primary failure lies with the Field Training Office. My advisor, Chris Yang, realized halfway through my final year that the supervisor the school had vetted and assigned to me did not actually hold the required MT-BC credentials. * I had spent the semester doing the work of an on-site supervisor named Wendy--who only appeared twice--essentially teaching for her while she was presumably paid. * I held a 100/100 (A+) in my Clinical Supervision class. Between the 100% grade and the passing fall evaluation, I had met all criteria to move toward graduation. The "PIP" and The F's Instead of the university taking responsibility for their vetting error, they issued me a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) the day before winter break. The PIP was triggered because I refused a request to drive an additional 1.5 hours (on top of my 2-hour morning commute) to a different facility to cover their staffing shortages. While at the site, I contracted COVID three times and a severe flu due to the unsanitary conditions. Because I was ill during the PIP period, the school claimed I "failed" to complete it. * The Result: Two months before graduation, they flunked me out of my internship. They gave me zero credit for 8 months of work. * The Transcript: Despite my 100% grade in the class and a completed thesis, they placed two F's on my transcript. * The "Requirement": They demanded I write seven essays "taking accountability" for their administrative errors and my "defensiveness" before I could return. When I eventually reapplied, they rejected me. Conclusion I am a University of Miami alumnus and a seasoned professional who worked my tail off for this program. I am now left with 63 credits of debt and no degree while the rest of my cohort moves into their careers. Lesley University chose to protect its administration rather than support a student who met every academic and clinical requirement. If you value your time, money, and career, look elsewhere.

Lesley is awesome! I went here for my undergrad degree and was so thankful for the internship…read moreprogram!

My teenage son has attended Art School 99 for nearly two years, first in one-on-one instruction and…read morenow in group classes with Alexandra Rozenman. The growth in his artistic skill, confidence, and portfolio has been tremendous. Ms. Rozenman is an exceptional teacher--deeply knowledgeable, hands-on, and thoughtful in how she balances instruction with creative exploration. The atmosphere she creates is both calm and inspiring. This has easily been the best instructional experience our son has had in any activity. We are incredibly grateful to have found Art School 99 and would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone exploring or seriously pursuing art. A. Dorfman

I took Alexandra's Art Lab class for three session. I learned a lot and at the end of it, I had a…read moregreat painting that far exceeded my expectations! Alexandra taught us about color theory, color mixing, and a bit about composition. I'd definitely take a class at Art School 99 again!

I just completed my second term and Katherine was amazing, once again! This term, summer, is…read morecondensed into 6 weeks, but because I am moving out of the state, Katherine did all she could to help me start and finish my painting in 3 weeks. The painting was a gift to my sister and not only did the recipient love her gift from me, I loved the gift that Katherine gave me. She helped me to understand that time is precious and if it is spent wisely, any goal could be accomplished. If you are even considering taking a painting class, I would give this school a chance. It will change your view on your own creativity and your view on what it means to teach. Katherine is a gem! She, and her school, cannot be replicated or duplicated. I am sad that I will probably not be able to find anything like them where I am moving. Oh, and the ice cream breaks in the summer aren't so bad either.

The Katherine Martin Widmer School of Painting is just an example of the many wonderful things that…read moreare right before you waiting to be discovered. I have lived in the Somerville area for years now and in that time thought about how nice it would be to have a creative space. I dabbled in the fine arts in school, but without the physical space and guidance, lost the motivation to explore further. This school has allowed me the opportunity to do so. The instructor, Katherine, is a wonderful teacher, providing just the right amount of instruction and is one of many reasons why the school has such an encouraging environment. The studio itself is lovely. It's on the third floor with lots of windows and a sky light. Usually the soft voices of Billy Holiday or Nina Simone waft through the air. In addition, the students (many of whom have been attending for years) are from all different backgrounds/ages and are a pleasure to get to know.

Overall, I enjoyed the classes they have here and had a lot of fun taking the sewing and guitar…read morelessons. The team is pretty responsive if you run into any issues with the class scheduling and pretty understanding. I qualified for financial aid and it got approved in less than 48 hours. I'd definitely wound love to check out their other classes sometime.

