AP Computer Science
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| Hi. I am a rising senior in high school and my course selections were already made in February. Recently, I have been interested in the field of national security and intelligence. While filling out my course registration this winter,I had a humanities major in mind like public policy. As a result, I wasn’t really thinking of picking courses that are technology based. There’s this program at IU that I am really interested in that involves cybersecurity and technological skills. To enhance my application to this program, I feel that it would be best for me to take AP Computer Science Principles(it’s the only AP Computer Science course offered at my school). It would also be great to have some sort of a technology foundation before entering college, especially in the field of intelligence and data where cybersecurity skills are a plus while looking for jobs in CIA, FBI etc. The course that I am currently scheduled to take for my science requirement next year is Anatomy and Physiology Honors. Although this is useful, it is more of a course geared towards those interested in the medical field. Since that is not near my interests, it is worth for me to switch over to AP Computer Science Principles and does it look as good and rigorous as Anatomy Honors when applying to college. Many students seem to take AP CompSci as an elective course. Since this would be my core science class next year, would it suffice? Thank you and sorry for the lengthy post! |
Anonymous
| I wouldn't switch it for a core science. Can you swap out a different elective? Or add it as an elective? |
Anonymous
|
Computer science courses are generally not considered a science course and seem unlikely to satisfy science course requirements.
No matter where you attend college, you can and should try to fit in some computer science courses. Cybersecurity is not an unusual focus within a comp sci major/minor - you should be able to find plenty of schools that offer some relevant courses. If your high school offers any other comp sci courses, such as an intro to programming, I think that would be more useful than AP CSA. |
Anonymous
| My son took CS-P. From what I understand there is little, if any, technical knowledge gained. It may be the easiest AP course and college admissions are certainly aware of this. Your school doesn't offer CS-A, but perhaps programming? If time allows you could also consider Coursera. |
Anonymous
*CSP, sorry for typo |
Anonymous
| Speaking as a computer scientist who works in security (although technical/development more than policy/humanities side), AP CompSci isn't very well regarded. You would be better suited taking an intro CS course when you start college. I can't speak to the college admissions aspect very well, but from a professional point of view, you'll want to do CS in college even if you take it in high school. |
Anonymous
| My kids took AP Computer Science Principles for their technology credit. It is not very challenging, and I don't think it would be a strong choice for a core science class. However, it does seem like a potential useful elective to support your new interests. Do you have the ability to take it in place of a different elective? |
Anonymous
|
FYI I believe there are some robust scholarships for cybersecurity.
My son is currently a CS major finishing his freshman year - he took 13 AP's but ironically didn't do AP Computer Science... instead he had taken various other programming courses in middle school and high school, i.e. Python boot camp, Javascript course and things like that. He did quite well in his freshman year aside from the wrinkles they threw at incoming students to intentionally make it harder, like not allowing built-in Java functions to be used (code all from scratch) and not allowing students to use modern IDEs (only vim/emacs allowed). |
Anonymous
| Another suggestion- look into NVCC STEM summer camps; they have several different cybersecurity week long camps which are online over the summer for HS students which are affordable. This might give you the exposure to the field of cybersecurity. |
Anonymous
| GMU has the seventh highest ranking by the Ponemon Institute for Cybersecurity camp |
Anonymous
|
Do you need a 4th year of hard science to graduate? In MCPS you only need 3 years of hard science- that having been said, many students take a 4th year. AP Why are you enrolled in anatomy - is it of interest to you, or do you need it to graduate? CSP will not fill a hard science requirement. It does fulfill the MD state technology grad requirement. Can you fit both classes in your schedule? If not, and if you don’t “need” either class to graduate, I suspect colleges won’t give more weight to one over the other, as one is honors and the other is AP although considered one of the easier APs.
As others have said, AP CSP is not considered an especially rigorous AP class. But, my DC had zero coding experience so found it a useful foundational class before she went to college. Like you, she is interested in exploring comp sci classes in college, but was intimidated because she felt many of her peers already had some coding experience from summer camps, personal online interests, etc. (and most students in her class did have coding background and were only taking AP CSP in order to move onto more advanced AP comp sci classes, but a lot of the class is collaborative projects so it was great for her to learn from peers). If you were my child, my suggestion would be to talk to your guidance counselor, explain your thoughts, and get their recommendation as to whether not taking a 4th year of hard science would be considered a negative, and which of the 2 classes they would recommend to you. |