The discourse surrounding self-education in mathematical methods for physics highlights a growing trend in autodidactic learning. While there is appreciation for the plethora of resources available, including lecture notes and PDFs, concerns remain regarding the effectiveness of self-study without formal instruction. The comments reveal a belief that while these resources are valuable, they may not suffice to achieve proficiency in college-level math and physics due to potential knowledge gaps that arise from independent learning. The conversation emphasizes the necessity of sometimes needing formal guidance to fully grasp complex concepts in these subjects.