User talk:75.67.233.102

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).

[edit] William James Sidis

Where did you get the information that William James Sidis got scores of 100 on the math and physics portions of the MIT entrance exams? --Jagz 09:27, 30 December 2006 (UTC)

You said he passed MIT entrance exams at eight according to "The Prodigy". Do you have the book? Does the book provide a reference or citation for this? --Jagz 17:23, 12 January 2007 (UTC)

I do own the book but it doesn't provide a citation. Here's the line, though:

"After three months Packard [his teacher in HS] gave Billy the MIT entrance examination. Once again he passed with flying colors, scoring 100 in physics and mathematics."

This took place during William's high-school career, since the next line is as follows:

"At the end of three months Billy's parents withdrew him from high school. Despite Packard's appreciation for the boy, the teachers were relieved to see him go."

I am by no means an authority on William James Sidis, but this seems to be far more credible than the newspaper article cited in the current revision of the wikipedia entry.

What about the possibility that he passed the MIT entrance exams unofficially at age 8 but passed them officially at age 10. It doesn't seem to me that an entrance exam administered by his high school teacher would be considered official by MIT. Also, what does "once again he passed with flying colors" mean? Was he given multiple tests? --Jagz 18:54, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

Yes, the unofficial and offical tests hypothesis seems the most plausible given that both pieces of information come from reliable sources. The "once again he passed with flying colors" requires some explanation to understand: When William was in high-school, John C. Packard, a submaster and physics teacher, was called into a math classroom to find out why William would only do certain math problems and not do others. William told Packard that he didn't do them because he already knew how to do them. This impressed Packard and then he took William on as a special student. They spent time inventing math and physics problems, trying to "outwit" each other, and then this led Packard to give him the MIT entrance exam.

Okay, that's what the article says now but I moved it to Early accomplishments of William James Sidis because the list was a bit awkward in the main article. --Jagz 03:49, 18 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Re: Younger Ph.Ds?

I noticed you updated the Kim Ung-Yong article since there have been, according to you, persons who have recieved their Ph.Ds before the age of 15. Can you give me a link to a source verifying this claim? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 75.67.233.102 (talk • contribs).

I did not say that. I said that I suspected that there have been such cases, and so reverted the article to avoid possibility of error. List of child prodigies lists several cases of graduate degrees granted before age 15, although doctorates are not specified. I personally know of several students who may aquire doctorates before they reach 15. However, I will not divulge their names on Wikipedia. Such a lack of reporting is common, to avoid excessive media attention. This also makes locating the youngest PhD almost impossible, which is a good thing. Michaelbusch 07:56, 6 January 2007 (UTC)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../7/5/2E/User_talk%7E75.67.233.102.html"