Selected Advice from Students Who Took the Course Before

• "Simply staying focused during class will go a long way in this class. Each lesson is a small fragment to a bigger picture, one day of not paying attention could make you not understand an entire topic. Staying focused during class will make the class very easy for you. If you want extra practice for exams, I recommend the CodingBat assignments. Most of the tests align with the problems you would see on CodingBat."

• "Do CS in your free time as well. It may sound boring but it's quite fun. And you'll learn a lot as well!"

• "Make sure to understand the logical structures behind Java (e.g. recursion, if statements, polymorphism, etc.) by explaining them in your own words (perhaps to fellow students) and creating your own diagrams. That was very helpful to me personally.

For syntax, just do practice on Codingbat or Leetcode. Also do the work Mr. Chen says to do in class on time (preferably as quickly as you can while being correct), they're very helpful for absorbing syntax and versions of those problems usually show up on his exams.

Finally, join Science Olympiad, Math Club, and Reactions. (=^ェ^=)"

• "AP CSA is pretty fun. Enjoy it along with Mr. Chen and you will do well. Work on understanding principles: why Java is coded this way, why Object-Oriented Programming is useful, and so on, and you will be able to infer the details that you would otherwise have to memorize. Unfortunately, some things do have to be memorized, but getting the big picture is the biggest advantage you can get. ALSO, Join Math Bulletin and Reactions and Math Club and Science Olympiad and Quizbowl."

• "All of you will have different backgrounds in Computer Science, some of you might have more or less experience than others. You might find this class easy or hard, but if you're the latter make sure to use every resource available to you. Ask your peers, go to SGI, and most importantly go through the Codingbat, AP Classroom assignments, and review sheets. Remember, there's never any shame in asking for help."

• "Comp sci isn’t hard. Pay attention in class, do the work and you’ll be fine. It requires a certain type of thinking but once you get it it’s pretty easy "

• "Do the coding bat!!!! It’s super useful and helps with the exams and concepts really well."

• "Make sure you fully understand a unit before moving to the next. Or else the rest of the units will be hard to keep up with!"

• "DO NOT cheat on the coding bat homeworks. The problems show up on the tests, and they really help with understanding the topics. Also, watch the AP classroom videos they're genuinely so helpful and will help out with answering his MCQs."

• "Study hard! And study ahead. Watch the ap classroom videos early, and do a lot of AP practice early too. It's perfectly okay to start doing AP practice in January and it will help you prepare"

• "It may get frustrating when trying to understand certain units, but like any other language take your time and practice, really put in time to practice."

• "Don't give up and don't let the work pile up! It's a lot easier to learn and apply the concepts if you pay attention in class and do practice questions on the side. Also make use of online resources -- there are some really good ones out there!"

• "Java can get confusing really quickly, so do your best to take it slow when you can! A few methods you can use to help you understand topics and fix code:

- Rubber Duck Method: explain your code out loud to an inanimate object to identify potential flaws

- Step-by-step: slowly draw out every step of your code on paper, or have someone else do it for you, to identify errors you might have missed. this also helps for test questions asking about the purpose of a method, or what it returns with a given input!

- Personal Projects: apply java to something you're passionate about, or just something in your day-to-day life! try thinking about how to make a videogame based on your favorite characters, create a program to solve complicated math problems, or make a fun photo filter :)

Study if you need to, but try not to just memorize things! Understanding the way in which computers process things will help you so much more."

• "My advice would be to regularly study even if its for a few minutes each day. It will be helpful to review lessons on your commute after school each day a week before your test. I think the ap classroom videos and practice were very helpful so you should do them before the test. Look through Mr.Chen's review sheets and go to sgi if you need help. I found the 5 Steps to a 5 APCSA to be very useful in deepening my understanding of Java so I would recommend using that review book to study and review. To prep for the AP test, I strongly suggest looking at past exam frqs, ap classroom mcqs, and Mr.Chen's tests.  "

• "Don't over exhaust yourself by doing practice problems the day of tests! Some questions are very tedious and if you do practice problems the day of, you will lose your stamina to do the real problems."

• "Make friends in the class. I became friends with the people sitting near me and they helped me so much in CS. "

• "Study for exams and do the ap review questions during the month before your exam."

