October 31, 2023

Students interested in technology have a challenging new course to consider: AP Principles of Computer Science. Science teacher Matt Morgan is leading Copley’s first advanced placement class in the field of computer technology. 

AP Principles of Computer Science offers a less traditionally structured class than most other AP courses. The curriculum is primarily based on Harvard University’s CS50X course, the gold standard for introductory computer science.  

“It was a class that the administration wanted to offer and they put feelers out on who would be interested,” Morgan said. “I feel really grateful they chose me.” 

Morgan believes that the class can have a significant impact on students’ lives by providing them with a practical skill to take into the job market or into higher academics. 

“If you go into any STEM field right now, half your job is coding,” Morgan said. “So much stuff is going to be so reliant on machine learning or [artificial intelligence].” 

Junior Andrew Pudlowski agrees that it will help students in their future careers.

“The class teaches programming languages, which are widely used in the computer science field,” Pudlowski said. “These languages allow you to build a portfolio rather easily for your future employers. We’ve been learning the syntax of the C programming [language] as well as algorithms.” 

Morgan has had to overcome several obstacles in trailblazing the course at Copley.

“I feel stressed out by it,” Morgan said. “There’s way more pressure to make sure that everyone gets a three on the AP exam so that the class is worth their time.”

Most colleges and universities will accept a score of three or higher on an AP exam as a substitute for course credit. While most students choose AP courses for the intellectual challenge, a significant number intend to save money on postsecondary tuition through their exam score.