How Can I Get a 5 in AP Computer Science Principles?

Introducing APCSP 🗣️

APCSP is a relatively small class 👨‍🏫 with a few resources online, but there are some amazing ones like Fiveable that are here to help! If you can practice for the exam and use these tips, then you should be all set to do awesome 🤩 on your Create PT and ace your MCQ exam.

4 Tips for a Five

#1: Know the Exam 1️⃣

The APCSP 💻 exam is formatted as follows:

Section 1: The Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

For the MCQ section, you will be given:

• 120 Minutes (2 Hours)
• To Answer 70 MCQs This section is weighted at 70% of your exam score so make sure to study before the AP Exam Start Time!

Another important thing to know about the MCQ 🧐 section of your exam is that there are different big ideas and computational practices weighted on your exam! We've broken them down for you:

🏋️‍♂️ APCSP MCQ Unit Weighting

There are five Big Ideas in AP Computer Science Principles that are tested on the AP Exam. You can reference this table to see which units you should study 📖 the most and least:  

Big Idea MCQ Weighting

There are also five Computational Thinking Practices in the APCSP exam. If you don't recognize these names, don't worry too much, these are mostly for teachers to spiral these themes through the Big Ideas! Check these out with the practice questions ✍️ later: 

Computational Thinking Practice MCQ Weighting

Section 2: The Create Performance Task (PT)

The other 30% of your exam score will come from Section two, so make sure to check out all of our information about the Create PT 💾 (Performance Task):

📝 Read: AP Computer Science Principles - Create PT Help 

This section will not 🚫 be tested during your AP Exam, but you will instead be given 12 hours of class-time to work on your coding masterpiece 🎉

#2: Don't Procrastinate the Performance Task 2️⃣

You have a whole year to create and write about a program of your choosing! Don't put it off until April or May 📅 because all of your work (including studying for other AP exams) will stack up 📚

#3: Practice with Pseudocode 3️⃣

On the Multiple Choice section, about 30% of the problems will have pseudocode in the questions or answers! It is a programming language 📢 that can't actually be used in any coding tool but is easily read and understood.

The pseudocode language is basically a combination of a block-based 🧱 language (Scratch, Alice, etc.) and a basic typing language (Python, JS, etc.). While you will get a reference sheet on exam day, we highly recommend trying to learn and practice with pseudocode before exam day so you don't have to waste time reading and tracing while you translate 💹 then! Check out this great reference sheet 📝 from the College Board to get a glimpse into the language!

On the Reference Sheet for Pseudocode, there are eight code categories! These are super useful 🧠 to know so you don't waste valuable time ⏲️ on exam day trying to find the exact line of code in these six pages. Here are the categories to know:

1. Assignment, Display, and Input
2. Arithmetic Operators and Numeric Procedures
3. Rational and Boolean Operators
4. Selection
5. Iteration
6. List Operations (largest category)
7. Procedures and Calls
8. Robot (the most fun 🤪 category!)

#4: Make Flashcards to Review Key Vocab and Concepts 

APCSP 🖥️ is not too content-heavy, but the class focuses more on learning the big picture and narrowing 🔍 in on personal solutions and perspectives! A really important part of the MCQ section, however, is learning and applying fundamental vocab in the context of problems.

A big tip of mine would be to make personal flashcards or maybe just use some awesome Quizlets 🎊 Don't know where to start looking? Check out: 

📝 Read: AP Computer Science Principles - Best Quizlet Decks by Unit

Here are a few important key vocab words 🔊 to get you started:

• Algorithm
• Abstraction
• Compression (Lossy vs. Lossless)
• Computer System
• Digital Divide
• Internet Protocol
• Packets
• Router

Closing Thoughts 💭

Make sure to use all of our tips to be able to get that Five on your APCSP Exam 🙌 When you study with us, your exam is easily Fiveable!