WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE AP
COMPUTER SCIENCE TEST
PRESENTATION BY DYLAN HANSEN
INFO ABOUT THE TEST
• 2 hours long
• 74 multiple-choice questions
• Single Select and Multiple Select
• No free response questions whatsoever
• May 10th at 12:00 PM
• Need a 3/5 or higher to pass
[1]
MY MEMORY OF TAKEN THE TEST
• It tells you what functions mean/do
• Some descriptions aren’t that clear so it’s best to understand what they mean
• This is a very conceptual-based test
• Understanding will get you farther than memorizing
• Understand how computers think!
• Time Flies
• Check how much time you have left
• I ran out of time to finish the test because I spent too much time on a few problems
• Don’t make the same mistake I did!
WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE ON THE TEST?
[2]
BIG IDEAS 2 AND 3
2. Abstraction: Reducing information and detail to focus on what’s important
• Binary and Hexadecimal
• How abstraction allows complex things to be represented on a computer
• Using it to solve problems and understand big concepts easier
3. Data and Information: Computers collect data, we interpret said data
• How computers store/retrieve data
• “Lossy data”
• Privacy concerns
[2]
BIG IDEAS 4 AND 5
4. Algorithms: Using Functions to Make Life Easier
• Sequences of actions (ax^2+bx+c)
• Decision making (if/else and the like)
• Repeating a sequence (loops)
5. Programming: What most people think Computer Science is only about
• Understand computer logic
• Know the basics of programming
• Remember the code.org lessons!
[2]
BIG IDEAS 6 AND 7
6. The Internet: You know what this is
• Understand how the internet works
• Cybersecurity issues
7. Global Impact: What impact the internet and computing has had globally
• There are so many things the internet and computing has changed, you
probably have a good idea of the scope of it all by now
[2]
HOW TO STUDY FOR THE TEST
• COURSE AND EXAM DESCRIPTION PDF FILE!!! [2]
• Mainly review the Big Ideas
• Review and Practice in Class
• Practice Tests Online
• Albert works great if you have it [3]
• Don’t accidentally study for AP Computer Science Principles A
CAN YOU PASS THE TEST?
• In 2016
• 20.8% of test-takers earned the top score of 5
• 20.5% earned a score of 4
• 23.1% received a score of 3
• 12.5% got a score of 2
• 23.1% received a 1
• 2 years ago when I took the test:
• 100% of out class that took the test passed!
SOURCES
1. https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcource/ap-computer-
science-principles/about-the-exam
2. https://secure-
media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap-computer-
science-principles-course-and-exam-description.pdf
3. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.albert.io/blog/ap-
computer-science-principles-cource-flexibility/amp/