Learning electronics on a budget.

[rstofer]

There are MANY "Learn Electronics" websites.  Here is one and it seems pretty good:
https://startingelectronics.org/beginners/start-electronics-now/learn-electronics-for-beginners/

At the site there is a list of required tools along with a shopping list for parts.  If working on an Arduino, the Arduino Starter Kits are very complete and, in this particular case, the tutorials are excellent:
https://www.amazon.com/ELEGOO-Project-Tutorial-Controller-Projects/dp/B01D8KOZF4

I'm a big believer in learning by building.  I'm pretty convinced that it is the only way I actually learn anything.

At the hobby level, math isn't usually a big deal.  A little E=I*R or I=E/R or R=E/I (all variations of Ohm's Law) will just about cover it for quite a long way. 

We should have another discussion about arithmetic, units and orders of magnitude...

[rstofer]

Analogue electronics is dead, gone the way of the valve.
Get involved in that kind of gear [Teensy] not power supplies, op amps, transistors,soldering

You're kidding, right???

If you want to learn electronics you should learn the fundamentals (Ohm's Law and the like), and know how a transistor works.  Learn at least the rudiments of analog electronics.  Go ahead and play with Teensy, arduino, PIC, etc, and that will likely be extremely useful experience too, but basic analog design knowledge is crucial.

I’ll second that.

All electronics are analogue. There’s just an abstraction over it in the digital domain. To truly understand what you’re doing you need to know the lower domains. I’ve seen a lot of people come unstuck very quickly the moment they need to interface one domain to another. Or as a matter of fact even do basic signal processing.

Bob Widlar's thoughts on digital attached


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Widlar

[Rick Law]

My suggestion is to do exactly as Rick Law (above) says.
You don't want a job as a tech finding faulty transistors, ICs and capacitors, been there done that, wasted decades.
Analogue electronics is dead, gone the way of the valve.
Dont spend your time trying to save peoples throw outs from the rubbish tip.
You want to look at $100K plus, there is a future in that.

For a hobby check out the Teensy website   https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/
Get involved in that kind of gear not power supplies, op amps, transistors,soldering, checking the ESR of capacitors - in the near future that will all have been a waste of your time, thats how things used to be.
Best not even get too involved at a hobby level, just a passing interest is enough for now, things have changed very much.

I have to agree, and slightly disagree. I started out with a basic knowledge of electronics, which was almost totally analog electronics in those days, then my interests changed and became targeted at computers/software and digital circuits. I spent the next several decades working mostly in the digital arena, and leaving anything analog for some other engineer to worry about, and my analog knowledge became quite rusty. I now find myself wanting to brush up on my analog skills, by revisiting analog circuits from many years past, getting back into repair of old gear (strictly as a hobby), and such. I really think it's important to have a good foundation in both analog and digital, and to not let either skills get too rusty as you go through life. Sure, concentrate on one part (whichever interests you most or whichever you think is the best career move). But engineers who truly / fully understand analog circuits are a dying breed, and sometimes that knowledge is critical, even in a mostly digital circuit. Engineers who truly understand everything, both analog and digital will be a step ahead of those who know only digital and who's analog skills are zero or very little. Just my personal opinion regarding this matter.

I think we are actually all on the same page.  Just a complication between usefulness in the application vs usefulness for job opportunities.

From a career standpoint, analog has very little job opportunities in the developed countries (largely "The West").  May be in some still developing countries analog electronics job opportunities are in abundance, or at least in survivable quantity for those who must work to make a living.  Less so in "The West".  No doubt, programming and digital electronics are following the same trend.

I am more familiar with the programming world than in the electronics world.  So I'll use the programming world to make the point.  I observed that in the programming world in the USA, Google, Facebook and the likes (tier-1 may be a descriptive label) are offering internships, scoping up the cream by offering above average pay, and then keep the cream of the cream "converting" them from intern to employees.  How many Computer Science graduates can they "convert"?  Pitifully few. 

So the programming world is rather bifurcated -- a small population working at tier-1 with good income, and then the rest.  Their jobs may not last long, but they at least got a good job for a while.  The rest, which comprises most CS graduates, is further bifurcated - those employed by the company they program for, such as an insurance company (and the likes) requiring some in-house programmers, and those employed by the "body shops" as programmers for hire.  "Programmers for hire" has far less a career opportunity than those working as in-house programmers.

