*** Official AP Computer Science A Thread 2014-2015 ***

@jkhuggins Thanks so much. Helps a little knowing that I can still get maybe one or two on a part that I did not understand at all.

@jkhuggins So, just to clarify, does a -1 penalty means one point is subtracted from your score or you just can’t earn that point?

does anyone think that the multiple choice this year was hard?

@itsmyusername I should have been clearer; thanks for asking that. Almost always, what I mean is simply that you don’t earn the corresponding point(s) from the rubric. There are only 4 things that cause a penalty outside of the rubric (the so-called “General Scoring Guidelines” that you see with the old rubrics) — and those penalties are pretty rare in the grand scheme of things.

Hi guys! I’m debating whether I should take AP Comp Sci A next year. The students who took it at my school say its enjoyable and informative and they felt prepared to take the exam. However, I’ve never had prior programming experience. Have you all had prior experience?

@case423 I had no prior experience but I found APCS to be very easy. It varies from person to person, however/

@case423 I think learning Java is very similar to learning a new language in that there are a lot of very unfamiliar concepts that will make absolutely no sense at first. I feel like with computer science, it gets a lot easier once you get programming experience. I had so much trouble with it until I sat down one weekend and did a few programming projects that put together the various concepts that we learned in class. Once you get the hang of it, it is a very interesting subject, but until you do, it will be frustrating and difficult.

The MC tripped me up a little bit on several problems. Other than those, I feel pretty confident. Also, I heard that this year’s MC was harder than usual, but I feel like the practice MC in Barron’s was x2 harder tbh

Did anyone take the AP computer science make up exam? If so, how did y’all think it was?

@tennischic Multiple choice was tedious but not difficult. Free response:
Question 1) Finished in 5 minutes, thought this was way too easy

2) Done in 10 minutes, writing the new class was kind of tricky
3) All 3 parts of this were ridiculously hard to implement. I got all of them, but part a alone took me about 20 minutes
4) Part a was difficult, parts b and c straightforward
I finished with about 20 minutes to review.

I plan on self studying AP Computer Science. Is this realistic? Any recommendations for course of study, textbooks, resources, review books?

I self-studied AP Computer Science this last year with virtually no programming experience. After the exam last month, I felt really good about it and expect a 5. I highly suggest that you use the Amplify MOOC to study for this test. It is a completely free service with detailed videos and programming assignments that you can do on your own time. Although there is a schedule that you are supposed to follow, I, like many a self-studyer before me, procrastinated and crammed for the test the week before. During this period I completed the entire second semester of the Amplify course, walking in to the exam feeling well-prepared.

In short, use Amplify. It works.

I got a 5! Thank you based UT course-petitioning website for giving me my scores ahead of time.

@imthereal

Congrats! How did you feel you did before knowing your score?

@Defeat Ithought I got a 4/5, so I’m pretty happy my estimate was correct :’)

As a freshman who’s going to be a sophomore next year, and Computer Science being my first AP course, just a few minutes ago I checked my score and was discouraged because I got a 4. Many celebrate earning a 4, but for me, it makes me feel like a failure compared to my friends. Computer Science is my passion in school, and yet I was unable to earn a 5. It also discourages me to know that I will have much harder AP courses in the future. Is a 4 acceptable for many colleges?(I’m kind of new to this college scene, sorry if I sound stupid)

@Koko88 I understand how you’re feeling. I got a 4 on my first AP exam (Bio) as a Freshman, and I was crestfallen because I felt like I had worked so hard. However, don’t worry! As I’ve come further into the college scene (I’m going to be a Senior this fall), I have realized that my 4 not only gets me credit, but is a really good score (especially as a Freshman)! Further, I have used that first exam to motivate me to study really hard for every exam I’ve taken since. I feel no envy for those who received a 5 on their first exam, because they have no room for improvement. As you take more exams in the future, getting 5s will feel even sweeter because you know how hard you worked for every one. Out of the 13 exams I’ve taken since that first one, I’ve received one other 4 (the rest being 5s), and each one made me prouder than the last!

@Koko88 As a sophomore last year I also took my first AP. I self-studied AP CS. I got a 1… I don’t know what to do… This is my passion. This is what I thought I wanted to pursue.

My only 4 junior/senior year was on this test, and I’m planning to major in CS at Stanford. GULP.

I got a 4. I was honestly expecting a 2 since I bombed the last 2 free response and guessed a lot on the mc. Pretty happy with what I got.