AP Computer Science: The Ultimate Guide for Success
Taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes during high school is an excellent way to gain a head start for college and adapt to future academic challenges. College Board offers a wide range of courses: AP Psychology, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Calculus, AP Literature, AP World History, etc. There is something for everyone!
Among the diverse range of AP courses offered by the College Board, the AP Computer Science courses stand out as an avenue for students to explore the world of technology and programming. They not only give an introduction to the computer science field but also foster analytical and logical skills essential across various fields.
In this blog post, we will discuss what to expect from these AP CS courses — AP Exams, Study Material, Course Contents, etc.
Getting Into AP Computer Science
AP Computer Science is such a large area of study, so it has been split into two parts. The more beginner-friendly one is AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Computer Science A follows in difficulty. Although it is recommended to take one after the other, there is no requirement to take both.
Depending on a High School's regulations, certain prerequisite courses could be issued. Check with your High School Counselor to ensure all requirements are cleared. To succeed in these courses it’s recommended to have a proficient understanding in Algebra 1.
AP Computer Science Principles
AP Computer Science Principles (AP CSP) introduces students to foundational computing concepts, emphasizing creativity, abstraction, algorithms, and the social impact of technology. AP CSP does not have a designated programming language. So teachers/students are flexible to choose a programming language that they find intriguing!
Below is what you can expect to learn during the course
Course Contents:
Creative Development
Data
Algorithms/Programming
Computer Systems and Networks
Impact of Computing
Skills Obtained:
Collaborating effectively
Program design and development
Data compression
Data extraction
Developing algorithms
Simulating
Creating efficient algorithms
Navigating the Internet
Parallel and distributed computing
The digital divide
Computing Bias
Safe computing
To be successful in this class and on the AP Exam, it is important to be well-versed in these topics. More about the AP exam will be discussed below.
AP Computer Science A
Under AP Computer Science A, students can expect a deep dive into Java programming, data structures encompassing arrays, linked lists, and algorithms. Additionally, the curriculum covers object-oriented programming principles such as classes, inheritance, and polymorphism. If back-end coding is something you are fascinated by, this course would be a great addition to your schedule!
Below is what you can expect to learn during the course
Course Contents:
Primitive Types
Using Objects
Boolean Expressions and If Statements
Iterations
Writing Classes
Array
ArrayList
2D Array
Inheritance
Recursion
Skills Obtained:
Evaluating arithmetic expressions
Create/define/utilize objects and classes
Use Boolean values to create conditional statements
Identify equivalent expressions
References objects with aliases
Create nested for-loops
Represent real-life situations in an array format
Transversing ArrayLists and 2D arrays
Search and sort using algorithms
Use common attributes and behaviors to group objects
Create references in an inheritance hierarchy
Execute recursion methods
To be successful in this class and on the AP Exam, it is important to be well-versed in these topics. More about the AP exam will be discussed below. Although this list can seem daunting, once the course begins, with self-motivation the course goals could be obtained. Perseverance is key!!
AP Exam Format
As mentioned previously, to get college credit for these two AP courses, students must pass the AP exam. AP scores are reported on a scale of 1-5. To PASS the exam, students must get a 3 or above, but colleges generally look for a 4-5 on the exams. So that should be your main goal.
You might be thinking what is the use in passing this exam? Well, the reward you could get at the end of the day is college credit. This could mean early graduation for some people!!
The AP Exams for AP Computer Science A and AP Computer Science Principles are slightly different from one another.
AP Computer Science A Exam: Format
Section I: Multiple Choice
- 40 Questions, 1 hour 30 minutes, 50% of total exam score
Mostly individual questions with some sets of 2-3 questions in-between
Section 2: Free Response
- 4 Questions, 1 hour 30 minutes, 50% of total score
The main focus of this section is Code Implementation. Students are asked to write code to answer the questions using the skills discussed above.