The above made me believe that a job in the future requires flexibility and adaptability.  So my suggestion to the OP boils down to:

You are a freshman in high school, so you have plenty of runway ahead yet.  You have EE interest.  You should continue to practice it, and leverage it as well.  Being interested in the subject make it easier to develop skills in the subject (STEM).  College is not the only way, but it does increase opportunity.  It also expose you to other potential future careers you may not even know existed.  Leverage it to make yourself well-rounded (in STEM), thus a more desirable candidate for college, scholarships, and jobs.

Leveraging it to lessen the cost of college makes the hobby all the more enticing.  Even if college or scholarships are not in play, just getting into a higher playing field will make you a more valuable applicant at college or for your first job.

Sincerely, good luck to you.  I think competition for a good job is getting stiffer and stiffer.  Levrage your interest to expand your knowledge and your horizon.  You will be a lot harder to be intimidated however stiff the competition may be.

[Kerlin]

Sure thing Rick.

People who think people get stuck on DSP projects have never worked on them or seen them. Such projects are done as a team not an individual.
Complete support is provided by the project supervisor who sits out the front and watches every one's screen and ensures that all the work done by individuals can marry up together.
I have been amazed at the ability of those supervisors, I didn't previously even believe such individuals could even exist.
There is no getting stuck as there are team members with different specialties and operators at this level are able to pick concepts up in half an hour.
They are of course are well qualified in the basics of electronics. Any problems then specialists are there or got in from outside.
I even had difficulty doing FFTs on a particular processor so they the local chip manufacturer's specialist in to coach me.
Even before these day Semiconductor manufacturers provided Field Applications Engineers who regularly visited everyone who was working on projects with using their chips, to help them with any difficulties and they could call in further support if required.

In one project I am thinking of I was one of the few members of one team that didn't ride a skate board to work.
In that project when I went home other team members in other countries would continue to work on the project. There were engineers in four countries working on it around the clock. That was a big infrastructure radio comms project.
The problem I have with such projects is my documentation is not good, a hang over from the old days from working alone in asia, I had to I didn't speak the language very well.

I remember I used to read old electronics magazines were I would see old men consistently arguing that transistors would never take over from valves, times have not changed.

If the young fellow here wants some instrumentation and measuring gear I would recommend he instead look at one of these not a CRO as such.
Its a credit card credit card sized board that can transform into oscilloscope, signal gen, spectrum analyzer, logic analyzer, amateur radio station, SDR receiver, LCR meter, Bode analyzer, can be controlled by using Matlab, LabView, Python & Scilab.  And its as cheap as chips.

This device is in fact the very type of application he needs to aim at working on, yes make yourself a more valuable applicant at college or for your first job.

https://redpitaya.com/

Yer I am an old school guy licensed ham radio operator, ex T.V. serviceman and all that.
In my day we spent a whole term on ohms law and a whole year on Thevinin's/Norton's/Nodal. That's all done in a few hours now.
He best get ready for it as there are going to be a mass of applicants applying for the very few jobs left in replacing capacitors for peanuts.

[Rick Law]

...
He best get ready for it as there are going to be a mass of applicants applying for the very few jobs left in replacing capacitors for peanuts.

Cambrian Extinctions styled event repeating itself time and again...   We the present day trilobites need to find new ways of making a living, again, and again, and again.

As I said earlier, flexibility and adaptability...

In truth, "flexibility and adaptability" is easier said than done, but what is the alternative?

[Kerlin]

I try to just say my piece and leave a thread, but I do want to answer your point above.

For me I had a bit of an wakening happened when read and I watched about the elasticity of the brain.
In particular I was amazed at people who had lost part of their brain in an accident and the way the part left adapted so well.
After seeing that I decided as old as I was and after failed attempts there was hope, even for me, and got up and rushed in. Thirty years ago.

Staying motivated is the answer. The person who started this thread is curious and motivated. In my opinion that's the way to go.

[MathWizard]

Don't forget old textbooks. New ones cost an arm and a leg, but old ones, in perfect condition, can be found for real cheap. I just bought a couple more old textbooks, paid $10 each on ebay, and they are in great shape, from the 1990's.

