The MIT Challenge -- Learning 4 Years in 12 Months (Without Taking Classes)

Over the next 12 months I plan to learn MIT's entire 4-year curriculum for computer science, without taking any classes (or even being enrolled at MIT).

You'll be able to follow all the information about the challenge from the official MIT Challenge page, where I'll be posting links to all the free material I'm using to learn, exams I've written and the MIT official solutions I'm comparing them against: http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/mit-challenge/

If you want to get updates on how the challenge progresses, as well as the learning insights and free self-education material I'm using, subscribe to this YouTube channel.

Here's a full list of the courses I plan on taking (although these may change slightly as I progress):

8.01: Physics I -- Classical Mechanics
18.01: Single Variable Calculus
18.02: Multi-Variable Calculus
6.01: Introduction to Electrical Engineering and Computer Science I
8.02: Physics II -- Electromagnetism
6.01: Introduction to Electrical Engineering and Computer Science II
5.111: Principles of Chemical Science
7.012: Introduction to Biology
18.03: Differential Equations
6.002: Circuits and Electronics
6.003: Signals and Systems
6.004: Computation Structures
6.042J: Mathematics for Computer Science
6.006: Introduction to Algorithms
6.005: Elements of Software Construction
6.033: Computer Systems Engineering
6.046J: Design and Analysis of Algorithms
6.013: Electromagnetics and Applications
6.041: Probabilistic Systems Analysis and Applied Probability
6.011: Introduction to Communication, Control and Signal Processing
6.450: Principles of Digital Communication
6.034: Artificial Intelligence
6.801: Machine Vision
6.837: Computer Graphics
18.06: Linear Algebra
14.01: Principles of Microeconomics
14.02: Principles of Macroeconomics
24.222: Decisions, Games and Rational Choice
24.241: Logic I
24.244: Modal Logic
14.23: Government Regulation of Industry
14.20: Industrial Organization and Competitive Strategy
14.48J: Economics of Education

Category:

Education

Tags:

• MIT Challenge
• MIT
• learning
• school
• education
• self-education
• uncollege
• life hack
• university
• college
• studying

[MultiYolgezer]

6.034: Artificial Intelligence 6.801: Machine Vision 6.837: Computer Graphics these courses are not high level for ai type of work you seek to excel in I would recommend you to replace some of your courses with the ones on youtube. stanford machine learning stanford linear dynamical systems stanford convex optimization nptelhrd image processing v=CVV0TvNK6pk nptelhrd neural networks nptelhrd probability continues...

[TheMITChallenge]

@MultiYolgezer - Yes--I've seen some of the Stanford lectures on Machine Learning--very good stuff. I'll definitely have to follow-up with it once the challenge is finished!

[wellsjohnston]

I'm sorry, but as a cs student, I can say with confidence that you will not understand the material well enough in under a year to pass the upper-level courses. It takes months to wrap your head around the various levels of abstraction leading up to design patterns and advanced algorithms. And that's just the beginning of courses like compilers or AI. Not to mention, you're going to have to learn digital logic, basic circuitry, and computer architecture. Nice publicity stunt.

[kunjaan]

If this is ploy to get subscribers and publicity for your blog well done. Because any CS student will tell you that the amount of time you are planning to dedicate on subjects like Machine Vision will not be adequate. Why dont you cut down on your courses? Just focus on one aspect of CS. For example say I am going to major in Systems. This will increase the chances of success. You will be a better person after that endeavor.

[MyDavidsun]

thanks for the video

[TheSanovita]

interesting video!

[MultiYolgezer]

you should focus on specific subject no cs student take all those. drop these ones 6.01: 8.02: 6.01: 5.111: 7.012: 6.002: 6.013: 6.041: 6.011: 6.450: 14.01: 14.02: 24.222: 24.241: 24.244: 14.23: 14.20: 14.48J:

[samsmd]

I enjoy reading your posts Scott, keep it up!

[ScottHYoungVid]

@l337z0r - Well it's an experiment, using MIT as a benchmark. There will undoubtedly be drawbacks from pursuing my approach, but there are major advantages too (namely that I'm doing it in 25% of the time and at 1% of the financial cost). I think a lot of the MIT students' criticism raise good points about those drawbacks, which I've already been adjusting to compensate, but they hardly invalidate the entire experiment.

[l337z0r]

Lots of negativity, especially from current MIT student. I'm getting the sense they feel threatened by this. You'll learn a lot by doing this. Perhaps not as much as an actual MIT student studying the same things over a much longer period, but nonetheless you'll learn a lot. And that's respectable.

[cschick12]

Publicity stunt indeed. What bothers me is how you publicize this as completing courses needed for a degree at MIT in a year. I have said degree, I have taken these classes. One of your "finals" was not even a full final, but rather just a section of a full final that didn't even cover half of the topics in that class. It is totally fine for you to attempt what you are doing, to try to attain knowledge and what not. Well then publicize it as that and acknowledge all the shortcuts you are taking.

[azaznator]

You think MIT courses are like OCW?

Think again. I looked at the 7.012 final you took, ours last semester would rape the shit out of yours. Seriously, your final is easy as fuck, I could've probably done it back in high school AP Biology.