<p>Well, I'm thinking about taking it but i'd like to know more about it and its difficulty from those who have taken it first.
Anyone, please?</p>
<p>It all depends on your ability, and which test you take. The A test is much easier and contains a semester worth of college material. The AB test is fairly difficult, and contains the equivalent of two semesters worth of college work. I took the course at my school last year, along with the AB test.</p>
<p>Do you have to be really good at math to do it?</p>
<p>I'm taking Comp Sci A...I think it is difficult, especially since I'm a sophomore and didn't take any prior Pre-AP classes in Java. I'm not doing extremely well, , but I mean I live with my decisions and don't regret it. I, personally don't think that you have to be the best at math. You just have to think "differently", and is hard to describe HOW...this science is a "different animal" as my teacher puts it. To me, again, the concepts are difficult to master. GL though, and take it if you feel you should. I hope this doesn't make you turn away from it! :-D</p>
<p>what class that you have taken before would you say is equivalent in difficulty?
what exactly about computers is it about?</p>
<p>This angers me, my craptastic high school doesn't even offer this course. Sure, it's the top school in the state, but it doesn't have many of the AP courses that actually pertain to my intended major (with the exception of AP Calc).</p>
<p>well, i might take it at bcc. thank you snp2k for the links!</p>
<p>To JUST: In reality, at least at my school, there really is no equivalent. It is Java! It isn't like really anything with computers, since you don't take the AP with a computer. The computer is "helpful", but to me useless in the class, other to see that your program is running.</p>
<p>To SnP2k: Same here, my school is a top accredited school, and we only have like 10 APs that are offered, maybe less. I don't actually understand that reasoning, other than they don't have enough students to fill up the classes and enough teachers to teach them, since it is an admission based school.</p>
<p>No problem justofabulous (whatever that name means, haha).</p>
<p>Mine's a public school, like yours, they only offer about 10 AP courses. They even cancelled all programming courses!!!! I was only able to take intro to programming (java) before they decided to stop offering it. The thing here is that there were about 20 kids in the class and most of them wanted to do "Advanced programming". It is a shame how the administration has the ability to shutdown a course without even asking the students what they thought--should have made a petition! However, I used it to my advantage and created a Java Programming Club, what a great ECA.</p>
<p>My school has several programming classes available ( Intro to programming in Java(1 year), AP Computer Science(1 year), and Web & Network Programming(half year) . I will have taken them all as of my graduation, along with currently being a teacher's assisstant i comp. sci. AP Comp. Sci. is not use a hard difficulty of math in it. I never had a problem and got good grades in it. My teacher is a carnegie mellon graduate, so he's pretty smart. I agree with glucose101 that the computer really is only important to see what your running, but it does help pick out what mistakes you made in your program. Anyway JUSTSOFABULOUS good luck if you take it.</p>
<p>I’ve read all the posts on this thread and I’ve come to the conclusion that half the people think it’s easy and half the people think it’s hard. So I figure, maybe if I cover ALL the specifics in my situation, I’ll get a good and consistent answer.</p>
<p>So, hello. I’m deciding whether to take AP Computer Science A online over the summer. It’s not offered at my school, so I have no idea how hard it is or what it is going to be like.</p>
<p>I’m taking the course primarily because I want a 6.0 added to my gpa, but also because I think programming is really cool, although I know nothing about it.
I’m pretty handy with computers, anything from writing an essay on Word to cleaning viruses.
I’m a freshmen going into my sophmore year.
I don’t really care if I get a 2 on the exam (I doubt I’ll get a 1).</p>
<p>WITH THIS IN MIND, do you guys think I’ll be able to handle the course online in around 3 months?</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>Programming is extremely simple once you get down to the bare bones of it, especially Java. Most of it usually boils down to basic algebra and the use of functions.</p>
<p>If you have NO programming experience what so ever, I suggest you go out and get a book (or some source of programming knowledge) and start studying up on the basics of Java (I think that is what they use to teach AP Comp Sci. right? At my school we don’t have that course so…)</p>
<p>(NOTE: However, this may be a little bit bias as I have more than four years of programming and developing experience, through self-study, and I know to use multiple languages and paradigms.)</p>
<p>Does that “No” mean I shouldn’t take it?</p>
<p>No, I was saying the AP Comp Sci. isn’t very difficult.</p>
<p>Im starting AP computer science this year and my summer assignment is killer hard, but the java for dummies really helps you. i suggest you purchase that and it looks hard at first but you get used to the codes and such, be consistent in this.</p>