APComputerScience

THE

GUIDEFOR

First-Timers

Recollected by Chloe Choi

Hi. My name is Chloe Choi. I am currently a senior at Seoul International School.

I made this guide for new computer science studentsto share my passion.

First of all, why do I like computer science?

and my dad is an engineer.Well..I’ve always loved playing games,

interestInComputerScience = games && engineerFather;

My school only had one class related to Computer science.

But…. my school wasn’t so advanced in this areacompared to math or literature.

So I didn’t have much resources and it was pretty tough to get the hang of Computer Science in the beginning.

Therefore, I want to help you see that Computer Science isn’t hard and actually pretty fun if you start off with the right foot.

I will give you my tips and tricks to makeComputer Science fun and easy.

THE GOAL IS TO THINK LIKE A COMPUTER

RULE #1 : No IDEs

Memorize the syntax. Coding requires very strict syntax, keywords, and structures.

Do not use an IDE Integrated development environment. For the first portion of your road to computer science at least,use any type of text program like text editor, sublime, and atom.

RULE #2 : Learn and THINK

Definitions tells the fundamental principles. You need to master the basics, even if it seems mundane, before youcan create more complicated code.

How efficiently can I accomplish this?Computer Science is all about thinking critically and finding the best method to solve a problem.

RULE #3 : Write it Down

Break up your thinking.Computers can do everything in its head but we can’t. Get a pencil and paperand write down what each line is doing if you’re stuck.

Write your code thinking in JAVA language. We’re writing code for a machine! Try thinking how a computer wouldapproach this code.

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RULE #4 : Practice!!

It’s called a programming LANGUAGE.Just like Spanish or Japanese, if you don’t write code in a while, you’ll forget. Make sure to practice often.

Create programs.Try creating a simple calculator or unit converter. Try to push the limit as to what you can make with your code.

JAVA

Now with the rules in mind, lets look at how you should study.

Learn new conceptsfrom books or online sources

Write/Practice codes

Solve past tests Review the tests

BEFORE 2 MONTHS

STUDY PLAN

Your numbers will now start from 0It’s simple, you will now count 0, 1, 2…

Important TIPS

Make your own algorithms While coding, you’ll come across a few algorithms that will be reused. Examples: finding min/max, swap, reverse.Use your logic to make your own algorithm to reuse and save time.

Analyze testsAfter completing a practice test, create an incorrect questions report bypasting the question, identifying which category/unit, and explanation

Curly BracketsWhen your code does not compile, count your curly brackets. It’s alwaysThe curly brackets.

This guide was a combination of my experience and personal tips. Your computer science journey depends on you and how motivated you are.

Once you understand the language andknow how to use it effectively and efficiently,the AP Computer Science test will be very worry freesince it is very straightforward.

DON’T STOP HERE! Keep going. For me, I wrote a paper on clean codeand continued my computer science career by taking the Java 8 OCA test.

Excellent