#summer cs

[realtalk-tj]

so i want to take ap bio and ap spanish next year (currently a freshman) but i still need to take cs (taking art rn and i wish I could continue). idk whether to take summer chem or summer cs. which one is harder?

Response from Padma:

If you're not interested in chem do not take summer chem. I took it, and even through the online experience, it wasn't an amazing time for me as someone who is a chem nerd. Definitely take summer CS! It is definitely way easier than summer chem and it's more of a chill time. Taking AP Biology junior year is an option if you really want to continue art - I know some people who are doing that, and although it might be a bit rocky at first to remember freshman year bio concepts, you should be able to get into the swing of things fairly quickly. That way, you can take all the classes you need. Gl anon!

[realtalk-tj]

is there a study guide for summer cs? or just cs in general? i havent been able to find anything for unit 3 :// thanks!

Unit 3

Final Study Guide

[realtalk-tj]

Can I become a summer cs TA if I skipped foundations and went directly to APCS by doing the cs placement test?

Response from Flitwick:

I don’t see why not? 

[realtalk-tj]

i have a high A in summer cs rn but i've been consistently getting bs on the quizzes(labs are really carrying). how is the final and do you think i can end with an A? thanks

Response from Penelope:

Ok so a quick disclaimer is that I took foundations cs during the school year (recent) but please correct me if I’m wrong.

Our final wasn’t too bad. It was split into two parts: multiple choice and writing. The multiple choice is just knowing the terminology and paying attention to detail and the annoying garbage along the lines of that, just be careful. Studying for the multiple choice is probably going to be a good use of your time since I found that to be the hardest part of the exam. It’s going to be a bit like your quizzes so look back and make sure you know what you got wrong.

As for the writing portion, my teacher handed out a sample writing final for us to do like a week or so before the final (probably a day or two before for y’all then). Our final was open note, and the sample final was VERY MUCH like the final, and you were allowed to bring your sample final in with you, so it would be extremely helpful for you to do it at home or such because it will make your life very easy, like half of my class finished it in 40 min but the other half took all 2 hours of the exam block to finish it. Pay attention to the rubric!

You’ll probably be able to end with an A as long as you don’t mess up anything super major since cs in general is a p chill class; just pay attention to detail, try to be prepared (like 1. sleep and 2. do at least some semblance of studying), and good luck!! You got this!!

Respose from Cho:

I took summer CS and if you have a high A now, you’ll graduate the course with an A no problem. The final is split in two parts: Multiple Choice (MC) and Free Response (FR). MC is much more challenging than FR so I would advise you study more for the MC section.

[realtalk-tj]

they said summer cs was easy but i'm uhh kinda failing it how do i study for this stuff lmao

Response from Cho:

Summer CS was definitely confusing at first because I was not used to the syntax and java jargon at all. Pretty much everyone finishes summer CS with an A, so you don’t have anything to worry about your grade as long as you peruse the packets! I remember spending my evenings creating quizlets out of the packets and studying them on the bus rides. I also asked my teacher for help as often as I could, and I turned to my neighbors next to me for help all the time. You don’t need to stress as long as you’re putting in the effort to pay attention and ask questions during the day and study every night. Good luck and feel free to pm me if you have more questions!

[realtalk-tj]

how should i manage marching band + summer cs if i'm not very good at cs?

Response from Rita:

Hi! Summer CS actually ends a week before marching band pre-camp begins, so there shouldn’t be any time consuming overlap there (except weekly Thursday rehearsals—which are still only once per week). You shouldn’t worry about being good at CS as the Foundations class is meant to be just that: foundations, and is doable and has been done by many summer music students for years. Summer CS is said to be an easy class, even for those who aren’t too good at CS, but if you’re worried, maybe practice some CodeAcademy in your free time. CS is a lot of labs and isn’t an overwhelming amount of work as long as you stay on top of it. Summer CS is apparently a lot of fun too, especially with friends! So enjoy it!