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/sci/ - Science & Math

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2456846 No.2456846 [Reply] [Original]

Has anyone been successful at self-taught study in a field?

For example, if one were to download all the required material and spent their time studying, could they come out ahead in knowing quite a few things about, say, molecular biology or particle physics?

>> No.2456850

Absolutely. I've learned a lot of physics and math through a combination of thought and the internet. School is overrated.

>> No.2456876

>>2456850
Said it. If you only rely upon school for your education then lol.

That being said, learning out of a book without talking to experts will only give you an overview of the subject; if you want a working knowledge, you gotta do work in the field.

>> No.2456883 [DELETED] 

It's absolutely possible. I've never pulled it off because I can't stay focused long enough on anything to get very far in a technical field without a professor available as referencewith the exception of music-related things).. Music, on the other hand...

>> No.2456889

It's absolutely possible. I've never pulled it off because I can't stay focused long enough on anything to get very far in a technical field without a professor available as reference. Music, on the other hand...

>> No.2456894

It's possible, but it's much more difficult. You can miss a lot of subtle nuances of certain topics by just reading a book.

>> No.2456896

>>2456846
yes you could. there are lots of people who have done this. but what you say will probably be wrong, or completely trivial to someone who has studied formally, because you will skip over the finer points which take a lot of effort to understand, as well as all the routine boring memorization and basics.

>> No.2456903

I taught myself computer programming. I started when I was 13. Now I write software for a living.

>> No.2456904

>>2456846
Yeah. In fact, most of my knowledge is self taught.
Drugs help. Methylphenidate or amphetamines. I recommend Vyvanse, it's amphetamine linked to an amino acid, so it has longer duration and less pronounced effect.

One problem I frequently encounter is where to go to learn large general concepts, rather than specific examples. I think it helps to have some kind of scaffolding or loose program for your studying, also.

>> No.2456905

Of course. I've taught myself complex analysis, vector calculus, electrodynamics, about half of general relativity, and a decent overview of gastroenterology and cellular and molecular immunology.

Not to mention cryptography, and innumerable computer languages, protocols, and whatnot, as that's my profession.

>> No.2456917

It's mostly a matter of determination and material access. Since the advent of the internet and the wonderful things known as ebooks, material access is largely a nonissue.

I've been supplementing a pathetically easy tech school course schedule that way. My yearly tuition is under 4000 this way.

>> No.2456936

Taught myself the answers to pass a test. Not quite the same as learning a subject. I have a commercial FCC license (GROL).I gained quite a bit of electronics knowledge, but it very spotty knowledge.

>> No.2456942
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2456942

>>2456905

Damn

>> No.2456957

I dropped out of school and had to take up two years worth of subjects through self-study and then take exams in them in order to finish, because I couldn't manage to tolerate school life again. Everyone seemed to advise against it, but I managed. What I found is that subjects like languages and history are a huge bother to self-study, while math and sciences are actually ridiculously easy, since you can go at your own pace. Due to poor time management, I only got one whole day to study the math material, and I got my best grade for that exam. History, on the other hand, I spent many weeks on, and I just barely passed.

>> No.2456966

What about professionally, though?

There seems to definitely be a different stigma attached to self taught programmers, as software related industries seem easier to fall in. However, I can't imagine someone who studied particle physics for several years just "falling" into a job doing that.

>> No.2457031 [DELETED] 

>>2456966
That's because there are so many physics is a hard science where level of qualifications actually matter because half of what your doing is published research.

Computer Science/software 'engineering'/etc is measured by what you can do for a client and thus skill is more important.

>> No.2457047

>>2456966

No, not professionally. Because people are bitches and generally want proof you are as well learned as you say.

Thats all schools are really for man, proof that you learned the info. They don't really teach you anything you couldn't learn on your own, they just vouch that you know what you are supposed to.

>> No.2457052

>>2456966
That's because physics is a hard science where level of qualifications/experience/howmanytimesyouhavesuckedyouregotisticalprofessorsdick actually matters because half of what your doing is published research.

Computer Science/software 'engineering'/etc is measured by what you can do for a client and thus skill is more important.