AP Computer Science: A or AB?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Hey everyone, I have a question for everyone here. I am in an AP Computer Science class, but it is geared for the AP Computer Science A exam. I am one of the top students in my class, and I kind of want to take the AB exam, but at the same time I don't feel very confident about taking it because it focuses primarily on the last few chapters of the AP curriculum, chapters that my class probably will not cover and so I would have to learn them on my own. If the AB exam were more general, focused on everything, I would take it, but since it focuses a lot on recursion, sorting and searching, and data structures, topics that I have just begun to learn (recursion) and ones that I have not at all learned (sorting and searching, data structures), I do not know if I would be able to prepare myself. I am pretty sure that if I took the A exam I would get a 5, definitely at least a 4, but with the AB exam, I'm afraid I would get a 3 or less. The money to register for the APs is due next week. What should I do?</p>

<p>Also, on a side note: I am taking an Honors Physics class not geared towards the AP, but I want to take an AP physics exam. I know the calculus and everything, and I'll learn the physics, but I haven't done them together, which is why I think I should do the Physics B exam. However, the B exam covers much more material, much of which I don't think our class will get to cover. Any advice?</p>

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<p>I'm in a AB class this year, and you're right -- there are a lot of data structures and skills to learn. IMO, its up to your abilities. If you can self-teach yourself this stuff relatively well, go ahead and try and save yourself from taking another whole year of Comp Sci. </p>

<p>I got a 5 on the A exam and was a top student in the Comp Sci A class. I have something like a 97% average in the AB class, which leads me to believe that its not really worth having a full class over. However, I would have struggled with concepts such as Binary Search Trees and Hashing if I didn't have a teacher who grades AP's every summer explaining it to me. Find the right AP Prep books at your bookstore and I bet you'd pull out a 4.</p>

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<p>I self studied for the AB exam in an A class and got a five. It's a lot more dat strucures and a lot less syntax.</p>

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<p>I wish I could take this its really interesting but my school doesn't offer it, RANT!!!</p>

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<p>what about the physics AP? Should i take the B or C?</p>

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<p>C in most circumstances since it's more in depth and uses calculus, while doesn't sprinkle you with a thousand different areas barely touching them.</p>