Now I can't wait for winter, when my regular work slows down, I will become a math/EE hermit again.

[fourfathom]

To the OP:  Please don't stop building and testing and experimenting while you are learning that important math and theory. For me, anyway, getting early hands-on experience made it much easier to appreciate and apply what little math I learned later.

[rstofer]

Don't forget old textbooks. New ones cost an arm and a leg, but old ones, in perfect condition, can be found for real cheap. I just bought a couple more old textbooks, paid $10 each on ebay, and they are in great shape, from the 1990's.

Now I can't wait for winter, when my regular work slows down, I will become a math/EE hermit again.

My favorite source is Alibris.com.  They will usually have new books as well as used books in various conditions.  For some truly ancient books, they may be the only source.

Here the result of a search for 'pre-calculus'

https://www.alibris.com/booksearch?mtype=B&keyword=pre-calculus&hs.x=0&hs.y=0

There are some 'For Dummies' books, there are crib notes and a host of textbooks.

I did that search because Pre-Calculus is the entry point for all the math courses coming down the line.  The subjects covered in Pre-Calculus must be mastered.

Even though there is an annual fee, I think that CalcWorkshop.com is a terrific resource even, or maybe especially, for high school math.  Yes, it costs money but education is never really free.

https://calcworkshop.com/

[Rick Law]

...
I did that search because Pre-Calculus is the entry point for all the math courses coming down the line.  The subjects covered in Pre-Calculus must be mastered.
...

I agree with rstofer with the importance of pre-calc.  Before you attack that, you need reasonably good understanding of algebra.  Make sure you get your algebra solid.  Many who got crushed by pre-calc or calculus failed is not because of pre-calc being hard, but failed because their foundation were bad.  They can't solve simple algebra.  So keep that in mind.  A quick review of your prior algebra first before hitting pre-calc may be a good tactic.

If you completed  pre-calc and almost fully understood the material, you are ahead of many.  If you manage AP Calculus (AB track), you are in very good shape.  If instead of AB track, you find yourself able to take BC track instead, you got yourself into even better shape and ahead of many college freshman or college sophomore -- Except if you compare yourself to those majoring in Mathematics, they probably got AP Calculus (BC track) done before college to show "they can" do math.

Calculus seem intimidating.  Some people just froze or just shut down.  Don't let that scare you.

Does your high school has a Robotic Club or an Electronics Club?  If so, join them.  You will meet more like you.  Mutual support (between team/club members) and mutual encouragement will help you advance as well as develop your EE capability along the way.  You may even get your hands on some interesting equipment.

[rstofer]

...
I did that search because Pre-Calculus is the entry point for all the math courses coming down the line.  The subjects covered in Pre-Calculus must be mastered.
...

I agree with rstofer with the importance of pre-calc.  Before you attack that, you need reasonably good understanding of algebra.  Make sure you get your algebra solid.  Many who got crushed by pre-calc or calculus failed is not because of pre-calc being hard, but failed because their foundation were bad.  They can't solve simple algebra.  So keep that in mind.  A quick review of your prior algebra first before hitting pre-calc may be a good tactic.

If you completed  pre-calc and almost fully understood the material, you are ahead of many.  If you manage AP Calculus (AB track), you are in very good shape.  If instead of AB track, you find yourself able to take BC track instead, you got yourself into even better shape and ahead of many college freshman or college sophomore -- Except if you compare yourself to those majoring in Mathematics, they probably got AP Calculus (BC track) done before college to show "they can" do math.

Calculus seem intimidating.  Some people just froze or just shut down.  Don't let that scare you.

The Calculus is easy, it's the pre-calc (or lack thereof) that will kill you.

Normally, the first math course in college is Calc I.  To take that you need the skills of pre-calc whether there was such a course offered or not.  Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry and Trigonometry ought to cover it.  These are usually taught in the 4 years of high school so there is no need to spend a year taking a dedicated pre-calc course.  Unless you don't have those 4 topics under control.

Given all the tutorial sites on the Internet, pre-calc is something that can be picked up as a side issue to whatever is going on in school.

If I wanted to learn math with a formal series of classes, I would pay for the CalcWorkshop program.  It is priced by the year and you proceed at your own pace.  You can do a lot of math while confined to quarters by the pandemic.