• "I recommend if you don’t understand something to visually write it out in a format that is easier to understand. For example, writing out the return statements for recursions, charts and lists for arrays. Just try to deconstruct the code"

• "You don't need to study every single detail about every class, you'll learn those naturally by writing code. Don't panic on tests and use logic."

• "Consistency is key, and practice makes perfect. If you're new to CS, its ok to feel overwhelmed by all of the concepts, and they can be hard to get the hang of, but more than anything, practicing on resources such as codingbat is the best way to become a better coder."

• "Coding Bat is your best friend. Try not to senioritis too hard"

• "study, study, study! seriously, those past ap exams and mr chens past tests will really help you prepare! java is not necessarily hard to understand, it just requires a certain type of systematic thinking. it can be easy for some people to transition into it, but if it’s hard for you, come to sgi and do some practice on your own as soon as possible. if you are struggling in one topic, you will struggle in every topic that builds off of that."

• "Always remember to review your notes and practice questions. This class can get confusing easily if you decide to not study. Good luck!"

• "Do your coding bat and the AP Classroom and do not cram. Also do practice problems they are honestly the most effective way to study for the course, it may seem easy while you're still doing binary but when you get to the harder stuff like sorting methods you're going to be glad you did it."

• "If you find it interesting, this class becomes so easy. Make sure you do all the homework, especially the codingbat ones. Learn by doing and good luck!"

• "If you keep up with the classwork and practice, it won't be too difficult to get the hang of java. Cramming doesn't really work with CS but a little bit of practice everyday definitely helps. "

• "There is a slight separation between practice and theory, and you will be tested on both.  Make sure you study both how code works in theory and how to write code."

• "the for loops and string manipulation units are probably the most mentally exhaustive unit. Do not procrastinate homeworks for those units, and sleep well for their tests. But everything else is pretty simple once you get the concepts."

• "Make sure you care about the course. It'll make not just the class itself, but learning, easier and better. And join scioly :)"

• "Try to understand conceptually the material rather than just the steps. Do codingbat, it really helps."

• "Practice the codingbat section of a topic you dont know well "

• "Coding is easy. Developing the thinking skills is hard. Spam codingbats and keep thinking of how to solve challenged you face with code. "

• "Pay attention in class and explore class topics in your study sessions. All topics in Computer Science are closely tied to each other, so you NEED to understand all topics or you're gonna be in trouble."

• "Youtube videos help for studying. You can almost always look up the specific topics and get an in-depth explanation of it, which really helps with the tests."

• "You'll be tempted to do other things on the computer like playing games or doing homework from other classes. DON'T. Pay attention to the lesson and do the classwork or else you might end up falling behind. If you need help understanding something, go to Mr. Chen's or Ms. Qiu's SGI. They are both very helpful and will make sure you understand the material. Good Luck!"

• "There is no substitute for actually doing practice problems. Unless you don't understand a topic at all, its better to spend 30 minutes doing problems instead of 2 hours watching videos."

• "Definitely pay attention in class since this is a class where you slowly build up you knowledge. It’s not like your ordinary math class where u miss a unit and you will still be fine. Every new unit requires stuff you learn from the previous units"

• "Always pay attention in class. Whenever ur confused, ask Mr.Chen."

• "Collaborate with other students during class, it's a good way to catch up and learn things if the lesson is too far ahead."

• "Practice is the best thing you can do to memorize and better understand the language. "

• "Even if you don't have any background in computer science like me before I took this class, it becomes very easy if you do all the codingbat homework and take time to understand the concepts. If you don't understand it in class which is unlikely because Mr. Chen is a great teacher and takes the time to explain core concepts clearly, you should use websites like geeksforgeeks and stackoverflow. The actual questions on the AP CS exam are not hard if you understand the basic concepts of CS; they are just time-consuming. That's all and good luck this year!"

• "In order to truly succeed in this class, you have to understand the basics. The fundamentals will make sure that you are able to grasp the future topics are that are going to show up in the future. Mr. Chen is always willing to help and make sure to do your projects correctly as it helps your grade quite a bit. Take advantage of learning java and other code before hand as it will help you. Just so you know its up to you if you want to learn or not. A great start would be codingbat and practice.it or even LeetCode."

• "You should definitely do codingbat assignments. There are really helpful problems that can increase your understanding of the topics learned. "

• "all you need to do is pay attention during lessons and it’s all pretty easy to comprehend. also, ask questions when you need to."

