On May 6, a fair share of American high school
students will show up to the AP Computer Science Test Exam. If you are planning
to take the test as well, it’s a good idea to put in the final effort into
making sure you have the solid groundwork for the exam.
If you are planning on tackling Computer
Science AP exams next year, getting to know the test and the curriculum in
advance is also a good idea. In this post, we will share helpful tips on how to
build a smart study plan and ace every question.
When, Where, and How: The
Structure of AP CS A Exam?
When Can I Take AP CS A?
In 2021, there will be three administrations
of the AP Computer Science A exam — one paper-and-pencil and two online
sessions.
- May 6, 12 PM
(local) — a paper-and-pencil test.
- May 18, 4 PM
EDT — an online test.
- June 1, 4 PM
EDT — an online test.
Should I take AP CS A online or
in-person?
Although there isn’t much difference between
the two ways to take the test, an important consideration is that, in the case
of a digital exam, you can not skip questions to answer only those you know.
With that in mind, you should either adjust
your study method or sign up for a pen-and-paper mode instead.
How is AP CS A Structured?
At the exam, you will have three
hours to answer the questions (1 h 30 m per section). There are 44
questions in total divided into two sections:
- 40 multiple-choice questions
that assess a test-taker’s ability to detect code errors, predict the output of
the program based on the input, or, on the contrary, figure out which input
leads to a given output.
- 4 free questions that check your
knowledge of Java Syntax — control structures and methods, classes, one- and
two-dimensional arrays.
The grade of each section is worth 50% of the
final grade.
Acing AP CS A: Step-by-Step Study
Guide
Given the impact of the pandemic on school
education, being stressed about passing the AP test is understandable. Chances
are, you feel like your course teachers are not doing their best to present the
material in an engaging way and it looks like you’ll never ace the test!
The good news is, self-education can help you
become and confident programmer and compensate for the shortcomings of the
course at your high school. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to organize
learning and face the test confidently ( it was largely inspired by this
rundown on AP Computer Science prep).
Step #1. Know what the test
covers
Since
programming is a fascinating field, as you are studying on your own, it’s easy
to drift away from the basics and get caught up in concepts that won’t be a
part of the AP test.
To make sure you spend your learning time
efficiently and study exactly the things that will show up in questions, take a
look at the list of arguments the exam covers:
- Primitive
types — manipulating variables and data types.
- Using objects
and methods.
- Using wrapper
classes and the math class.
- Boolean
expressions and if statements.
- Iteration:
while, for loops, as well as nested iteration.
- Class
structure and keywords.
- Arrays,
ArrayLists, and 2D arrays.
- Inheritance
(subclasses and superclasses)
- Recursion —
introduction to entropy, absolute entropy, and entropy change.
If you are planning to take the test next
year, it’s a good idea to create a timeline for each of these arguments to make
sure no concept is out of the loop. If you are taking a test sooner, have a
review timeline for each part of the course to make sure you are confident in
your skills.
Step #2. Know where you are at
Taking the official AP CS A mockup exam or
similar tests online will give you a better understanding of what your strong
and weak points are To make sure the way you train at home resembles the
environment of the test, use the following tips:
- Time your practice sessions. A
lot of test-takers dismiss the sense of urgency they will feel during the exam.
Make no mistake — stress and anxiety will play their part and you are likely to
find yourself short on time even if you never did during practice sessions.
That’s why it’s better to mindful of constraints and set timers for each
section.
- Complete the practice test top-to-bottom in one sitting. Answering questions for three hours straight is not easy and requires
a ton of focus and consideration. That’s why you should make it a habit to not
take breaks between sections and train endurance.
- Reflect on your mistakes.
Failing is part of the journey as long as you learn from it — rather than being
discouraged by questions you got wrong, take your time to analyze what didn’t
work out (e.g. do you have knowledge gaps or did you fail because you were not
paying enough attention?). Collaborate with your teachers by asking them to
comment and solve past paper questions.
Side
note: you can download the questions from previous
exams on the CollegeBoard website.
Step #3. Code for fun
It’s common for AP CS students to be too
focused on the test – so much so they forget why they learn Java to begin with.
To not get sidetracked from your main goal – building amazing apps and websites
using programming, make it a point to build projects for fun every once in a
while.
When it comes to Java games and projects, Codegym is a
great resource to use. It’s a practice-based Java course that helps review key
syntax concepts in a methodical but coding-oriented way.
The platform comes with:
- Over 1,200
practical tasks to help programmers hone their skills.
- An intuitive
IDE where you can write and see your code come to life.
- A bustling
community of developers ready to answer both basic and intricate questions.
- Easy-to-grasp
lectures on Java Core, multithreading, and other key concepts of the language.
- A mobile app
that makes sure being away from the PC doesn’t keep you from practicing.
Note for teachers:
It’s never too early to introduce students to
programming – even if you are working with younger kids who are not planning on
taking AP CS anytime soon, it’s a great idea to show how engaging programming
can be.
There’s an awesome platform for this as well –
Code Monkey!
It doesn’t dabble too much in complex abstract ideas – instead, it educates
beginners through intuitive, action-based games that take students all the way
through the K8 curriculum.
Step #4. Gather study resources
You’ll find preparing for the AP CS test much
easier and more entertaining if you don’t limit your education to the textbook
your high school teacher uses. Instead, keep an open mind and use the resources
that resonate with you.
Remember that people learn differently — where
some prefer textbooks, others choose videos, and yet others learn best through
practice problems.
Since AP CS A test uses Java, here are the
resource deck you’ll find useful in learning and practicing the key consents of
the language:
Books:
Youtube
Channels and Videos:
Step #5. Join study groups
With distant education, it’s easy to feel
lonely and disconnected from classmates — it’s no wonder you might find
studying more challenging.
To make sure you stay on track, join Reddit
threads and Discord communities where you can chat with like-minded AP CS A
test-takers, exchange resources, and (to a healthy extent) compete.
Here are the study groups that are a good
place to start:
Reddit:
Discord: there’s a study group/resource channel where you can
find study partners and rent about preparation worries.
4 Quick AP CS A Exam-Day Tips
Fast-forward to the night before the test,
when you might be consumed by anxiety and (hopefully) excitement. To make sure
you are at your best during the exam, follow these quick tips:
- Get a full night of sleep. There
are numerous studies that show a correlation between lack of sleep and GPA
decrease. That’s why even if cramming the last bit of knowledge into your brain
is tempting, you do your cognitive skills a better service by going to bed
early and allowing the brain to build neuronal pathways as you rest.
- Organize windows and tabs if you take the test online. It’s a good idea to keep a separate browser with exam instructions
and make a separate tab for answering questions. This way, you will not have to
close tabs and won’t accidentally close something you need.
- Have a quick glance at the reference list
of methods you might need to use during the exam.
- Prioritize reading questions carefully and stick to
guidelines in your answers — only use classes you are
given and watch out for missing brackets in free questions (people lose quite a
few points on that).
Wrapping up
Regardless of how the AP CS A test goes for
you, showing interest in CS is already something to be proud of. If you are not
a senior and can retake the exam in the future, let this idea calm you down.
The key point in preparing for the test is
hard work pays off. Don’t think that studying is useless and you’ll get
different questions on the test anyway — in fact, every hour you put into
coding improves your intuition as a programmer and increases the odds of nailing
the test!
