What's the one thing you feel your education lacked?
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In my case, a strong understanding of statistics. It was never a required course, and beyond p-value, I have little understanding.
wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 15:10 last edited by@George-K said in What's the one thing you feel your education lacked?:
In my case, a strong understanding of statistics. It was never a required course, and beyond p-value, I have little understanding.
I agree.
I'm still not too good at it.
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wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 15:10 last edited by
From the age of 16 I was taught absolutely nothing about the arts or humanities. It was 100% math and science. It was a failing of the British education system that you had to specialize so soon. I don't know if it's still like that or not.
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wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 15:15 last edited by
My math journey was strange. I flunked my first tries in college, not that the word "try" fits with what I actually did. But in my career, I became the go-to guy who knew all about calculations and numbers. Because I was naturally good at it, and because advanced math really never comes up, at least in my experience.
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From the age of 16 I was taught absolutely nothing about the arts or humanities. It was 100% math and science. It was a failing of the British education system that you had to specialize so soon. I don't know if it's still like that or not.
wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 15:15 last edited by@Doctor-Phibes said in What's the one thing you feel your education lacked?:
From the age of 16 I was taught absolutely nothing about the arts or humanities. It was 100% math and science. It was a failing of the British education system that you had to specialize so soon. I don't know if it's still like that or not.
Something Aqua talks about a lot, that I also feel is important, is a strong liberal arts education. I was subjected to literature, art appreciation, a wee bit of logic and some theology in college. And while I'm not nearly as deep as Jon or Horace, I can actually understand what they say, so the education helped. Sometimes.
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wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 15:16 last edited by
How to survive a different political system that is not effectively some sort of free-market-ish capitalistic representative democracy.
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@Doctor-Phibes said in What's the one thing you feel your education lacked?:
From the age of 16 I was taught absolutely nothing about the arts or humanities. It was 100% math and science. It was a failing of the British education system that you had to specialize so soon. I don't know if it's still like that or not.
Something Aqua talks about a lot, that I also feel is important, is a strong liberal arts education. I was subjected to literature, art appreciation, a wee bit of logic and some theology in college. And while I'm not nearly as deep as Jon or Horace, I can actually understand what they say, so the education helped. Sometimes.
wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 15:22 last edited by Doctor Phibes 1 Dec 2025, 15:23@Jolly said in What's the one thing you feel your education lacked?:
@Doctor-Phibes said in What's the one thing you feel your education lacked?:
From the age of 16 I was taught absolutely nothing about the arts or humanities. It was 100% math and science. It was a failing of the British education system that you had to specialize so soon. I don't know if it's still like that or not.
Something Aqua talks about a lot, that I also feel is important, is a strong liberal arts education. I was subjected to literature, art appreciation, a wee bit of logic and some theology in college. And while I'm not nearly as deep as Jon or Horace, I can actually understand what they say, so the education helped. Sometimes.
It's an interesting point to consider. The flip side of my education is that I learned quite a bit more science and math than most US undergraduates get. When people talk about 'calculus' or 'physics' here, it's typically not that complex. That being said, I've forgotten almost all of what I learned since I never use it, as trying to help my son during his first year of mechanical engineering quickly demonstrated.
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wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 15:32 last edited by
I see Coursera offers a free course in statistics. I may look into it.
The guy that operated on my hand said that he's taking a calculus course, just for the fun of it (!).
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@Jolly said in What's the one thing you feel your education lacked?:
@Doctor-Phibes said in What's the one thing you feel your education lacked?:
From the age of 16 I was taught absolutely nothing about the arts or humanities. It was 100% math and science. It was a failing of the British education system that you had to specialize so soon. I don't know if it's still like that or not.
Something Aqua talks about a lot, that I also feel is important, is a strong liberal arts education. I was subjected to literature, art appreciation, a wee bit of logic and some theology in college. And while I'm not nearly as deep as Jon or Horace, I can actually understand what they say, so the education helped. Sometimes.
It's an interesting point to consider. The flip side of my education is that I learned quite a bit more science and math than most US undergraduates get. When people talk about 'calculus' or 'physics' here, it's typically not that complex. That being said, I've forgotten almost all of what I learned since I never use it, as trying to help my son during his first year of mechanical engineering quickly demonstrated.
wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 15:40 last edited by@Doctor-Phibes said in What's the one thing you feel your education lacked?:
That being said, I've forgotten almost all of what I learned since I never use it,
I'm hopeless. If I had taken P-Chem, I'd have a chemistry major. I can barely read the Periodic Chart nowadays...
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I see Coursera offers a free course in statistics. I may look into it.
The guy that operated on my hand said that he's taking a calculus course, just for the fun of it (!).
wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 15:49 last edited by@George-K said in What's the one thing you feel your education lacked?:
I see Coursera offers a free course in statistics. I may look into it.
The guy that operated on my hand said that he's taking a calculus course, just for the fun of it (!).
Ten years ago, I got a Series 6, a 63 and a 65 ( I think..). I thought about getting a 7, but didn't , because I didn't need it (I didn't sell individual stocks or ETF's). My mind is not good enough for that today.
My hat is off to you. Passing a Stats course today would be like hitting a baseball over a 400 foot fence for me.
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wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 15:54 last edited by Copper 1 Dec 2025, 15:55
We called it sadistics, but it wasn't that bad.
Somehow I managed to never take a Chemistry course, that might be fun. I could have used more music and golf education.
And our entire generation missed out on DEI.