• "If you are confused about any of the material, don't be shy and ask your teachers or classmates for help either in class or SGI. "

• "The class is pretty all in one (lessons, practice, execution). Follow along with the worksheets and actually do the homework and you will be fine. Everything taught is super useful stuff that you will need in the future - take the class seriously. "

• "Genuinely pay attention and do the Codingbat assignments. It's not busy work and actually helps you fully grasp the material. You won't regret it!"

• "Pay attention from the beginning of the year, and it gets hard so make sure to ask questions or ask the kid next to you. Just try your best and you will see results."

• "Pay attention and make use of your resources. Use Mr. Chen's java notes as study guide they are very helpful and use ap classroom as well for lessons if you forget something and practice. Try to have fun with what you learn because the more you do it and the more you learn the easier it will get and the more fun you will have."

• "If you are stuck on what to utilize in scripting, check the documentation and/or Stack Overflow/Yahoo answers or other Q&A sites about your problem. Try to be specific on your search, it is very likely someone else also had your problem. "

• "Try to practice basic java programs. Also, it is helpful to learn how to read algorithms regardless of language, so you can also learn from others code not in java"

• "its very easy to fall behind in this class. go to sgi if you need help and videos on youtube are very helpful :D"

• "Practice makes perfect! If you struggle with an idea, constantly doing practice will help you drill it down. Codingbat and Practice it are great resources."

• "1. definitely remember what you learned every unit. this course is cumulative, and builds off the information you learned in the previous units. 2. do not underestimate the amount of time certain projects will take. It will take thinking. 3. good luck. "

• "Codingbat is the best resource."

• "Please listen to Mr. Chen when he's teaching. He goes over very important information and material while he talks instead of giving them out in the worksheets. This will definitely help in his tests and in the AP exam. TRUST IN THE PROCESS."

• "If Mr. Chen says it’s important, then it’s important "

• "After you get home make sure to review the material. Daily revisions helps solidify knowledge"

• "Identify topics and questions you struggle with (especially on tests) and keep practicing them on websites like practiceit and codingbat. Coding has a steep learning curve but just stick with it and keep practicing and you'll get used to it. I know a lot of people who hated learning a coding language at first but now love computer science."

• "I would say to do all codingbat and ap classroom assignments. They prepare you for future exams extremely well, and if you do them you’ll have a steady understanding even with no background knowledge. They’re great tools for studying."

• "Java is very conceptually hard to grasp the first time around, so don't feel discouraged if you don't understand it! Learning the basics of object oriented programming is definitely the most important - you should absolutely start w/ that. The course starts out by simple print statements, loops, etc, but I think being familiar with the object oriented side will help with syntax.

The AP exam is not hard coding, just tedious work. The AP exam tests your ability to read code and work through loops (for some reason), not actually writing hard code, or putting code to practical use (typical CollegeBoard). However, it does require you to know the ins and outs of Java - for example, how different data types are stored, class inheritance, etc.

In the end, APCSA is very rewarding and is definitely a vital skill to have as you advance into the future. Although the AP test will be annoying, completely unnecessary, and just a pain to take, the takeaways you get from coding is definitely worthwhile.

Definitely pay attention in class and don't be afraid to ask questions! Stack Overflow is also a good resource if you are confused or just want to learn more about coding. Of course, you can also Google answers to questions or homework problems, but in the end you are just hurting yourself. Spend the time taken for searching for answers, and use it to further your knowledge instead :)

Good luck, and you'll do great! :>

(also join scioly)"

• "Ask questions if you don't understand anything. A lot of the concepts in the class are still used in other units, so you will be very confused if you don't get something."

• "Try to immerse yourself and enjoy the material you are learning, therefore other topics building off of that material can be more easily understood. Focus on the real applications of material from this class in each project and try to go beyond the requirements of those projects."

• "Make sure you pay attention the first 3 months of the class. The basics and basic understandings are really important!"

• "Be organized, make sure you know when you should start studying for the AP test (if you are taking it) and make sure you are consistent with your study plan."

• "Pay attention and when you don’t understand something make sure to ask questions. "

• "Don't doze off in class"

• "Yes, it is easy to Google code and do assignments the easy way. But trust me, if you can't do those by yourself, you will screw yourself over in the end. Do Codingbat and Edhesive properly. "

• "Make sure to learn and practice computer science on your own time. Having a gasp on the coding language will help you with the class."

