WJ computer science

[Anonymous]

Which course is best for 9th grader serious in CS?
AP courses don’t necessarily seem to be the right ones to take...
The WJ courses are as follows:
AP Computer Science Principles #
AP Computer Science Principles PW (CTE Pathway)
Computer Programming 1 (Concurrent H. Geometry)
Foundations of Computer Science #
Web Site Development (Web Design, Level 1)

[Anonymous]

I would check with the school to see if one class is a prerequisite for another. For instance, AP CS principles is a prerequisite of AP CS Java.

How lucky your kid is to have so many CS class options. My kid’s school only offers the AP CS courses.

[Anonymous]

WJ actually used to offer even more options with a Computer Programming level 3 that students could take after AP. It would be nice if they brought that back in the future.

For a serious CS student I would recommend skipping AP CS Principles and take the following:

9th grade - Computer Programming 1 (and maybe also Foundations of Computer Science since it is the only CS class that counts towards the tech ed requirement).
10th grade - AP Computer Programming
11th - Web Dev (a basic class but by 11th grade your student will be taking more hard core science classes and will enjoy the break)
12th - Advanced Web Dev

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WJ actually used to offer even more options with a Computer Programming level 3 that students could take after AP. It would be nice if they brought that back in the future.

For a serious CS student I would recommend skipping AP CS Principles and take the following:

9th grade - Computer Programming 1 (and maybe also Foundations of Computer Science since it is the only CS class that counts towards the tech ed requirement).
10th grade - AP Computer Science (JAVA)
11th - Web Dev (a basic class but by 11th grade your student will be taking more hard core science classes and will enjoy the break)
12th - Advanced Web Dev

Sorry, fixed that one

[Anonymous]

As a professional programmer, I kind of imagine web dev today is like typing was to me as a kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WJ actually used to offer even more options with a Computer Programming level 3 that students could take after AP. It would be nice if they brought that back in the future.

For a serious CS student I would recommend skipping AP CS Principles and take the following:

9th grade - Computer Programming 1 (and maybe also Foundations of Computer Science since it is the only CS class that counts towards the tech ed requirement).
10th grade - AP Computer Programming
11th - Web Dev (a basic class but by 11th grade your student will be taking more hard core science classes and will enjoy the break)
12th - Advanced Web Dev

No, you cant skip it, because it is the only one that counts as a tech credit (FOCS and FOT do too, but those are definitely not worth it). Unless of course you want to just pop $600 and take FOCS online in the summer after 8th grade to get the tech credit out of the way. (We did this for my RMIB magnet student with zero interest in tech).

[Anonymous]

And AP Computer Science Principles is a pre-req for AP Computer Science (JAVA)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And AP Computer Science Principles is a pre-req for AP Computer Science (JAVA)

Not at WJ it isn't:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/wjhs/coursebook/COMPUTER%20SCIENCE%20DEPARTMENT.pdf

The only prerequisite to AP CS (Java) is Computer Programming 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And AP Computer Science Principles is a pre-req for AP Computer Science (JAVA)

Not at WJ it isn't:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/wjhs/coursebook/COMPUTER%20SCIENCE%20DEPARTMENT.pdf

The only prerequisite to AP CS (Java) is Computer Programming 1.

My kid says it’s a new College Board rule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And AP Computer Science Principles is a pre-req for AP Computer Science (JAVA)

Not at WJ it isn't:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/wjhs/coursebook/COMPUTER%20SCIENCE%20DEPARTMENT.pdf

The only prerequisite to AP CS (Java) is Computer Programming 1.

Agreed. My school doesn't have Programming 1, so it wasn't listed as a possible pre-req. MCPS Course Bulletin lists either AP Computer Science Principles or Computer Programming 1 as the pre-requisite for AP Computer Science (JAVA).
http://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseDetails/Index/2901

However, it doesn't change the fact that all students still need a tech credit, and currently there are only three courses available county-wide that satisfy this state requirement: FOT, FOCS, and AP Comp Sci (IED is available in some schools).

[Anonymous]

AI/data science/dev pro here. I’d strongly urge an intended cs major to take the principles course. A few reasons

* cs is much more than programming. Java is a language used mainly to write large middleware programs. The microservices/cloud future will deemphasize it. Most serious cs research is coded in c or python.

* data + algorithms = programs. Learning the fundamentals of data structures and how they are transformed is the most important skill in cs. (It’s also the most interviewed skill.)

* programming is becoming a commodity the valuable skills are in going from data to actionable information. Python is the language of data science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AI/data science/dev pro here. I’d strongly urge an intended cs major to take the principles course. A few reasons

* cs is much more than programming. Java is a language used mainly to write large middleware programs. The microservices/cloud future will deemphasize it. Most serious cs research is coded in c or python.

* data + algorithms = programs. Learning the fundamentals of data structures and how they are transformed is the most important skill in cs. (It’s also the most interviewed skill.)

* programming is becoming a commodity the valuable skills are in going from data to actionable information. Python is the language of data science.

Thank you for this info. I’m not OP, but my kid is interested in CS and applied math for possible college major, and I don’t really understand either area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AI/data science/dev pro here. I’d strongly urge an intended cs major to take the principles course. A few reasons

* cs is much more than programming. Java is a language used mainly to write large middleware programs. The microservices/cloud future will deemphasize it. Most serious cs research is coded in c or python.

* data + algorithms = programs. Learning the fundamentals of data structures and how they are transformed is the most important skill in cs. (It’s also the most interviewed skill.)

* programming is becoming a commodity the valuable skills are in going from data to actionable information. Python is the language of data science.

This is valuable input, thank you! I have a 4th grader who has some knowledge of Java and python. He wants to go in computer science and I'll make sure to follow your advice!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AI/data science/dev pro here. I’d strongly urge an intended cs major to take the principles course. A few reasons

* cs is much more than programming. Java is a language used mainly to write large middleware programs. The microservices/cloud future will deemphasize it. Most serious cs research is coded in c or python.

* data + algorithms = programs. Learning the fundamentals of data structures and how they are transformed is the most important skill in cs. (It’s also the most interviewed skill.)

* programming is becoming a commodity the valuable skills are in going from data to actionable information. Python is the language of data science.

I looked at statistics of popular professions recently. I can say that the web developer is still at the highest levels and the demand for this work is not falling. I'm working with a Canadian company now - https://www.globalgraphicswebdesign.com/ I had time to chat with the guys who make the site for me. There are very different specialists there and it cannot be said that Java will limit someone in 5 years.

[Anonymous]

Web developer is in high demand, but, you are competing on a worldwide market, with skilled people from developing countries willing to make a lower wage.