Khan Academy is also excellent but it doesn't seem to be as structured as CalcWorkshop.  I like them both and subscribe to Khan Academy (even old people should pay for education).  I paid for a couple of years of CalcWorksop to help my grandson with his college work.

3Blue1Brown is also quite good but not intended to substitute for a formal program (in my view) and begins at a higher level.  The author does a terrific job with animations.

This assumes the OP's interest is in EE, not just hobby level projects using the copy-and-paste method.  We never did nail down which definition of 'learn electronics' is in play.

[Jwillis]

I am a freshman in high school who wants to learn electronics. The problem is there aren’t many places that higher high school students are. So I have little money to spend on electronics. That being said I do have some stuff, I have an auto-ranging multimeter, a soldering iron, I found an old analog oscilloscope in a dumpster, I also have various tools and a small set of components including an Arduino kit and led kit and a capacitor kit. I have gone through many Arduino tutorials and have enjoyed them but felt something was missing because I was just plugging in a sensor with a couple of wires. I am interested in building circuits without a microcontroller. Any suggestions on where I should start. I do have a birthday coming up.

Happy birthday and welcome to the world of electronics.

A good with  the equipment you have . Get your self a GOOD breadboard until your comfortable with what could go wrong . Cheap ones can be frustrating for the beginner . Start with low voltages under 30VDC . Higher voltages require advanced knowledge and when things go wrong can have catastrophic consequences . As your knowledge improves so does the comfort level improve .
Arduio's are OK but are really just electronics Lego and don't really teach you what is going on unless you investigate what the individual components do . Kits are fine but in most cases don't  come with any tutorial instructions on the inner workings .
I suggest getting yourself some basic component kits . I suggest kits because you get a few of each component which allows you to make a few mistakes while learning . Resistor kits , BJT transistor kit  ,  a few regulators like the 78xx series , few LEDs and some general purpose  op amps like the LM741  and /or LM324 . There are other assortment kits available that are quite inexpensive .  Most other components like small transformers and inductors can be scavenged from old broken electronics found in second hand stores . You don't need to buy the most expensive stuff to learn with. There is no functional difference between through hole components and surface mount components . Just the scale.

As some one mentioned , The Art of Electronics  which gives great insight with example projects. Another  set of books would be  the  " Encyclopedia of Electronic Components " Volumes 1 , 2 and 3 . These show your what the most used components do and what can go wrong . You can download these for free .

Start with simple circuits because every complex circuit is just a multitude of simple circuits . There are no magic leprechauns inside a CPU , just a whole bunch of simple circuits .

Get yourself some basic saftey gear like saftey glasses and  ESD gloves for those finicky microchips .

Most of all , Have Fun ! Its OK to just blow things up for the sake of blowing  things up. You can learn much when you take a resistor to it's limit and beyond . Just keep the windows open  or your experiment outside. Parents don't like unknown smoke or shrapnel. And use your saftey equipment !

Lastly come here and ask your questions . Theirs no such thing as a stupid question . All these people here are knowledgeable and experienced  , which would be happy to answer questions and walk you through procedures . 

Again , Welcome and have fun with the exciting world of electronics .
 

[Rick Law]

...
The Calculus is easy, it's the pre-calc (or lack thereof) that will kill you.
...

Foundations, foundations...

If you really do have an interest in EE to the extend of getting a degree in EE and/or doing it for a living, make sure you do pre-calc well.  That wellness indicates the wellness of your foundation.  You will use that foundational knowledge over and over again.

If you are merely interested in playing around with electronics and not much more than that, pre-calc will help, but a hobby clearly would not have as much importance.

What follows is mainly for "if your interest is to the extend of a degree in EE and beyond":

Pre-calc is merely review and firm up the basics from from grade 1 to grade 6, plus Algebra, equation handling, graph reading, basic logic, statistics, basic trigonometry, and basic geometry.  It was (4 or 5 years ago) done in grade 7-8 for those on A track (stronger in math).  Given current sensitivity, I am not sure schools have A track B track any more.

