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Slow relative to learning the interesting bits. It took three years to get to FA? Seriously? That's a glacial pace relative to solving real world problems. I a

Slow relative to learning the interesting bits. It took three years to get to FA? Seriously? That's a glacial pace relative to solving real world problems. I agree you came out of it far better prepared, but drowning you in math for math's sake was merely hazing. Mostly. Regarding your financial point: it's remarkable how hard it is for the upper echelon to empathize. It's not about the money. The money doesn't matter. It's the whole way of life leading up to college that kills you. The mindset. The motivations. The infighting. Being sent to some small religious school in the middle of nowhere because your dad thought religion was going to take over the world and it was super important for you to know a thing or two about god, then being tormented there because you're the only one in a school of 300 with an intellectual curiosity. You think you would've stood a chance in an unfair fight? :) Your mom and dad are owed a debt of gratitude. Family structure is the basis of power in life.

WalterBright 9y ago
> glacial pace relative to solving real world problems / hazing Sorry, I can't agree. My experience in post college real world problems was I was very well equipped to do so, compared with other newly minted engineers. And the techs who didn't have degrees weren't even on the radar. > the only one I was regularly assaulted in public school for being a nerd. Does that count? > mom and dad Mine were very special to me. But they were mine, and I'm heavily biased. Stepping back a bit, I don't believe they were exceptional, or better than the parents of my friends, etc. > empathize Get up and go comes from within, it is not installed by parents. I wanted real bad to be a ham radio operator as a teen. I could not remotely afford to buy the equipment. I tried to build my own, but utterly lacked the skills, and could not get either the tools or the parts. Nobody helped me. I didn't know any hams, or anyone who knew anything about electronics. It was extremely frustrating. For me, being at Caltech was very much like someone turning the lights on. I was around people with similar interests, classes were fun (despite being terrifyingly hard), lab equipment was all available, it was heaven. Nothing like public high school.
- WalterBright 9y ago
  BTW, I was on partial financial aid from Caltech. They fronted me a loan, which I paid back after graduation. I'm sure they would have provided a full ride if my father couldn't pay anything.

WalterBright 9y ago

> glacial pace relative to solving real world problems / hazing Sorry, I can't agree. My experience in post college real world problems was I was very well equipped to do so, compared with other newly minted engineers. And the techs who didn't have degrees weren't even on the radar. > the only one I was regularly assaulted in public school for being a nerd. Does that count? > mom and dad Mine were very special to me. But they were mine, and I'm heavily biased. Stepping back a bit, I don't believe they were exceptional, or better than the parents of my friends, etc. > empathize Get up and go comes from within, it is not installed by parents. I wanted real bad to be a ham radio operator as a teen. I could not remotely afford to buy the equipment. I tried to build my own, but utterly lacked the skills, and could not get either the tools or the parts. Nobody helped me. I didn't know any hams, or anyone who knew anything about electronics. It was extremely frustrating. For me, being at Caltech was very much like someone turning the lights on. I was around people with similar interests, classes were fun (despite being terrifyingly hard), lab equipment was all available, it was heaven. Nothing like public high school.

WalterBright 9y ago
BTW, I was on partial financial aid from Caltech. They fronted me a loan, which I paid back after graduation. I'm sure they would have provided a full ride if my father couldn't pay anything.