Anonymous wrote:9th: AP Gov
10th: AP US History, CompSci, language if you took 3 years in middle school

Our middle does 1A and B over two years now so 10th grade is Honors 4. Most kids will take 5 in 11th before AP in 12th. Which schools are on the AP at year four track for French or Spanish?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How hard is AP Computer Science with Java?

APs are never hard for kids actually interested in the topic, so it depends on what your kid likes. Unless things have changed recently, MCPS does not accept AP Java for the required graduation tech credit.

My DS counselor was able to use a "special code" so that AP Java would count for tech credit.

Don't most AP Java students take FOCS or APCSP first, either of which already meets the graduation requirement?

9th: AP Gov
10th: AP US History, CompSci, language if you took 3 years in middle school

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How hard is AP Computer Science with Java?

APs are never hard for kids actually interested in the topic, so it depends on what your kid likes. Unless things have changed recently, MCPS does not accept AP Java for the required graduation tech credit.

My DS counselor was able to use a "special code" so that AP Java would count for tech credit.

Thanks. Which school? That would help others to track down the code if their own counseling department is oblivious or intransigent.

Anonymous wrote:One to three, I would say for highly selective college admissions. I think two is about right. But I’m only talking about those aiming for highly selective colleges. For many kids, it’ll be their first year trying one and that’s great.

Agree with this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How hard is AP Computer Science with Java?

APs are never hard for kids actually interested in the topic, so it depends on what your kid likes. Unless things have changed recently, MCPS does not accept AP Java for the required graduation tech credit.

My DS counselor was able to use a "special code" so that AP Java would count for tech credit.

Most of my kid’s magnet classmates had completed 7-8 AP tests or so by the end of sophomore year, among which only 2 (apush and gov) have corresponding AP classes. Quite a few self-studied ap env, ap psy, ap macro and ap micro, and one kid self-studied ap physics C and got 5 on both.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How hard is AP Computer Science with Java?

APs are never hard for kids actually interested in the topic, so it depends on what your kid likes. Unless things have changed recently, MCPS does not accept AP Java for the required graduation tech credit.

Which is a joke born of a position disfavoring advancement/acceleration opportunity. I think that some schools have been able to get around this by coding registration of the course differently. Of course, that probably happens among the usual suspect schools with larger cohorts of families pushing for that (and sympathetic school administrations), only widening the divide that MCPS would seek to narrow.

Better would be for MCPS to submit the course to MSDE for blanket tech credit approval, then ensure it is offered at each HS with appropriate guidance regarding student preparatio, as they should have done years back.

One to three, I would say for highly selective college admissions. I think two is about right. But I’m only talking about those aiming for highly selective colleges. For many kids, it’ll be their first year trying one and that’s great.

Anonymous wrote:I think the class isn’t so hard but the exam is very hard.

No. If you experience this, it means the instructor was too lax! DS had that situation in his online AP Calc AB class during the pandemic: he didn't realize the teacher was glossing over the harder bits of the class, and he got a low score on the exam. After that, he was proactive in checking with the College Board curriculum and taking practice tests.

A good AP teacher will put students through exam-level homework and tests all throughout the year and not miss any unit of instruction.

I think the class isn’t so hard but the exam is very hard.

Anonymous wrote:How hard is AP Computer Science with Java?

APs are never hard for kids actually interested in the topic, so it depends on what your kid likes. Unless things have changed recently, MCPS does not accept AP Java for the required graduation tech credit.

How hard is AP Computer Science with Java?

No. It depends on the student, their interests, and their college goals.

Is there a recommended number of APs that kids could/should take by grade?