One may think, what does Geometry or Trigonometry has to do with Electronics?  Both Geometry and Trigonometry will help develop your Spatial Reasoning (no typo there, I mean spatial as in space).  Spatial Reasoning along with the abstract thinking (helped a lot by Algebra) are the skills you use to think about something that doesn't exist:  like a PCB to be build, or a set of parts to be installed in a box but not yet constructed into existence yet.  Can you picture that part (and even rotate it) in your mind that PCB in the box before that PCB or the box existed?  Similar and related skill as in thinking about relativity when one can't really get near the speed of light to visualize what happens.

Being able to pass the course is not the same as actually learned the material and incorporated the material in your thinking.  There are a few "special" courses at school that are gut checks.  I called them gates.  Barely sneaked pass the "gate" will not serve you well - you will get stuck and pay for it later.  Pre-Calc is one such gate at the high school level.  An example at college level is "Assembler and/or Machine language" is one for those who wants to go deep into Computer Science instead of just application programming.   First year physics (non-physics major) is another gut-check for those going into Engineering.

Take those on-line pre-calc course as many times as you need to make sure you understand rather than just "get by" merely obtained just enough to pass.  I assure you, if you merely "got by" pre-calc, you will pay for it later by having much more trouble getting through other courses.

EDIT:
Most are typos, but missed one important one in the line "Pre-calc is merely review and firm up the basics..."  Missed the word "plus" to correct the mistakenly ended sentence there.  "Plus" is added with bold.

[rstofer]

Just to post the EE curriculum for a specific university:

https://engineering.pacific.edu/sites/default/files/users/user314/Electrical%20Engineering%2012.2020.pdf

Pay attention to the notes at the bottom of page 2.  The total will be about 120 units of course work and 32 units of internships (two summer sessions) or 152 units overall.  See "Minimum Totals ...".  It is possible to take 15 units per semester and finish in about 4 years with internships following the sophomore and junior years.  Fifteen units per semester in a STEM program is a pretty full load, don't plan on a lot of partying.  The workload could be cut back to 12 units per semester but it would take 5 years.  Since tuition is based on a semester basis, independent of the number of courses taken, adding a year adds a ton of cost.  There are some accelerated summer sessions but the internship requirement may get in the way.  Cost versus time - a classic problem. 

Note that the Mathematics portion starts with Calculus I - the university assumes you have mastered pre-calc before enrolling.  A course at a junior college will add a year to the duration (two semesters).

I don't want this to be discouraging!  Students graduate every term and if they can do it, so can you!  Study groups can help.  Teaching Assistants are available as well.  There's a lot of help, just ask!

There's a reason that STEM students are described as having glazed eyes and no social skills!

[Robert_322]

Even so, this sounded quite discouraging, but I think I can deal with it, as I am used to learning a lot. Plus, through the years I found many tricks and let's say secrets to learn quickly or to write some essays in a professional and academic way. Sometimes I use academic paper editing if I don't have time to edit it by myself or even to proofread it. It is a good time saver and I can do other things instead, for example, reading a book or spend time with my friends.

[Elixabondar]

This Electrical Engineering curriculum is no walk in the park! It's a demanding program with a substantial workload. The note about the balance between cost and time is a real concern for students. However, the message emphasizes that it's achievable, and with the right support, you can make it through. The reference to STEM students having "glazed eyes and no social skills" adds a touch of humor to the challenges they face. 📚💡👩‍🔬👨‍🔬🤯

[rstofer]

To control costs, take the first two years at a community college.  Make sure the units will transfer to the desired college/university.  Counselors know about transfer credits for the various colleges.
Then take the last 2 years at a state college or university.

I would think that a public education should cost $10k or so for the entire program.  Maybe as much as twice that.   Still, a bargain!

$20k might cover a single semester at a private university but maybe not.  10 semesters (5 years) is a lot of money ($200k) and there is no need to spend this much.

Ask about scholarships and be careful about student loans.

[Rick Law]

To control costs, take the first two years at a community college.  Make sure the units will transfer to the desired college/university.  Counselors know about transfer credits for the various colleges.
Then take the last 2 years at a state college or university.
[ ... ... ]
Ask about scholarships and be careful about student loans.

  [  Bold added  ]

Re: Credit Transfer

Transferability alone may not be an adequate yard-stick.  There is a question of level.

