<p>I just completed AP Computer Science A, now I am not sure what types of programming projects to take up. Does anyone have any advice?</p>
<p>Project management and creation + the programming process is something few schools teach and is something you have to experience. It makes you think about time management, efficiency, deadlines, and teamwork in some cases.</p>
<p>I am not sure exactly how to find one to be honest, but that’s what you want to look for. I walked in a$$ backwards into a few myself, and did them before I did AP CS.</p>
<p>The first was a fantasy football website coded in HTML/CSS/PHP/SQL. I started it as a sophomore and it is still going strong, even growing. It was an interest of mine and it is actually how I got into CS.</p>
<p>The second is making a content management system for a nonprofit. I used the project to get all my service hours too. Tech work is very in demand, and if you can volunteer it you can get some good opportunities. I will be finishing this up over the summer, I started it in March and did about 40 hours of work to complete Stage 1 of 4. I will be logging probably another 100 on it over the summer to complete it.</p>
<p>During AP CS, we finished our coursework very early, and with a class size of four, we did a group project that I found very good for experience. We took a month and a half and made a very complex Java game (Frogger with high scores, data storage in specific forms, account systems, very complex level difficulty and spawning algorithms) as a team. It was a great success and a great simulation of a real world coding environment, merging code from 4 people, keeping the versions organized systematically, etc.</p>
<p>Point is, find a project and run with it. It will be a great learning process and a great experience. It’s also possible it can be something you can add to your portfolio of example work by conclusion. Find some interest beyond programming and find a way to aid that interest using a large project. That way its a double win, experience and a good tool you will use.</p>