• "Pay attention in class. It is better to know something off the top of your head than to spend 20 minutes searching for it. You may be able to bs your way through high school but when you enter college and the workforce, the only thing people care about is ability so create a habit of being attentive and engaged. Lastly, Mr. Chen is a very caring and chill teacher so please be respectful and give him the respect he deserves. "

• "I would say to take detailed notes during class. This helped me a lot when I was confused about concepts I didn't understand, because I could refer back to what was said in the lesson to go through the content at my own pace, and because I could use previous lesson notes to help me understand new concepts because new concepts in this class build heavily off of old concepts. Moreover, I found the notes very helpful for studying for the AP test, because I could reference old topics I might've forgotten. Good luck!"

• "Practice as much as you can outside of class! APCS can be a hard class in the beginning, but the more you practice, the more you understand the material. Also, you should not wait until the last minute to ask questions or you may fall behind as the material usually builds on top of one another."

• "Please practice your own coding instead of learning from others. In order to ACE APCS, you must keep practicing writing the java language! Learn and experiment with the functions and methods as well."

• "Do ALL your codingbats. They are extremely helpful!"

• "Codingbat is very useful for practicing problem solving. When doing multiple choice questions, make sure to think out the entire problem"

• "Do the codingbat and practice-it. It will boost your test scores! (Supplement what you learn at school with youtube videos). Also, do not study for tests the day before! Space out your studying, it helps retain the information."

• "Pay attention in class and try to do the CodingBat. It helps a lot and if you want to be more laid back in class doing some ahead allows you to understand the content better."

• "As much as you may think you can get away with talking all the time or being on your phone, you'll also be getting away with a 60 in the class. Pay attention, majorly because it's the polite and correct thing to do, but more importantly, Mr. Chen is an enthusiastic and informative resource that loves every minute of teaching. Giving him the respect he deserves will result in a far more positive result for not only him, but you, the student, as well, as you'll be fully immersed in creative examples/analogies to help simplify complex ideas. Also, keep all the worksheets and actually write on them!"

• "ALWAYS ask Mr. Chen for questions, especially if you are stuck! Do not think that you can let one topic slide, because in the end, you will have to incorporate all the topics together to make programs. Mr. Chen is always understanding and is always willing to take time to help you understand anything. Don't think that it will be embarrassing to ask questions, because they will help you in the end and might help others as well."

• "Try to have fun with Mr. Chen's assignments and projects! It's worth the effort to see how your programs will run, and the feeling when your program works is honestly satisfying. The more you have fun with the assignments, especially with your friends and those around you, the more you will make the most of your time in the class."

• "Do not play games or get distracted with the computers at all. It distracts you and other students who are trying to learn, and it will hurt your grade. Do not underestimate yourself and feel like you "cannot" do coding. Coding is a whole new learning experience that you can enjoy if you make the most of it."

• "As for perspective, many people have not learned coding or even been exposed to it in middle school, myself included. However, the more you immerse yourself into the coding world, the more you will realize that coding is a learning experience that requires effort. It is up to you to decide how you will shape that learning experience. Do you want to work with others and see your code run in action as you learn how the technology around us works? Or do you want to take this class as a "free period" and do whatever you want, missing out on what you could have been creating?"

• "Do NOT think you cannot do coding just because you failed your first test. Coding may come quick for some, but for others, it requires more time to learn how it works. With practice, coding will become easier and more exciting. Coding may be intimidating, but by overcoming that intimidation, you already surpassed the hardest thing that prevents many from trying coding in the first place. You already overcame your fear by signing up for this class, and with that motivation, believe that coding will come to you sooner with more effort, acceptance, and motivation."

• "Focusing in class is extremely helpful. Try doing extra practice problems and reviewing the material daily."

• "My advice would be to study ahead of time. The fact is that the class can move fast at times and delaying your studies especially for coding is damaging. Units in Com Sci build up over time so if you do not understand one topic, the future topic will also be confusing."

• "Do CodingBat. Like everything. Best way to learn is solving problems."

• "You will improve much more if you expose yourself to programming outside of school. It doesn't even have to be Java, just any language."

• "Do all the codingbats and you will be good for the year."

• "Always pay attention in class and do your homework. To prepare for tests, always do the review sheet Mr. Chen provides."

• "- Pay attention to class (I didn't and I regret it); - Make sure you try doing your homework w/o using online resources for answers. Only through this will you reinforce your Dr. Java coding skills."

