Re:I cannot afford to go back to engineering school
by graycat on Thursday August 08, 2013 @04:27AM
(#6177839)
The OP was asking for an engineering
degree; there the math is powerful
support but only support.
Sure, the first two years at Harvard
can be something special, especially
if the student uses AP or tests out
of the standard first two years of
ugrad school. E.g., Harvard's Math
55 taught to freshmen at least at
one time used Halmos, FDVS, Rudin's
'Principles', and Spivak's 'Manifolds'.
That's usually junior or senior level
stuff.
I know one guy who went to Harvard and
as a sophomore took a reading course
from A. Gleason. So, if in the next
two years he knocked off one of Hilbert's
problems, like Gleason did, then he
could also become a Harvard 'Fellow'
and skip a Ph.D.! But, again, we're
talking engineering, not being so
advanced as a ugrad that really should
end up with a Ph.D. in math instead of a
Bachelor's.
What's so wrong about just taking the first
two years of college as just the
usual first two years? A CC can
provide that. A CC can use a
good calculus book; when I took
calculus, I used the same book
Harvard used; that is, Harvard
was willing to teach a calculus
course, just calculus from just
a common book, to I don't know
who took it. Given the book
and anything like a competent CC teacher,
the Harvard course doesn't have much
room to be better than a CC course,
especially if the student followed
my recommendations on self study before
the course.
I know; I know; maybe the freshman
English lit course at Harvard is taught
by a Nobel prize winner in literature
and can provide some astoundingly profound
insights into Henry James and, thus,
change the lives of the students. I'm
not impressed.
You seem eager to "pay a lot" for the first
two years of college.
Sure, the first two years at Harvard can be something special, especially if the student uses AP or tests out of the standard first two years of ugrad school. E.g., Harvard's Math 55 taught to freshmen at least at one time used Halmos, FDVS, Rudin's 'Principles', and Spivak's 'Manifolds'. That's usually junior or senior level stuff.
I know one guy who went to Harvard and as a sophomore took a reading course from A. Gleason. So, if in the next two years he knocked off one of Hilbert's problems, like Gleason did, then he could also become a Harvard 'Fellow' and skip a Ph.D.! But, again, we're talking engineering, not being so advanced as a ugrad that really should end up with a Ph.D. in math instead of a Bachelor's.
What's so wrong about just taking the first two years of college as just the usual first two years? A CC can provide that. A CC can use a good calculus book; when I took calculus, I used the same book Harvard used; that is, Harvard was willing to teach a calculus course, just calculus from just a common book, to I don't know who took it. Given the book and anything like a competent CC teacher, the Harvard course doesn't have much room to be better than a CC course, especially if the student followed my recommendations on self study before the course.
I know; I know; maybe the freshman English lit course at Harvard is taught by a Nobel prize winner in literature and can provide some astoundingly profound insights into Henry James and, thus, change the lives of the students. I'm not impressed.
You seem eager to "pay a lot" for the first two years of college.