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[u/Naive-Cup2969]

Is it possible to study university-level math only with self-study and learn with YouTube videos, AI, and websites.

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ChatGPT and other large language models are not designed for calculation and will frequently be /r/confidentlyincorrect in answering questions about mathematics; even if you subscribe to ChatGPT Plus and use its Wolfram|Alpha plugin, it's much better to go to Wolfram|Alpha directly.

Even for more conceptual questions that don't require calculation, LLMs can lead you astray; they can also give you good ideas to investigate further, but you should never trust what an LLM tells you.

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[u/SnooSongs5410]

definitely to about year two.

proof writing is sadly not something well taught by llms. A new level and kind of slop.
There are some good books and lectures on proof writing but a good TA would really help.

[u/Parallel_thougts]

It depends on how deep you expect to understand things bs how disciplined you are.

I think that a studious person willing to sink a few years of afternoons can fully understand a whole lot of stuff. And undergrad math is very challenging, but nowhere near impossible.

[u/qtechno]

The main difficulty is pushing through the tough parts when you don’t have to prepare for exams, and being strict about following a program more or less following what you would learn in uni. I was doing something similar for physics and ended up enrolling to a uni because of this. Otherwise I was just moving on to the next topic maybe completely unrelated just because that’s what was interesting to me. I don’t think I would have cared to study all the maths required to even begin making sense of EM on my own.

[u/hpxvzhjfgb]

in theory sure, but in practise you very likely won't have the experience or mathematical maturity to be able to do it properly.

[u/GiftTop2653]

Self studying uni-level math is certainly hard but not impossible, you have to build a habit. I'm self studying math and it's really hard sometimes, you feel lonely at times, you want to discuss a problem you're such on with someone but can't find none, sometimes you feel like giving up but once you build a habit to study regularly you'll get passed those gradually. At least this is my experience i don't know any of you guys have been through this or not.

[u/Gazcobain]

Depends on what level you are at and how motivated you are. It's not a one-size-fits-all question.

[u/ktrprpr]

it's always possible. but if you're in a position to ask if it's possible, then it's very likely impossible for you.

[u/l__iva__l]

youtube videos and AI would certainly help if used correctly -i say this because of AI-, but you cant expect to gain a deeper understanding if you dont read related books

[u/phiwong]

It is not possible to conclude that it cannot be done. But for most people probably impossible given reasonable time constraints. Although pure mathematics is somewhat inherently abstract, the ability to pose questions and converse over certain areas with someone else is quite important (if just to avoid mental road blocks).

Textbooks (many!) are probably the only reasonable method for the more advanced topics.

[u/Narrow-Durian4837]

It's hard to learn to do university-level math without getting feedback on your work (e.g. are your proofs well-constructed and clear and logically sound?). It's not like you can just compare your answer to the one in the back of the book, or even the one generated by an LLM.

[u/Bounded_sequencE]

If you are already comfortable with proof-writing -- yes.

However, learning proof-writing is a different problem: It benefits most from feedback, and that is the one resource you do not have access to self-studying.

[u/AlbertaSpruceLover]

It's hard.

1. It's hard to set up the right curriculum for yourself. Books are thick; you cannot read cover to cover. Which parts are important? Which parts can you skip?
2. There is no feedback. At college, you can get feedback from teachers, peers, exams, etc. Feedback is crucial, in my opinion. Feedback keeps you on the right track. I actually think AI can help prove learning to some degree.
3. If the content is easy for you, you can probably work through it on your own; otherwise, you need an external system to push you through. If you can enroll in college, definitely.

I have taught myself undergraduate/beginning graduate math because of some circumstances. It's very time-inefficient. I needed to use trial and error and experiments to figure out the right curriculum for myself. I actually don't find those online courses and videos very helpful. Some of them(MIT OCW) are nice companions. I have a concrete goal in my mind, though. I have a couple of graduate-level books I would like to understand afterwards.

I'm halfway through it. I like some of the courses, but not others. I found it very hard to study those courses I don't like. If I were at a college, the whole structure there would push me through those topics easily. In a nutshell, you need a strong desire to teach yourself.

[u/youdontknowkanji]

depends on what you mean by university level math.

because applied it's all doable up to masters and beyond imo. when it comes to pure math there is going to be a huge road block (proofs) by the time you get to master courses.

people are saying that proofs would kill you on year 2 math material but i think that's just silly, you can self study those just fine. at most you would have issues with formality, but if your goal is applied, it literally doesn't matter if you can prove stuff well.