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Can I do a degree without prerequisites if I am wealthy?

4 points by wealthyyy ↗ HN
I was a high school dropout and now a wealthy businessman.

I am interested in doing a BSc in physics remotely, but I do not need this degree or credits.

I am looking for knowledge.

Almost all universities have prerequisites. I hate wasting my time on a foundation course.

I am able to pay 5x price what they charge for the degree.

How can I approach a university to do what I'm looking for?

16 comments

[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 55.9 ms ] thread
snicky
If you don't need a degree or credits then why to do BSc at all? Just pick some courses you like on Coursera or other MOOCs. And it won't be 5x price, more like 5%.
tcbasche
No offence, but it makes me feel sick to my stomach that someone would think in this way, thinking that they could buy their way into higher education simply for the fun of it while taking the seat of someone who truly deserves to do the course and needs it to enter industry. Maybe that’s me just being too principled and idealistic.
wealthyyy
Trump did it. He even have an economic degree.

I'm not doing this for fun or to enter into Academia. I do this to expand my skills and understanding.

tcbasche
> Trump did it

That’s exactly my point...

beforeolives
> I am looking for knowledge.

Then you need to take the prerequisites and this is true whether you're styding by yourself or at a university. There are no shortcuts, especially in a field like physics where the complexity builds up over time.

wealthyyy
Prerequisites are not what you think. They need to see scores of exams.

I'm really good at Maths and Basic Physics otherwise.

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the_only_law
If you’re US based there are exams like CLEP you can take for a small amount of money to gain credit in a lot of prerequisite general education courses.

If you’re referring to exams like admission material, you may be able to string arm your way in with enough money, but my experience is that the bureaucracy is very strong with these institutions and they are simply not designed for people like you.

Also finding a program that offers online physics courses may be a challenge. I’ve only ever seen one from the OU, mentioned elsewhere on this thread. Most online programs seem to either be CA, a handful of humanities degrees and what I’ll call “bullshit degrees”.

7Uzyd7H80egR
> I am looking for knowledge.

Then you probably shouldn't consider a university. If you are looking for knowledge then you can find all the best material online for free and in textbooks. And if you are willing to spend money you can use that to hire a private tutor to work with you through that material. You're going to learn more, quicker, get personalized lessons, and you'll still get away with paying less than would you would for a university degree.

mostlystatic
Open University degrees don't tend to have entry requirements.

> There are no formal entry requirements for this qualification.

> At The Open University we believe education should be open to all, so we provide a high-quality university education to anyone who wishes to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential.

http://www.open.ac.uk/courses/physics/degrees/bsc-physics-r5...

the_only_law
I had someone recently vouch for the OU physics program. I remain skeptical of the Open University in general, but if OP is solely looking for personal enrichment and is as they claim, wealthy, perhaps it’s worth it.
wealthyyy
I came across this. Does OU use Project based learning?
ovicorps
I pay $40 or less for a quantum mechanic book. Knowledge is not expensive.
wealthyyy
I'm not interested in quantum stuff because I have limited time in my life. I'm so classical.
ovicorps
Classical physics books are LESS expensive. I recommend the book: On The Shoulders Of Giants.
sn9
Just work through the courses yourself on sites like MIT OCW, edx, Coursera, etc.

You can also buy books like Morin's problem books.

And you could always email professors at a local university about auditing courses if you really want in-person instruction, but it's really not necessary, especially if you're only interested in classical physics.