Lately I have been thinking about going back to school. I plan on taking the GMAT this summer in hopes of going back to grad school by August 2008. However, I have also thought about completing some computer science classes while working in order to get a better understanding of computer hardware and perhaps starting to learn how to program.

So, today I enrolled in my first class at Berkeley. ‘Yes’, I live in Utah and ‘no’ I have not paid any tuition to Berkeley. That’s because I am trying out the podcast version of a handful of free classes that were mentioned in last month’s WSJ article, “Yale on $0 a Day.” Berkeley has a good selection of options, one of which being a Computer Science related program. I decided to start with a basic class, subscribing to IDS 110: Introduction to Computers. Throughout the 23 tracks I should gain

An introduction to computers and digital technology and culture. The conceptual foundations and functions of computer hardward and software. Structure and use of the Internet. Elements of programming for the World Wide Web. Students will complete a substantial programming project related to their academic interests.

Sounds pretty simple, but as I look through some of the tracks I definitely feel like I have a lot to learn. I am pretty excited about trying out my tuition-free classes from Berkeley and will keep you apprised of the details.