Just to clarify what I mean by level:  Depending on university, EE and other hard-science course may require "more comprehensive versions" of the course.  For example, an Anthropology major may require Physics 101 & 102, where as, a Physics/Engineering major may require the similar but harder Physics 103 & 104 which are the "harder" versions of 101 & 102.  How the university handles a credit transfer will depend on the university's policy receiving the transfer.

I've seen credits being transferable, but not at an "equivalent" level.  If you already identified likely university for after community college, I would suggest check with the target university regarding the credit transfer. 

I also looked into on-line "degree mill" university credit transfer (per request by a relative for his son), their "transferable" 400 level course credit was "transferable" to a 100 level course.

So, just "transferable" is not enough.  How it transfers matter.

Re: Scholarships / Loans (OP,  I assume you are in the USA based on your profile, so this applies):

Scholarships typically is merit based.  If you are not wealthy, definitely look into the Federal Pell Grants which is need based and grants are like scholarships, you don't need to pay it back.  Current Pell Grants limit is around $7.5K/year up to 6 years.  How much you get will depend on your "need" which is calculated base on family income, etc., evaluated base on Federal Poverty Guidelines.  Even if you are above the poverty level per guidelines (ie: not in proverty), you can still get the grant, just at a lower amount.  Then there is the Federal "Work-Study" and other.

For more info, check this
^{https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/417}

Or call:
^{Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at the following toll-free number:
1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)}

Last but not least:

Many a well known individuals used (military) ROTC scholarships.  ROTC is "Reserve Officer Training Corp".  You attend university full time, and serve part time.  They pay for school as well as spending money.  Amount is based on merit.  Some good candidates will get full scholarship at the get go.  Some will start without hoping to qualify into it during training.  You get a job after graduation -- in fact, you must serve the military for X number of years -- or else you need to pay the money back.  But by the time you are done with that few years of service, not only are you educated, you also have actual management and leadership experience.  The X in the X years service is variable, a mix of active service and/or as reserved.

Navy / Marines has Navy ROTC, Army has Army ROTC, Air Force / Space Force has Air Force ROTC.

If you have seen the movie "A Few Good Men", you saw the main character Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) serving his "X-years of service" in the JAG corp as lawyer.  The other common non-combat types are nurses and doctors.  But, you will still drill like a fighting man/woman during college -- part time.

[rstofer]

I also looked into on-line "degree mill" university credit transfer (per request by a relative for his son), their "transferable" 400 level course credit was "transferable" to a 100 level course.

So, just "transferable" is not enough.  How it transfers matter.

I wouldn't expect any upper division credits to transfer but there are a bunch of BS classes that will.  World History, US History, California History, English and similar courses are fairly common for transfers.  In fact,  it is these classes that make a community college program worthwhile.

I wouldn't expect any STEM classes to transfer and a year of pre-calc won't count for anything at any level.  You should already know this subject before you even apply for Calc I.  Our community college tests for this subject before accepting enrollment in Calc I.

[nigelwright7557]

A cheap way to learn is make things you can sell on ebay.
That way you get some money back on the components.

[jonovid]

 talking electronics 
https://www.talkingelectronics.com/

[Rick Law]

I also looked into on-line "degree mill" university credit transfer (per request by a relative for his son), their "transferable" 400 level course credit was "transferable" to a 100 level course.

So, just "transferable" is not enough.  How it transfers matter.

I wouldn't expect any upper division credits to transfer but there are a bunch of BS classes that will.  World History, US History, California History, English and similar courses are fairly common for transfers.  In fact,  it is these classes that make a community college program worthwhile.

I wouldn't expect any STEM classes to transfer and a year of pre-calc won't count for anything at any level.  You should already know this subject before you even apply for Calc I.  Our community college tests for this subject before accepting enrollment in Calc I.

We are on the same page.  Those "side courses" is what community college is great at.  The hard-science courses not so much.  Exceptions are those not directly on one's focus (such as, Biology for an EE major), using community college credit to cover those is a viable path.

I am on the fence with calc courses.  Of course it should be done prior to college if possible.  But if one must, even in community colleges, Calc requires little resources other than a good teacher.  Lack of a good lab/hardware is not an issue.  Calc teachers is much easy to find than say Engineering, Physics or Chemistry.  So community college for Calc is still viable,

For those still in High School, AP calc probably is as good as Junior college.  I don't know if they still do, but 5-6 years back, they have two tracks for AP Calc.  One of the track is advanced and was pretty good and transferable.