I took the intensive drawing bootcamp with Brett Xavier Gamache and really enjoyed it. Brett is a…read morepatient and generous instructor. He provided just the right amount of advice and instruction regardless of each person's level of experience. I have some drawing experience but it's been many decades since I took a formal class. Many of the techniques that Brett shared were familiar to me but good reminders. Most helpful was having Brett review my work at different points during the process, and offer advice on how to proceed. Thank you, Brett, for an enjoyable reintroduction to drawing. I look forward to taking another class. The CCAE could do better in communicating what to expect and in keeping the listing up to date. The description says it's 6 hours but it's listed as running from 10am-2:30pm. The supply list was incorrect so I purchased much more than I needed and didn't have items that I did need. They should also note that you only have about 30 minutes for lunch and Cambridge eateries can be very crowded on a Sunday. I would have brought a lunch.

There is systemic injustice at Harvard Extension School. Their policies as stated on their website…read moreare not upheld. I had a professor who graded anything beneath a 90% as a 0%. So, in other words, if you don't get an A you fail your assignments. I withdrew, brought this to the attention of the Dean, and asked for financial credit so I could take another course instead. She did not respond but simply forwarded my concern to a registrar who refused to do anything about it. The registrar said, wrongly, that the professor was acting in accord with HES policy. The grading system on the website does not in point of fact map onto the grading system of all the professors. So be forewarned that you may end up with a professor who will give you an F if you get less than an A. Don't waste your money at HES and don't expect the administration to act justly. I've matriculated a different program. HES just lost the 30K they would have made if they would have simply rendered a just decision.

I am extremely saddened to say that HES does not help International Students solve their financial…read moreissues at all. There are no Financial Aid options coming from the university itself, and 2 out of 3 student loan companies that their office recommends actually don't really accept Extension School students. The third one needs a lot of extra paperwork that the school isn't willing to help with. In order to enroll you need to pay in full and you don't get a letter of enrollment until after the drop out period, when it's too late. You can't get a loan without paying and you can't get enrolled without a loan. So it's a chicken and egg situation that has no end. They say the university helps cover for you until the loan is approved, but in reality, you have to pay in full first and they will reimburse you after the loan is paid. Which defies the entire point of asking for financial assistance. There is a very short window in which to apply for the loan after registration before being dropped out for non-payment. Paperwork takes more than a month, which is not nearly enough to get everything done. I've spent hours and hours with both the lending officers and the financial aid officers, and in the end, nothing got solved. Nothing. I am unable to join the courses. I am unable to get a loan. I feel like my potential is wasting away... Harvard has failed me.

Ah Harvard...the university that will send any parent, hiring manager, etc, into a orgasmic frenzy…read moreonce they find out you're a student or alum of this renowned institution. I visited as a tourist while exploring Boston before heading to Providence, where I'm a Master's student at a fellow Ivy League. Harvard's campus is very beautiful, the quintessential blue print of a prestigious New England campus. It was worthwhile to walk around and explore the area.

For being such a prestigious and storied university, it's nice that anyone can walk on campus to…read moresee its historic buildings. There's a visitor center with restrooms, a cafeteria, and tours led by students. Several buildings on campus are open to the public like the Harvard Art Museums. The T has a station right there so it's easy to visit.

Amazing Delicious Thank you Great service Tuesday offer…read moreis great too Recommended

Great teachers, great environment, a wonderful place to learn. Recommend 10/10!! Best art classes…read moreI've taken in Boston

Walked the older campus, which is beautiful and has so much history…read more You can do a self guided tour by downloading an app. There were no student tours as we were there during graduation week. Unfortunately the library is not open to the public. Would have been cool to see as it's the 3rd largest in the US.

Took a walk around this very old campus and it was beautiful. Learned they have a goal for no…read morestudent to graduate with debt. I was impressed!

Check out this place. Went today to buy some gifts. Lots of gifts under $50. Small vases,…read moreornaments, jewelry. Solar powered glass factory. Artisan made goods. Something for everyone. Today and tomorrow holiday sale. Check out the website. Not sure when else they're open to public.

If you're interested in learning how to blow glass, this is the place to go to. Great classes,…read morewonderful people, and amazing instructors.

We took our daughter to Maud Morgan Arts Center for a FREE architecture workshop and it was…read morephenomenal. The class focused on a number of different areas and aligned with the STEAM curriculum. My husband and I were extremely impressed with how the workshop tied the activity of building a sustainable option for the city in with real world examples and ultimately having the children design and build a model out of legos. We are definitely going to look into more classes and workshops for our kids at Maud Morgan Arts Center.

Maud Morgan is a place of learning, community and FUN! I know from hands-on experience as an…read moreeducator and a learner at MMA that these teachers love what they do and want to share that passion for art with students of all ages. I highly recommend dipping your toes into any medium you've been curious about, or refining your skills with the guidance of an experienced educator, in this welcoming and friendly space!