Syllabus: AP CS

This document gives information specific to the AP Computer Science course. See the all course syllabus information as well.

AP Review

We will do approximately three weeks of AP review before the AP exam. Second semester grades will be significantly impacted by AP test preparation.

Many people benefit from outside preparation. Start in February. As a rough guide, the Barron’s AP Computer Science A text is too easy and the Be Prepared for the AP Computer Science Exam in Java book by Litvin and Litvin is too difficult. I have not read the Princeton Review text.

In the last three years Whitney Young’s AP CS pass rate has been: 85%, 100%, and 93%, so you will be prepared.

Big picture calendar for course

These dates are tentative, but they should give an idea of the major deadlines in the course.

  • Weeks 1–5: Haskell
  • Week 6: Begin Java and Semester Project.
  • October 23: Quarter 2 project top-down plan due. (No code!)
  • October 27: Quarter 1 exam. (One week before quarter ends.)
  • January 22: Quarter 2 project due.
  • January 26: Quarter 2 exam. (One week before quarter ends.)
  • March 23: Quarter 3 project due for early bonus. (Day before spring break.)
  • March 26–30: Spring Break.
  • April 6: Quarter 3 project due.
  • April 9: Quarter 3 exam. (Week of quarter end.) This is also part of AP exam review.
  • April 9 – May 4: AP Test Review. (Four weeks minus two days.)
  • May 7: AP testing begins.
  • May 15 at 12pm: AP Computer Science Test