If you play your cards right, you could get more than a whole year of college credit via AP course while still in High School.  (Yes, I've seen it done.)

[alligatorblues]

The simplest circuits are in data sheets. I made a precision current source with about $20 in components. I just took it off a data sheet for an op amp.

[Psi]

but felt something was missing because I was just plugging in a sensor with a couple of wires. I am interested in building circuits without a microcontroller. Any suggestions on where I should start. I do have a birthday coming up.

Keep in mind that the vast majority of electronic products in the world today are just a microcontroller with some buttons, switches, LEDs, motors and other input/output sensors connected to the microcontroller.

What you could focus on is interfacing things to the microcontroller in a more advanced way.

Like maybe you could use an opamp to interface something to the mcu input, maybe as a high or low pass filter.
Or a transistor so you can control more current than the microcontroller outputs can supply.
Or maybe design a charge pump driven by the MCU to produce a higher output voltage.  This is often done for 3.3V microcontroller so they can drive a white or blue LED. (This option is a bit more advanced, as you could damage your MCU if you do it wrong, which could be an issue if you only have one of them)

Plenty of things to learn about how to interface a microcontroller to the outside world, and they are all useful skill to have.

[EPAIII]

Oh good grief! He is a high school student, not a billionaire.

I started learning electricity in grade school. Scopes, function generators, multimeters, scientific calculator? I had batteries (mostly used ones), wires, light bulbs, and door bell buttons. A soldering iron? The first thing I learned about soldering was you could not do it with a wood burning tool. It just wasn't how enough. I made magnets from nails and old screws/bolts. I made a buzzer from scraps in my family's garage. If you can make a buzzer that buzzes, that is more educational than writing a thousand lines of computer code. I was in pig's heaven when I got my first transistor. He could still today learn a lot with a one transistor dimming circuit for an LED. More than he will ever learn just hooking up an IC with a provided schematic. And the parts can be had for well under one dollar.

This guy is already miles ahead of where I was in equipment, BUT I LEARNED. And so can he. WITHOUT any laundry list of "must have equipment".

What is more important is BOOKS and MAGAZINES. Find them and READ THEM. Don't overlook the back issues of the magazines. Understand the basics. I lived in libraries. The public library two blocks from my house. The ones at my schools. And others in the area. I often traveled over an hour on public busses and street cars to go to the main public library in my area. And sat there reading for hours before going home. I read everything I could. Today all that can be done in your bedroom or den with a computer. READ, READ, READ! And after you understand the basics and know what you want to do, then look for this or that "must have" item of equipment.

I can't convince myself that "Art of Electronics" and "Learning the Art of Electronics" are anywhere near as approachable.

The 1st edition Art of Electronics and the associated Laboratory manual, both available in PDF form with a Google or two, are far more approachable in this respect. I cut my teeth on them.

To learn properly, min test gear is probably:

1. bipolar or dual power supply or two power supplies
2. Any old analogue scope that's 20MHz or better with some chinese probes
3. Function generator - any old 2MHz thing will do.
4. Couple of rock bottom cheap DMMs
5. parts. They are soooo cheap and readily available now. Hit www.taydaelectronics.com
6. soldering iron - anything will do but look out for a better one as you go along.
7. Any old scientific calculator.

If you wait it out (might take a while) you can get this stuff for next to nothing from ebay, craigslist and hamfests.

The best education descending order of usefulness is as follows:

1. A pile of broken old stuff that needs fixing, preferably test gear.
2. Here.
3. Youtube (W2AEW is a good place)
4. Art of electronics (just get a PDF of it)
5. The Internet as a whole.
6. Other books.

Remember if you fix something, you can sell it and buy better kit. This funds the hobby. I've run my entire electronics budget separate to my main income buying and selling test gear.  This is a good thing to do if you have no income already.

Don't skip the maths / algebra. It's a good skill to have and opens a whole world past electronic construction and doing projects rote and enabling you to design things from scratch to suit your own needs. You can pick up any gaps in knowledge or start afresh using Khan Academy (free online).

Forest Mimms books are awful and should only be used as kindling. I wish people would stop recommending them.