Difficulty Studying for AP CS

Test Preparation AP Mathematics & Computer Science
1

I’ve been doing some basic programming for a few years, and really enjoy it. I convinced my school to let me spend half my day for a semester (we run on a block schedule, so we have four different classes each semester) doing an independent study for AP CS. I’m going through AmplifyMOOC, the Barron’s AP CS book, and various other resources (free response questions from past years, Java Notes online textbook, etc). However, despite finding AmplifyMOOC very easy, I’m doing very badly when I try the multiple choice questions in the Barron’s book at the end of each chapter (consistently 60-70%). I’m also doing quite badly on the sample free response questions I’ve found.

I’m not sure what else I should be doing to study, as I feel that I understand the material when I read it/go over it on AmplifyMOOC, but I do very badly on sample questions.

Thanks!

2

There’s a few online sources you can use that focus on AP CS questions, and as long as you’re studying nearly everyday, you should be able to get a handle on what the format for the actual AP test will be like, which is half the battle :slight_smile: Here’s a few reliable websites to assist you!

http://www.learnerator.com/ap-computer-science
https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse/ap-computer-science-a/exam-practice
http://www.varsitytutors.com/ap_computer_science_a-practice-tests

3

Also, don’t neglect the old Free Response questions from past years. (Note that all the old posted questions have GridWorld questions among them; you don’t need to know GridWorld anymore.)

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/exam/exam_information/2000.html

4

Hi. There doesn’t seem to be another case study. Is the case study itself gone now from AP CS A? Any other changes in the last year? So what will take the place of GridWorld questions?

5

The 2015 exam was the first year in which there was no case study. Nothing “took the place” of GridWorld; there were just more questions on other topics.

There were no topic changes in the last year. The only significant difference this year is in timing. The FRQ section is being reduced from 1 hr 45 mins to 1 hr 30 mins in time; the MC section is being increased from 1 hr 15 mins to 1 hr 30 mins. The length of both sections, however, remains unchanged.