In the comments section of my last post, Confused Frosh asked:
“Can you leave a post with your course history? I want to take every class eventually and I can’t decide!”
So, here’s a post with my course history. It’s a nice record of my transition from pre-med/brains to astronomy. More details about this semester’s line-up to come; I would write a more detailed thing now, but it’s 12:07am and I was supposed to be in bed 7 minutes ago.
Please feel free to post any questions about this! You can also look up each of these classes by typing the subject number into the Course Catalog.
Summary: I will graduate with a major in physics and a concentration in literature, having taken classes in 12 out of these 35 departments. 1/3: not bad.
FRESHMAN YEAR
Fall
8.01(2) Physics I (I was officially registered for 8.01, but took special seminars and the 8.012 final through
Concourse.)
18.02 Multivariable Calculus (a mistake — I should have
ASE’d out of it)
24.900 Introduction to Linguistics (awesome, awesome class.)
SP.323 Foundations of Modern Science (a Concourse thing)
Spring
5.12 Organic Chemistry I (one of the best classes I have taken at MIT. It’s extremely well-organized, and I learned a ton not only about the content, but about chemistry as a science.)
8.022 Physics II
9.00 Introduction to Psychology
18.03 Differential Equations
21L.320 Big Books (the big book in question was
Clarissa. It is very, very big.)
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Fall
5.13 Organic Chemistry II
8.03 Physics III
8.286 The Early Universe (Alan Guth!)
9.01 Introduction to Neuroscience
21L.301 Doing Right
-IAP-
8.223 Classical Mechanics II
Spring
8.04 Quantum Physics I (I think that this should be a GIR. It used to be!)
8.044 Statistical Physics I
8.282 Introduction to Astronomy
16.68 Modern Space Science & Engineering (SUCH A COOL SEMINAR. Low time commitment, learned a ton about a field I otherwise would never have been exposed to. It’s basically a series of lectures about miscellaneous aero/astro-y topics, like the medical issues associated with human spaceflight. And you have to write a paper and give a talk at the end.)
21L.703 Studies in Drama (this semester, Tom Stoppard and his contemporaries. One of my favorite classes at MIT.)
JUNIOR YEAR
Fall
8.05 Quantum Physics II (hardest class I have taken here. Kicked my butt. More on that
here.)
8.13 Experimental Physics I (J-Lab. Learned an unbelievable amount, slept unbelievably little.)
18.06 Linear Algebra (Very straightforward, particularly when compared to 8.13 and 8.05.)
Spring
8.284 Modern Astrophysics
12.400 The Solar System
12.409 Hands-On Astronomy
21L.460 Medieval Literature: Chaucer
21W.777 The Science Essay
SENIOR YEAR
Fall
8.033 Relativity
8.902 Grad Astrophysics II
7.012 Introduction to Biology (putting off your GIRs…yeah. Guilty as charged.)
21L.460 Medieval Literature: Arthurian Legends
Spring, anticipated
8.06 Quantum Physics III
8.962 Grad General Relativity
21M.250 Beethoven to Mahler: 1800-1910 (SO excited for this)
21L.??? Old English (
OLD ENGLISH!!!!)
