(Pretty sure this belongs here, all with the other programming languages topics)

Have any of you taken the APCS test? I want to take it, but I don't know if I should.
Any tips/sharing of experiences would be great. My friend took it and he got a 4.

It's tested in Java, so I'll need to learn that. Any good resources for that?

If you're going to learn java, I highly suggest using Greenfoot. It is pure Java programming but has a user-friendly interface for beginners. It is typed Java code and everything. If you want the best tutorials for it, check out The Joy of Code. They are video tutorials by one of the creators, and he's part of a university. He describes everything so well! There are about 35 video tutorials. Start with 1. It may seem slow and long, but I can almost guarantee these videos will help you to remember Java correctly.

turkey3 wrote:

If you're going to learn java, I highly suggest using Greenfoot. It is pure Java programming but has a user-friendly interface for beginners. It is typed Java code and everything. If you want the best tutorials for it, check out The Joy of Code. They are video tutorials by one of the creators, and he's part of a university. He describes everything so well! There are about 35 video tutorials. Start with 1. It may seem slow and long, but I can almost guarantee these videos will help you to remember Java correctly.

OK, thanks. I'll try those when I get home.

I forgot to mention that my school doesn't offer the course.

The Java AP is case-study-based, so besides learning Java you have to get this year's case study info from the College Board web site. (That is, some questions ask you to analyze or modify some piece of a particular project.)

In spring 2017 you can take the new “AP CS: Principles” based in part on our course using Snap!.

bharvey wrote:

The Java AP is case-study-based, so besides learning Java you have to get this year's case study info from the College Board web site. (That is, some questions ask you to analyze or modify some piece of a particular project.)

In spring 2017 you can take the new “AP CS: Principles” based in part on our course using Snap!.

D: spring 2017!
Last time I checked it was may 2016! well, sadly I'm graduating in 2016, so…

I do have Barron's book, but that's mostly review and practice tests, and isn't as extensive with details as I'd like. I think learning java will be the hardest part (this object and classes and methods things are getting to me, but at least I know basics like if and for loops), so hopefully the greenfoot tutorials will be of help (still haven't found the time to check those out…)