- Grading is done by a committee of high school/college teachers
- Each question will have multiple parts within it, but overall the question as a whole has a combined score of 9 points
Points are awarded if the code meets the guidelines for that question.
AP Computer Science Principles Exam: Format
Section I: Multiple Choice
- 70 Questions, 2 hours, 70% of total exam score
- This section has 3 styles of questions
Single-Selection
57/70 questions
Has only 1 correct answer
Single-Selection with reading passage
5/70 questions
Has only 1 correct answer
Multi-Selection
8/70 questions
Has 2 correct answers
Section 2: Creative task
- Project submission, created before test day, 30% of the total score
Creative task submission could be in any form: program code, video, or written response
-Grading is done by a committee of high school/college teachers
-There are 6 categories, with each section having a 1-point weightage
1st point - Describes the overall purpose and function of the program
2nd point - Showed how the program used data abstraction
3rd point - Explained how complexity is managed in the program
4th point - Demonstrated how the program uses procedural abstraction
5th point - Used proper implementation of algorithms
6th point - Tested the program for intended functionality
Study Resources and Preparation
To prepare effectively for AP Computer Science exams there are plenty of resources including textbooks, online courses, study guides, practice exercises, and coding challenges. YouTube is a great research tool to get input from other AP students as well. Below is a small list of resources, with links, that could be helpful.
Resource list:
AP Computer Science A
- “Java: A Beginner's Guide” by Herbert Schildt
Offers a comprehensive introduction to Java programming, covering topics relevant to the AP CS A curriculum.
- Codecademy
Provide interactive tutorials and exercises on Java programming, helping students grasp coding concepts effectively.
- Khan Academy
Provide interactive tutorials and exercises on Java programming, helping students grasp coding concepts effectively.
- Barron’s AP Computer Science A Textbook
Helps in exam preparation with multiple-choice questions and free-response practice.
- “Cracking the AP Computer Science A Exam” by Princeton Review
Includes targeted strategies, practice questions, and detailed explanations
- AP Classroom
Provides official practice questions, and Quizzes from college board
AP Computer Science Principles
- “Foundations of Computer Science” by Alfred V. Aho and Jeffrey D. Ullman
This textbook covers the foundational concepts of computer science, including creativity, abstraction, data, and algorithms, aligning with the AP CS Principles curriculum.
- Code.org’s Computer Science Principles course
Aligned with the AP CS Principles framework, providing interactive lessons and activities focused on computational thinking and problem-solving.
- Albert.io
Offers practice questions, quizzes, and progress tracking for AP CS Principles
- “5 Steps to a 5: AP Computer Science Principles” by Julie Sway
This study guide features review material, practice exams, and online resources
- Official AP CS Principles Course and Exam Description (CED)
Released by the College Board, the CED provides a detailed outline of the course content, sample exam questions, and key concepts to focus on for the exam.
Tips for Success
The BEST thing you can do to find success in these courses is TO CODE! This might sound too simple, but the outcome of taking at least 2-3 hours a week to practice coding will make you feel so relieved. Watching videos and lectures is a great way to keep the brain active, but the real benefit will come from physically sitting in front of your computer and writing that code by hand.
You could code anything you like. It doesn't have to be too complex, but enough to actively train your brain to identify topics like arrays/loops.
Lab Ideas:
Represent matrices as 2D arrays
tic-tac-toe game
Practice making functions that manipulate arrays
Find the sum of the array
Count the number of Zeros in the array
Append 2 arrays into one
Reverse the values in the array
Remove an element in the array
Pascal's triangle with x number of rows
Factorial Calculator
Fibonacci Series to a set number
Find the day of the year a certain date would fall on
Ex: 01/01/2023 = 1/356
EX: 01/02/2023 = 2/356
Lastly, stay connected with the teacher and other students. Coding is not easy at times, and having someone to turn to when you get stuck is a great way to learn and be persistent throughout this course.
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