AP Computer Science A: Difference between revisions

'''Advanced Placement''' ('''AP''') '''Computer Science A''' (also known as '''AP CompSci''', '''AP CompSci A''', '''APCSA''', '''AP Computer Science Applications''', or '''AP Java''') is an [[AP Computer Science]] course and examination offered by the [[College Board]] to [[high school]] students as an opportunity to earn college credit for a [[college]]-level [[computer science]] course. AP Computer Science A<ref>[http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/4483.html AP Computer Science A Home Page], The College Board</ref> is meant to be the equivalent of a first-semester course in computer science. The AP exam currently tests students on their knowledge of [[Java (programming language)|Java]].

AP Computer Science emphasizes [[object-oriented programming]] methodology with an emphasis on problem solving and [[algorithm]] development. It also includes the study of data structures and abstraction, but these topics were not covered to the extent that they were covered in AP Computer Science AB. The [[Microsoft]]-sponsored program [[Technology Education and Literacy in Schools]] (TEALS) aims to increase the number of students taking AP Computer Science classes.<ref name="Bishop2012-07-27">{{cite news|last=Bishop |first=Todd |date=2012-07-27 |title=Geek of the Week: Kevin Wang is putting computer scientists into high schools |url=http://www.geekwire.com/2012/kevin-wang/ |newspaper=[[GeekWire]] |access-date=2015-07-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705232946/http://www.geekwire.com/2012/kevin-wang/ |archive-date=2015-07-05 |url-status=live }}</ref>

|[[Primitive types in Java|Primitive Types]]

|[[Object (computer science)|Using Objects]]

|[[Boolean expression|Boolean Expressions]] and [[If statement|if Statements]]

|[[Iteration]]

|Writing [[Class (computer programming)|Classes]]

|[[Array (data structure)|Array]]

|[[ArrayList]]

|[[Inheritance (object-oriented programming)|Inheritance]] and [[Polymorphism (computer science)|Polymorphism]]

|[[Recursion (computer science)|Recursion]]

====Large Integer case study (1994-1999)====

The Large Integer case study was in use prior to 2000. It was replaced by the Marine Biology case study.

The case study was designed to allow the [[College Board]] to quickly test a student's knowledge of [[object oriented programming]] ideas such as [[Inheritance (object-oriented programming)|inheritance]] and [[encapsulation (computer science)|encapsulation]] while requiring students to understand how objects such as "the environment", "the fish", and the simulation's control module interact with each other without having to develop the entire environment independently, which would be quite time-consuming. The case study also gives all students taking the AP Computer Science exams with a common experience from which to draw additional test questions.

'''GridWorld''' is a computer program case study written in [[Java (programming language)|Java]] that was used with the [[AP Computer Science]] program from 2008 to 2014.<ref>Horstmann, Cay. [http://gridworld.info/ "GridWorld".] ''horstmann.com''. Accessed September 15, 2008.</ref> It serves as an example of [[object-oriented programming]] (OOP). GridWorld succeeded the [[Advanced Placement Computer Science#Marine Biology Case Study|Marine Biology Simulation Case Study]], which was used from 2000–2007. The GridWorld framework was designed and implemented by Cay Horstmann, based on the Marine Biology Simulation Case Study. The narrative was produced by Chris Nevison and Barbara Cloud Wells, [[Colgate University]].

**The GridWorld Case Study employs an Actor class to construct objects in the grid. The Actor class manages the object's color, direction, location, what the object does in the simulation, and how the object interacts with other objects.

**Actors are broken down into the classes "Flower", "Rock", "Bug", and "Critter", which inherit the Actor class and often override certain methods (most notably the Act method). Flowers can't move, and when forced to Act, they become darker. Flowers are dropped by Bugs and eaten by Critters. Rocks are also immobile and aren't dropped or eaten. Bugs move directly ahead of themselves, unless blocked by a rock or another bug, in which case the Bug will make a 45 degree turn and try again. They drop flowers in every space they occupy, eat flowers that are directly on their space of grid, and are consumed by Critters. Critters move in a random direction to a space that isn't occupied by a Rock or other Critter and consume Flowers and Bugs.

Instead of the discontinued case studies, the College Board created three new labs that instructors are invited to use, but they are optional and are not tested on the exam. There are no questions on the specific content of the labs on the AP exam, but there are questions that test the concepts developed in the labs. The three labs are:<ref name="labreq">{{cite web | url=http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/221994.html | title=New Computer Science A Lab Requirement | access-date=10 July 2014}}</ref>

Before 1999, the AP exam tested students on their knowledge of [[Pascal Programming Language|Pascal]]. From 1999 to 2003, the exam tested students on their knowledge of [[C++]] instead. Since 2003, the AP Computer Science exam has tested students on their knowledge of computer science through [[Java (programming language)|Java]].

Prior to 2015, the exam was composed of two sections, consisting of the following times:

In the 2023 administration, 94,438 students took the exam. The mean score was a 3.21 with a standard deviation of 1.50. The grade distributions since 2003 were:

!2010<ref>"[https://reports.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/Student-Score-Distributions-2010_1.pdf Student Score Distributions]" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.</ref>

!2011<ref>"[https://reports.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/AP-Student-Score-Distributions-2011_1.pdf Student Score Distributions]" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.</ref>

!2015<ref>"[https://reports.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/Student-Score-Distributions-2015_1.pdf Student Score Distributions]" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.</ref>

!2016<ref>"[https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/research/2016/Student-Score-Distributions-2016.pdf Student Score Distributions]" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.</ref>

!2017<ref>"[https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/research/2017/Student-Score-Distributions-2017.pdf Student Score Distributions]" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.</ref>

!2018<ref>{{cite web|url=https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/research/2018/Student-Score-Distributions-2018.pdf | title=Student Score Distributions, AP Exams - May 2018 | website=The College Board | access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref>

!2019<ref>"[https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/research/2019/Student-Score-Distributions-2019.pdf Student Score Distributions]" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.</ref>

!2021<ref>"[https://reports.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/2021-ap-student-score-distributions_1.pdf Student Score Distributions]" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.</ref>

!2022<ref>"[https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-score-distributions-by-subject-2022.pdf Student Score Distributions]" (PDF). Retrieved October 1, 2023.</ref>

!2023<ref>"[https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-score-distributions-by-subject-2023.pdf STUDENT SCORE DISTRIBUTIONS]" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.</ref>

!2024<ref>{{Cite web |last=Total Registration |date=2024-06-25|title=2024 AP Exam Score Distributions |url=https://www.totalregistration.net/AP-Exam-Registration-Service/AP-Exam-Score-Distributions.php |access-date=2024-06-27|website=www.totalregistration.net}}</ref>

|20.8%

|24.2%

|26.7%

|23.9%

|27.3%

|26.8%

|24%

|20.5%

|21.2%

|21.9%

|21.9%

|20.4%

|22.4%

|15.2%

|23.1%

|21.8%

|21.0%

|19.3%

|19.9%

|18.8%

|7.2%

|11.9%

|11.9%

|12.1%

|10.4%

|9.5%

|11%

|28.5%

|23.1%

|21.5%

|20.4%

|18.4%

|22.8%

|22.1%

|22.5%

|23%

|65.0%

|64.5%

|67.0%

|67.8%

|69.6%

|65.1%

|67.5%

|68.0%

|66%

|3.04

|3.15

|3.26

|3.12

|3.20

|3.21

|3.13

|1.48

|1.50

|1.50

|1.48

| 48,994

|60,519

|74,676

|77,753

|94,438

|

|73.0%

|5,105