godream

Considering what to take for next fall:

6.046J Introduction to Algorithms
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Techniques for the design and analysis of efficient algorithms, emphasizing methods useful in practice. Topics include sorting; search trees, heaps, and hashing; divide-and-conquer; dynamic programming; greedy algorithms; amortized analysis; graph algorithms; and shortest paths. Advanced topics include network flow; computational geometry; number-theoretic algorithms; polynomial and matrix calculations; caching; and parallel computing. Enrollment may be limited.
C. E. Leiserson, M. Goemans

Mmmm, algorithms. I've heard this class is hard but awesome. It's on the "definitely" list. Lots of other folks taking it with me too, I think, which should be fun.

21M.301 Harmony and Counterpoint I
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Basic writing skills in music of the common-practice period (Bach to Brahms). Work includes regular written assignments leading to the composition of short pieces, analyzing representative works from the literature, keyboard laboratory, and sight-singing choir. It is recommended that entering students have some concert music listening or playing background. Enrollment may be limited.
Fall: P. Child, M. Cuthbert, K. Makan, W. Cutter, S. Cleveland

I have the strangest spottiest knowledge of music theory ever -- never taken lessons or a formal class, but I've been sopping it in from playing music and from my dad since I was really little. It sounds like a cool class, I'd like to fill in the blanks. It's lotteried -- I'm crossing my fingers...

18.06 Linear Algebra
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Basic subject on matrix theory and linear algebra, emphasizing topics useful in other disciplines, including systems of equations, vector spaces, determinants, eigenvalues, similarity, and positive definite matrices. Applications to least-squares approximations, stability of differential equations, networks, Fourier transforms, and Markov processes. Uses MATLAB. Compared with 18.700, more emphasis on matrix algorithms and many applications.
Fall: G. Strang

This one's a maybe. But lots of awesome things have this as a prerequisite, and I think it'd be just generally miscellaneously useful.

6.041 Probabilistic Systems Analysis
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An introduction to probability theory, and the modeling and analysis of probabilistic systems. Sample space, probabilistic models, conditional probability. Discrete and continuous random variables. Transform techniques. Bernoulli and Poisson processes. Markov processes. Limit theorems and elements of statistical inference. Meets with graduate subject 6.431, but assignments differ.
D. P. Bertsekas, J. N. Tsitsiklis

Same reasons as 18.06, but more so; someone described this to me as "all useful and no cool". Nevertheless I'm almost certainly going to end up taking this one. Probably a couple other slugs taking this as well, whee.

6.035 Computer Language Engineering
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Analyzes issues associated with the implementation of higher-level programming languages. Fundamental concepts, functions, and structures of compilers. The interaction of theory and practice. Using tools in building software. Includes a multi-person project on compiler design and implementation. 8 Engineering Design Points.
S. P. Amarasinghe

Ooo, compilers, shiny. It'd be really nice if I could coerce someone else/several someone elses to take it with me though, with that "multi-person project" looming. And I hear it's time-consuming. This is a "maybe".

6.946J Classical Mechanics: A Computational Approach
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Classical mechanics in a computational framework. Lagrangian formulation. Action, variational principles. Hamilton's principle. Conserved quantities. Hamiltonian formulation. Surfaces of section. Chaos. Liouville's theorem and Poincar‚ integral invariants. Poincar‚-Birkhoff and KAM theorems. Invariant curves. Cantori. Nonlinear resonances. Resonance overlap and transition to chaos. Properties of chaotic motion. Transport, diffusion, mixing. Symplectic integration. Adiabatic invariants. Many-dimensional systems, Arnold diffusion. Extensive use of computation to capture methods, for simulation, and for symbolic analysis.
J. Wisdom, G. J. Sussman

Sounds really interesting, but intense -- it's a grad-h class, and I am assured that the H really does stand for hard. Also a maybe.

I really wanted to take 24.900 (Linguistics) this semester too -- but I think I want to take Harmony & Counterpoint more, and unfortunately due to the way that MIT does humanities classes I don't think I can manage to take both. I may try showing up at the first 24.900 class with an add form and seeing if they'll let me in anyways, but I'm not getting my hopes up too high.

So -- given 6.046 and 6.041 definitely, ideally I think I want a sort of medium-painful course 6 class, or else 18.06 and a low-pain course 6. Which means I probably should keep looking, 'cause I'm not sure either 035 or 946 fit either of those bills...

It's weird: now that I'm getting to the end of the requirements I feel like I'm flailing around blindly a little bit... no more "well, I have to take this one sooner or later, might as well be now", just "oooh, shiny". And being able to choose classes finally on the basis of shininess and interestingness and awesomeitude and other increasingly made-up words is pretty cool, don't get me wrong, but I'm definitely feeling a tiny bit lost. (Yay for helpful upperclassmen who've done all this before... and yay for the course 6 underground guide.)