Anyone have a kid do AP Computer Science?

[bisous]

EDITS1 is lost in the class! He's switching it out for either AP Psychology or IB Environmental Science. He's totally an Environmental Science kind of guy but LOVES the teacher of AP Psych! Anyone had either of those? Thanks!

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We discovered this morning (today is the first day of school) that DS1's schedule has been shifted around. Instead of having computer programming like we saw on his schedule yesterday, he's been switched to AP Computer Science. I guess they had too many kids in some of the classes to be able to eventually "split" them in the hybrid model so they just decided to put him in the AP class. I guess my only issue is that the he doesn't have much background at all in computer science! He did well on his first AP class from last year--AP European History. He got a 5.

Who has taken it? Is it difficult? How much background did your child who took it have in computers? DS1 is savvy enough on the suites that he uses but has never done any programming. (By contrast, DS2 is a bit of a whiz on that sort of thing.) Unfortunately too, because of the last minute switch, he was unable to connect with his zoom meeting this morning so he has no idea how class is going to run! It has been a crazy day...

[jenmcadams]

If it's the basic AP Computer Science Principles, it's pretty easy and he shouldn't have an issue. It's a broad intro course about CS principles in general that doesn't have a ton of true programming. My freshman son is good at programming and did ok on the AP Exam/Project and got a 3 or a 4 (he even took the second semester independent study because it conflicted with another class).

AP Comp Sci A on the other hand is more complicated and is more about hard core programming.

[bisous]

Thanks so much! I’ll check and see which one it is!

[sariana]

And once again our sons are kindred spirits! My DS also is taking AP Comp Sci (not A). He has no background in CS at all, but his school doesn't offer a basics course--this is the lowest level!

So I can't answer your questions because my son is at the same point in his journey. But congrats to your DS on that 5! My DS took AP World and earned a 4.

[bisous]

And once again our sons are kindred spirits! My DS also is taking AP Comp Sci (not A). He has no background in CS at all, but his school doesn't offer a basics course--this is the lowest level!

So I can't answer your questions because my son is at the same point in his journey. But congrats to your DS on that 5! My DS took AP World and earned a 4.

No way! That’s pretty funny. I’m nervous about this but he feels good about it so I need to just get out of the way! And congrats for your DS on his AP score too!

[erosenst]

There are a number of AP Comp Sci Classes. If it's Computer Science Principles, DD found it easy, with no real programming background. (She had the one semester AP class freshman year but they didn't do much programming.) Even with the oddly shortened year last year, which impacted the project that's part of the National Exam, she got a 4. I wouldn't be too stressed. Apparently the jump to Computer Science A is pretty large - lots of programming by hand so much less 'self-correction'. Too early in the year to know how it will go, but word here is that if you did ok in CSP this one isn't bad either.

[Soccermomm]

My DS took this last year as a sophomore. He wanted to take it. It was offered online for the whole year. My Ds loves all things computer and made an A. Was his favorite class. I guess he could see how his whole class was throughout the whole year and made the comment several times that the majority of the class was failing.

[bisous]

Update in OP!