Hi, I’m currently a freshman in highschool interested in taking courses related to computer science. I have some background knowledge of HTML, CSS, and Javascript, although I assume they will not be needed (I can be wrong). I’d like to know about the workload and generally the difficulty of the class. I’m asking this because I plan on taking AP Bio and Chemistry sophomore year along with an Algebra 2 Research class.
Most of the development work my D did in CSP was JavaScript, so your skills would come in handy. It wasn’t really a development class, but there was some. More time was spent on networking, data structures, cybersecurity, and other computing/technology topics.
She didn’t find it difficult - it has a reputation as one of the easier AP courses, good for freshmen and sophomores as an entry to AP courses
You don’t need any prior programming experience but it’s helpful to have. AP CSP is project and research based but it is a very easy class (should not be adding too much to the Bio/Chem stress). It is one of the few AP classes sophomores at my school are allowed to take (they are considering letting freshman take it). It serves as a great introductory to not only AP courses, but to applications of CS as well. The teacher might have required programming units, we did scratch and processing (but the teacher let me and a couple of other students substitute both of these with advanced java since we had already taken CS A), but see if your teacher does / will let you use a language you are comfortable with. The AP exam portfolio can be written in ANY (literally any) programming language but you must meet all of their very specific guidelines.
Here is a college course that was an inspiration / model for AP CS principles:
https://cs10.org/
Is CS A harder by much? My current schedule may not have enough space for double science, so I’m planning on dedicating my schedule to fit Computer Sci A, although I’m contemplating the difficulty of it. I have asked the teacher in my school, who gave me a zip file of projects to work on to refresh my memory.
AP Computer Science A is much harder than AP CSP- definitly take AP CSP if you want an easy AP>
The best thing to do is talk to the teacher who teaches the class (ask about the expectations and workload), talk to students who have taken it before, and talk to your GC. All that will tell you if the class is right for you.
DD’s experience taking AP CSA did not match what posters say on these boards about it being an easy class. She got an A and a 5 on the exam, but she had to work for it. It is a very well-taught class in her school (unusual, it seems), but it was not “easy”. Four kids dropped out, one as late as February. More often than not, she had about 15 hours of homework a week, mostly individual projects (they programmed their own versions of Crossy Road, Battleship, Left-Right-Center, and Wheel of Fortune games). Very little of the homework was due the day after it was assigned (and often they were given a weekend), which helped with time management. They got exposure to 5-6 programming languages over the course of the year. There was a peer tutor available once a week to them, if needed. Everyone in the class got 4’s and 5’s on the exam, even some kids who got C grades.
This year she is taking AP CSA. It is very easy, and she hardly ever has much homework. It is all Java-based. DD is actually disappointed the class isn’t learning more aggressively, since CS is her thing. I think that part of the reason she finds it easy may be because AP CSA was so well-taught the previous year, but she said there are kids still struggling in the class (no dropouts yet, though).
I can’t follow this.
Sorry, I should have said, “DD’s experience taking AP CSP…”.
This year she is taking AP CSA. My bad.
Maybe a moderator can edit my typo for clarity?
At my school it was easy and is a good way to learn the basics of some coding 
In my school, AP CSP is generally seen as really easy and nowhere near comparable to CSA, and it’s usually only taken by kids who need to max out of CS courses.
However, I think part of the reason behind that is because we can’t take it unless we take an intro course first, and generally also after CSA, which according to this thread, isn’t a good progression anyway, so it’s probably just because the students are bored juniors/seniors…
AP CS principles is supposed to be an introductory course suitable for students with no prior computing experience. Seems like you school is doing it differently from intended.