4 ms·

The point of an undergraduate education isn't to learn stuff, it's to learn HOW to learn stuff. Having a knowledge base in a particular field is only a sometim

by LargeWu 16y ago

The point of an undergraduate education isn't to learn stuff, it's to learn HOW to learn stuff. Having a knowledge base in a particular field is only a sometimes-useful side effect. If you can't learn that stuff on your own now, then you failed at college. More college is not the answer.

mcantor 16y ago
The point of an undergraduate education isn't to learn stuff, it's to learn HOW to learn stuff. In that case, what's the point of a high school education? ;-)
mian2zi3 16y ago
I couldn't agree more. Every time I see a question like this, I have to hold back a rant. What, didn't they teach you to read at your liberal arts college? How many classes do you have to take before you see the pattern? Here's the syllabus, read the book, go to lectures that rehash the book (except for the occasional, exceptional class), do some exercises, review for a mid-term and a final? Don't know what book(s) to read? What, didn't they teach you to do any research, or use Google? Worried your education is incomplete (How could it not be?) or unknown unknowns? Do some research! (Research? Again?!) Every CS program in the world has their curriculum online. See what they think you should be learning. You had to pick classes, right? Didn't you consider the options then? Find discussion of CS curricula. This post by Philip Greenspun springs to mind: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2004/10/02/what-would-an-ideal-computer-science-education-look-like/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2004/10/02/what-would-an-... Oh, wait. Holding back a rant. I guess I didn't this time.
- mian2zi3 16y ago
  > ... you see the pattern? Here's the syllabus ... I didn't mean to say that's the best way to learn. But it is certainly A way to learn, and one that should be (utterly) familiar to you.

4 ms·

The point of an undergraduate education isn't to learn stuff, it's to learn HOW to learn stuff. Having a knowledge base in a particular field is only a sometim

by LargeWu 16y ago

mcantor 16y ago
The point of an undergraduate education isn't to learn stuff, it's to learn HOW to learn stuff. In that case, what's the point of a high school education? ;-)
mian2zi3 16y ago
I couldn't agree more. Every time I see a question like this, I have to hold back a rant. What, didn't they teach you to read at your liberal arts college? How many classes do you have to take before you see the pattern? Here's the syllabus, read the book, go to lectures that rehash the book (except for the occasional, exceptional class), do some exercises, review for a mid-term and a final? Don't know what book(s) to read? What, didn't they teach you to do any research, or use Google? Worried your education is incomplete (How could it not be?) or unknown unknowns? Do some research! (Research? Again?!) Every CS program in the world has their curriculum online. See what they think you should be learning. You had to pick classes, right? Didn't you consider the options then? Find discussion of CS curricula. This post by Philip Greenspun springs to mind: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2004/10/02/what-would-an-ideal-computer-science-education-look-like/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2004/10/02/what-would-an-... Oh, wait. Holding back a rant. I guess I didn't this time.
- mian2zi3 16y ago
  > ... you see the pattern? Here's the syllabus ... I didn't mean to say that's the best way to learn. But it is certainly A way to learn, and one that should be (utterly) familiar to you.