AP Computer Science A – An Overview

Advanced Placement Computer Science explores and builds on the problem solving and programming techniques learned in Computer Programming 1. You will write programs using the Java language that will prepare you for the AP Computer Science A exam, and based on those results you may earn college credit or test out of a course at your chosen university. This course is equivalent to a comparable college level course.

Online courses are a terrific opportunity for the student who needs a course that does not fit into their regular schedule, as well as for the student who needs a course not currently offered by their school. However, be aware that Advanced Placement courses are by nature more demanding than regular high school level courses, and students should be prepared for a rigorous academic environment. When registering students, schools are expected to place students appropriately, confirming that the student is academically prepared to participate in an AP course.

While the asynchronous nature of online courses means that students can “attend” classes free from the constraints of time or place, it is highly recommended that every student has time during the school day dedicated to their online course. Online students are required to be independent and highly self-motivated.

Eligibility:

Grades: 10, 11, 12 students

Exam Duration:

3 Hours

The exam covers fundamentals of object-oriented programming in Java typically taught in a first-semester college course. Both sections of the exam require students to demonstrate their ability to design, write, analyze, and document programs and subprograms. The exam emphasizes programming in Java, programming methodology (including recursion), and procedural abstraction. It also includes algorithms, data structures, and data abstraction.

All code on the AP Computer Science A Exam is consistent with the AP Java subset that can be found in Appendix A of the Course Description. All questions involving code should be answered in Java. Students are not tested on minor points of syntax.

For more information, download the revised AP Computer Science Course Description, which includes the update to the curricular requirement along with a description of the characteristics of an AP-level computer science lab component.

Format of Assessment

Section I: Multiple Choice | 40 Questions | 90 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score
• Discrete Questions

Section II: Free Response | 4 Questions | 90 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score
• Short Answer (each requiring Java programming language)