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wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 16:00 last edited by
Thinking about undergrad, besides the required math (Calculus), chemistry, biochemistry, organic, and various biology courses, I had.
Language - German.
Geography
Economics
Philosophy - lots of it.
Literature
Art History
Something Russian, but I can't remember - literature?And I was able to weasel my way into two quarters of Grad-level music history.
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wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 16:15 last edited by jon-nyc 1 Dec 2025, 16:44
I think in general statistics and some basic financial knowledge are probably the biggest gaps in US public education relative to how useful both are just to be alive in the 21st century.
I never had stats that I can recall though I went through Advanced Placement BC Calculus in high school.
In college I took a highly mathematical probability class but that’s different.
About two years ago I completed the Coursera Biostatistics program done in conjunction with Johns Hopkins given I was getting involved in therapeutic development.
After that set of courses I knew more than the investigators but of course less than actual biostatisticians.
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wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 16:42 last edited by
I sort of love probabilities and statistics, and I wish I knew more about them. Hopefully someday. I have a vague memory from 25 years ago, where I worked out with pen and paper the probabilities of the birthday paradox. Because on some random night with my friends, we were talking about that. I showed the paper to the rest, and one of them predicted I'd be rich someday.
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My math journey was strange. I flunked my first tries in college, not that the word "try" fits with what I actually did. But in my career, I became the go-to guy who knew all about calculations and numbers. Because I was naturally good at it, and because advanced math really never comes up, at least in my experience.
wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 16:57 last edited by Mik 1 Dec 2025, 16:58@Horace said in What's the one thing you feel your education lacked?:
My math journey was strange. I flunked my first tries in college, not that the word "try" fits with what I actually did. But in my career, I became the go-to guy who knew all about calculations and numbers. Because I was naturally good at it, and because advanced math really never comes up, at least in my experience.
Same with me. Algebra is foul witchcraft, but geometry and pretty much all other non-scientific math is my huckleberry. In a 40 year tech career I never needed higher math. An understanding of user behavior, enterprise needs and processes, and communication skills served me much better.
I did take statistics in college but never had much use for it.
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The financial life cycle for most people, and how to build wealth, a rudimentary understanding of one's legal rights and responsibilities. We send kids out into the world with no real clue how it works.
wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 17:36 last edited by@Mik said in What's the one thing you feel your education lacked?:
The financial life cycle for most people, and how to build wealth, a rudimentary understanding of one's legal rights and responsibilities. We send kids out into the world with no real clue how it works.
Yes I so agree. I’ll add on taxation. If I were an American, I’d also like to learn to navigate my life & health insurance.
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wrote on 12 Jan 2025, 17:41 last edited by blondie 1 Dec 2025, 17:46
When I was 30 I had to take a couple of biostatistics courses. I bloody cried it was so hard. I spent more time on this than my other courses. As a result my thesis proposal really sucked
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The financial life cycle for most people, and how to build wealth, a rudimentary understanding of one's legal rights and responsibilities. We send kids out into the world with no real clue how it works.
wrote on 13 Jan 2025, 14:57 last edited by@Mik said in What's the one thing you feel your education lacked?:
The financial life cycle for most people, and how to build wealth, a rudimentary understanding of one's legal rights and responsibilities. We send kids out into the world with no real clue how it works.
Yeah I was going to say financial literacy and the basics of the legal world. Both a learned on my own after graduating. I guess one could argue that's also something parents should teach their kids, I know I will.
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wrote on 13 Jan 2025, 15:07 last edited by
Some other side notes. I took a Philosophy 101 course in college, and man if that wasn't some really interesting stuff I had no idea about. We had an absolutely great professor, so that makes a big difference. Similar to in high school, I had an amazing history teacher and he had the biggest impact on my education.
Kids, as far as I can remember for myself, at that age really don't give a shit about learning. Looking back, sure kids should learn year after year the the fundamentals reading, writing, and math, until they become proficient... but it seems there should be basic courses taught about all the subjects. I know they try today a little bit, but instead of having courses about "literature" or "trigonometry" or "art", there should be simpler and more basic courses about all of the areas of study. Stuff like geology, statistics, astrophysics, art, legal, finances, taxes, health care (insurance as well as healthy habits), history, computers/coding, philosophy... and so on. Obviously this is not the answer, but imagine if you (as I often have) think, "man... I'd love to know more about geology", what would I learn from reading a two page encyclopedia entry, or a 15-minute youtube overview? Those are the basics that everyone should know. And then in college... pursue what you are passionate about. Not sure if this makes sense... kids were up last night a bit, and I haven't had coffee yet.
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wrote on 13 Jan 2025, 15:12 last edited by
There has always been a huge disconnect between words and actions of adults who consider education to be extremely important. Any of us could just buy a text book about whatever and learn from it. We don't. When adults go out of their way to tell you they believe in education, they are telling you they believe in cultural indoctrination.
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wrote on 13 Jan 2025, 15:25 last edited by jon-nyc
I have a disconnect but it’s the opposite. I don’t run around preaching the importance of education yet I’m a textbook example of an autodidact, whether it’s the
32 languages I learned as an adult (1 didn’t take), the piano which I picked up as an adult, the graduate work in international relations at The New School, the biostatistics program, and of course history and polysci, neither of which I studied formally besides the basic requirements. Economics and philosophy I did study formally as would-be minors (Purdue didn’t recognize minors). My formal education was basically applied math though they called it electrical engineering.