• "-Pay attention in class; - Do the HW; - Codingbat is V good"

• "Don't be scared if everyone around you understands something you don't. Work hard and you'll succeed, and be sure to ask Mr. Chen questions, he's your best resource!"

• "Good luck, study hard and keep practicing! Never fall behind; Keep yourself on track or else it will hurt badly in the future. Have fun!"

• "You have to study! Actually do your codingbat and Practice-It problems, do NOT just look up the answers online, it's going to hurt you really badly later on."

• "If you find coding to be a bit difficult, try to re-learn the material, and do some practice. Don't worry if you don't get it at first, you will improve as you practice more and look at more examples."

• "APCS A is an amazing fun class. Make sure to do your homework and focus in class. Pro tip: Codingbat is an amazing resource to study!"

• "Finish all your homework and absolutely STUDY for every test!"

• "Don't give up, even if the classwork seems hard, the AP is that much easier."

• "Don't get discouraged, the AP is not very hard. The key to this course is repetition."

• "-SGI is a lot more helpful than you'd think. - Ask questions and put time into practicing. - The beginning of the year can be rough, but the only way to improve is by doing more.  - Don't start projects last minute. If you do, make sure you know how to do them."

• "The learning curve in this course is admittedly very steep. The one major thing I would say is that you should do a lot of practice questions! This is a very different type of class than any you have taken which is why you cannot just memorize stuff but also practice. Honestly, you may do poorly in the beginning but Mr. Chen is really supportive and you will push through and end up learning a very useful language."

• "- Do practice problems! you learn through practice and by doing extra problems outside of class, you will see a HUGE difference in how you perceive computer science. - Pay attention in class! I cannot tell you how valuable class time is. The explanations made in class would make everything coherent and clear for you. You will spend so much more time trying to understand concepts by yourself if you don't pay attention rather than listening in class. - If you don't understand a concept at first, don't worry. Once you understand, everything will seem relatively easy to you."

• "Not doing your homework is not on the AP curriculum."

• "Do not cheat for codingbat. It will affect you negatively in the future."

• "The best way to improve is to always be fluent in the concepts!"

• "-Don't slack off in class. Ignore the temptation of playing on the computer. You'll miss things if you don't pay attention. - Don't look up the answer for your homework or programs online. You won't understand if you cheat concepts."

• "Actually do Codingbat and Pracitce It questions. You'll see them later. I promise!"

• "Friends are an valuable asset to help understand difficult concepts."

• "-Do all and extra exercises on codingbat.   - Read through the textbook.   - Ask clarifying questions."

• "1. Study hard.   2. Don't give up, all the content is learnable.   3. practice."

• "1.   Review the sorting codes.   2. If you have extra time, check your codes by running through them.   3. Practice writing codes by hand.   4. Don't do your homework by copying codes online because some of the codes are used on tests..."

• "Study until you understand the material. That could be 1 hour or 5 hours but study until you get it."

• "Pay attention in class. If you are having trouble with something ask Mr. Chen, a classmate, or look it up at home."

• "do not wait until the night before to start the projects."

• "AP Computer science becomes really easy once you memorize the concepts and rules for compiling programs. Make sure to pay attention in class and review past tests to pick up on past mistakes and misconceptions."

• "Do Practice-It and CodingBat questions regardless if they're assigned for homework. They are your BEST friend for APCS."

• "It may be painful at times but in the end its worth it. Trust me."

• "always try to use online resources. if you have trouble with a topic, There are a lot of good websites and YouTube channels."

• "Dear Computer Science Student,   Welcome to your next year of learning computer science through Java. This is an incredible fun experience, especially if you pay attention and try to understand the concepts being taught. Reviewing before a test does not hurt at all, and in the long run, will help you if you're planning a future job with this course!"

• "You will only enjoy this class if you   1) pay attention in class   2) ask question   3) Do Homework   4) Enjoy what you are doing!!   Good luck!! You'll learn a lot!"

• "Don't get distracted by the computers, pay attention and learn."

• "Just because you are sitting in front of a computer, that doesn't mean you can play games and not pay attention. Pay close attention, and don't hesitate to ask questions. The answers are online, but they are also in your head. Use the answers in your head, or you are only cheating yourself."

• "You'll need a lot of patience. Don't get too frustrated with a code if it doesn't work, ask for help."