Look ma, I got into MIT!

Well, not really.  I didn’t actually get accepted by the admissions department, but they did leave the door wide open.  So I’m taking full advantage, Good Will Hunting-style.

I’m really excited about OpenCourseWare.  It gives me a structured path that I can follow to accumulate CS knowledge from one of the most auspicious institutions in the world.

I’m starting at the very beginning of MIT’s computer science curriculum with course 6.00 Introduction to Computer Science.  6.00 is intended for people who have little or no programming experience, so the concepts won’t be new to me.  It should, however, be a nice refresher.  Plus, since the course uses Python as its teaching tool, it will be a great way to review core concepts while learning a new programming language.

I plan on blogging about each topic as I progress through my studies.  My goal isn’t to regurgitate what’s already available on MIT’s site, but rather to keep a journal of the things I take away from each lesson.  Expressing concepts in my own words and jotting down thoughts and opinions will help solidify my understanding of the material.

Hopefully this blog will become a bank of knowledge that I can reference throughout my career as a software developer.  Also, with any luck, my entries will be beneficial to others who stumble upon them.

Hats off to MIT for opening their virtual doors — it really beats getting a job as a janitor and taking the train up from Southy everyday.