AP Computer Science A

About the AP Computer Science A (APCS A) course

Our AP Computer Science A course covers all advanced Java topics specified by College Board for AP Computer Science A, with an emphasis on object-oriented programming. Students build a variety of complex projects while learning about objects, classes, scope, and inheritance. This course also covers basic searching and sorting algorithms in Java. This course prepares students for the AP Computer Science A exam, which is administered in May of each year. For Spring APCS A Review class, see here.

When is this course offered?

• Onsite class:  Fall ONLY each year
• E-Learning class:  throughout the year (How does it work?)

Prerequisite

Students should possess beginner level Java knowledge and skills,  typical suitable students would have successfully completed the Java Programming course from local public high school, or completed the Java Programming course from Ascende Learning.

Students should already learned the following basic Java language concepts:

• variables
• data types
• basic math and logical operations
• conditional flow
• iterations
• arrays
• String
• functions
• basic concept of object and class

This course will continue student’s Java education into APCS level and cover all APCS topics defined by College Board.  This course is aligned with the AP Computer Science A course from local public high school.

Upon completion,  students will have grasped all important Java key concepts that are in the scope of APCS test, and definitely more, and be able to write Java programs to solve intermediate level problems, and ready to engage in larger scale projects and prepare for APCS test (if so wish).

This class is designed for high school students, to lay a solid foundation for them to prepare to take the APCS exam next.  The curriculum is closely tied with the AP Computer Science test and use its materials and test questions along the way while students learn all the fundamental concepts and skills.

Course plan

The class will follow a rigorous curriculum that is highly customized so that the sequence of concepts makes most sense and easiest for students to progress, our lessons are designed in spirally manner so students have more opportunities to practice previously learned knowledge to keep building up a solid foundation. Check out the course plan.

Textbook

Barron’s AP Computer Science A (9th Edition preferred, 8th Edition OK)

Check out the book errata which includes a major section contributed by Ascende Learning.

Class Structure

The class will be combination of lecture time and hands-on practicing.

Homework

There are homework after every lesson, of various length.  In the beginning of the class, materials will be pretty easy and homework will also not take long, but the class will develop into much more complex materials and it will take some brain power and homework time between classes. Generally students should expect to spend 30 minutes ~ 1.5 hr per week on homework.

Required Equipments

Students need to bring their own laptop and charger to class.

Will student be ready to take APCS test upon completion of this class?

At completion of this class, students will have learned all required concepts by APCS, and most likely can do well in the APCS test. Students should spend the Spring semester to review all learnings and keep practicing in order to ace the AP exam in May.  That is why we offer this AP Computer Science curriculum in every Fall semester only, so that students have the Spring to prepare for the test.  The “APCS Test Prep” class is designed just for that.  In that class, we will go through comprehensive and intensive review and practices to get students fully prepared.

What other classes can students take after completion of this course?

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be fully ready to take on competitive programming with our USACO course series, starting from the USACO Bronze course.