AP Computer Science

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP CS does not fulfill the tech credit? What kind of nonsense is that

Only the AP CS Principles does. I think it covers more foundational CS topics, so it’s more appropriate for the general technology requirement than the AP courses that focus more specifically on programming languages.

Really annoying. If they had told us they could fulfill a tech credit in MS we would have signed up DD for something in MS. The communication from counseling is so terrible.

The communication is terrible because the Middle School administration and counselors think of these classes as interchangeable electives, even when things like World Language and Tech Credit have academic impact in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a course called AP Computer Science PRINCIPLES that is full of freshman. It counts for the tech credit.

True, but you won't learn anything useful, nor will any credible college award AP credit for it.

It's no less useful than FOCS or FOT.

Which is why MCPS should get rid of the stupid requirement and add a credit by exam option for college-bound students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a course called AP Computer Science PRINCIPLES that is full of freshman. It counts for the tech credit.

True, but you won't learn anything useful, nor will any credible college award AP credit for it.

It's no less useful than FOCS or FOT.

Which is why MCPS should get rid of the stupid requirement and add a credit by exam option for college-bound students.

It's a Maryland state graduation requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a course called AP Computer Science PRINCIPLES that is full of freshman. It counts for the tech credit.

True, but you won't learn anything useful, nor will any credible college award AP credit for it.

It's no less useful than FOCS or FOT.

Which is why MCPS should get rid of the stupid requirement and add a credit by exam option for college-bound students.

It's a Maryland state graduation requirement.

Nope.
MD requires:
"Computer science, engineering, or technology education —
one credit that includes the study of computers and algorithmic processes or the application of knowledge, tools, and skills to solve practical problems and extend human capabilities"

MCPS decides what satisfies the tech credit.

https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Documents/2022/0222/COMAR13A.03.02GraduationRequirements.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a course called AP Computer Science PRINCIPLES that is full of freshman. It counts for the tech credit.

True, but you won't learn anything useful, nor will any credible college award AP credit for it.

It's no less useful than FOCS or FOT.

Which is why MCPS should get rid of the stupid requirement and add a credit by exam option for college-bound students.

It's a Maryland state graduation requirement.

Nope.
MD requires:
"Computer science, engineering, or technology education —
one credit that includes the study of computers and algorithmic processes or the application of knowledge, tools, and skills to solve practical problems and extend human capabilities"

MCPS decides what satisfies the tech credit.

https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Documents/2022/0222/COMAR13A.03.02GraduationRequirements.pdf

Probably in the minority, but I wish they had more options that would help students in college or jobs that aren't focused on engineering and coding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a course called AP Computer Science PRINCIPLES that is full of freshman. It counts for the tech credit.

True, but you won't learn anything useful, nor will any credible college award AP credit for it.

It's no less useful than FOCS or FOT.

Which is why MCPS should get rid of the stupid requirement and add a credit by exam option for college-bound students.

It's a Maryland state graduation requirement.

Nope.
MD requires:
"Computer science, engineering, or technology education —
one credit that includes the study of computers and algorithmic processes or the application of knowledge, tools, and skills to solve practical problems and extend human capabilities"

MCPS decides what satisfies the tech credit.

https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Documents/2022/0222/COMAR13A.03.02GraduationRequirements.pdf

Probably in the minority, but I wish they had more options that would help students in college or jobs that aren't focused on engineering and coding.

I think some of the HS that have a more vocational focus have some tech credits that might be more vocational in nature.
It’s really ridiculous that McPS doesn’t allow AP Java to count for this credit. Two of my kids have now taken AP Comp Sci principals and declared it the most easy useless class ever. They’re wasting a whole year’s class because the state won’t allow them to satisfy the requirement with something moderately useful. Java isn’t all that great either but at least there’s more substance the comp sci principals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a course called AP Computer Science PRINCIPLES that is full of freshman. It counts for the tech credit.

True, but you won't learn anything useful, nor will any credible college award AP credit for it.

It's no less useful than FOCS or FOT.

Which is why MCPS should get rid of the stupid requirement and add a credit by exam option for college-bound students.

It's a Maryland state graduation requirement.

Nope.
MD requires:
"Computer science, engineering, or technology education —
one credit that includes the study of computers and algorithmic processes or the application of knowledge, tools, and skills to solve practical problems and extend human capabilities"

MCPS decides what satisfies the tech credit.

https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Documents/2022/0222/COMAR13A.03.02GraduationRequirements.pdf

Probably in the minority, but I wish they had more options that would help students in college or jobs that aren't focused on engineering and coding.

I think some of the HS that have a more vocational focus have some tech credits that might be more vocational in nature.
It’s really ridiculous that McPS doesn’t allow AP Java to count for this credit. Two of my kids have now taken AP Comp Sci principals and declared it the most easy useless class ever. They’re wasting a whole year’s class because the state won’t allow them to satisfy the requirement with something moderately useful. Java isn’t all that great either but at least there’s more substance the comp sci principals.

+1
I have a hard time believing someone could make a decision to allow AP CS Principles to be a tech credit but not regular AP CS. I think DD is going to go this route to or else waste a whole summer on a tech credit throwaway class. I don't understand why they waste students' time like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your student didn't fulfill their tech credits for graduation in middle school, they should check the current requirements. When my current junior was registering a couple of years ago, AP CS Principles was the only AP that fulfilled that tech credit for graduation. Otherwise, they'd have had to take one of the basic tech classes in order to graduate.

AP CSP at least had some challenging elements (but definitely wasn't all that difficult or stressful), and showed some rigor for college applications.

Yeah, my junior took AP CS with Java and we assumed since it was the follow up to AP CSP it would count. It did not. Kid ended up taking one of the tech classes. Silly, but we shouldn’t have assumed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of 9th graders take AP CS at our school.

Our kid did and said it wasn't very hard.

My kid is at QO and they wouldn’t allow this. Had to slog through AP CSP and a Programming class. Wish they realized how much they are hurting kids college applications with this.

[Anonymous]

I also hate the “oh just take it during the summer philosophy”. Kids shouldn’t have to give up their summers to slog thru stupid stuff. My kid is doing scouts camp where he will honestly learn a lot more and develop better skills and I don’t want to give that up to take dumb summer school.
Wish you could test out of some of those dumb state or McPS requirements.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if someone would be willing to try switching to homeschool at the end of senior year and then graduating their senior without the tech credit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also hate the “oh just take it during the summer philosophy”. Kids shouldn’t have to give up their summers to slog thru stupid stuff. My kid is doing scouts camp where he will honestly learn a lot more and develop better skills and I don’t want to give that up to take dumb summer school.
Wish you could test out of some of those dumb state or McPS requirements.

I hope you stamped your foot after making this comment. Those dumb Mcps people!