5 Steps to a 5: AP Computer Science A 2024 - Klipp D.B., Johnson D.R., Paymer C.A. 2023
2 How to Plan Your Time
STEP 1 Set Up Your Study Program
IN THIS CHAPTER
Summary: The right preparation plan for you depends on your study habits, your own strengths and weaknesses, and the amount of time you have to prepare for the test. This chapter recommends some possible plans to get you started.
Key Ideas
It helps to have a plan—and stick with it!
You should select the study plan that best suits your situation and adapt it to fit your needs.
Three Approaches to Preparing for the AP Computer Science A Exam
It’s up to you to decide how you want to use this book to study for the AP Computer Science A Exam. In this chapter you’ll find three plans, each of which provides a different schedule for your review effort. Choose one or combine them if you want. Adapt the plan to your strengths and weaknesses and the way you like to study. If you are taking an AP Computer Science A course at your school, you will have more flexibility than someone learning the material independently.
The Full School-Year Plan
Choose this plan if you like taking your time going through the material. Following this path will allow you to practice your skills and develop your confidence gradually. This is a good choice if you want to use this book as a resource while taking an AP Computer Science A course.
The One-Semester Plan
Choose this plan if you are OK with learning a lot of material in a fairly short amount of time. You’ll need to be a pretty good student who can grasp concepts quickly. This plan is also a good choice if you are currently taking an AP Computer Science A course.
The Six-Week Plan
This option is available if any one of these sounds like you:
• You are enrolled in an AP Computer Science A course and want to do a final review before the exam.
• You are enrolled in an AP Computer Science A course and want to use this book as a reference to refresh your memory.
• You are not currently enrolled in an AP Computer Science A course, but you are a fluent Java programmer and want to know what is tested on the exam.
When to Take the Practice Exams
You should take the practice exams prior to May. The AP Computer Science A Exam is usually given during the first week of May. If you wait until May to take the practice exams, you won’t have enough time to review the concepts that you do not fully understand.
The Three Plans Compared
The chart summarizes and compares the three study plans.
Calendars for Preparing for Each of the Plans
The Full School-Year Plan
SEPTEMBER
• Learn how the book is put together.
• Determine your approach.
• Skim the practice exams.
• Take the diagnostic exam.
• Choose an IDE, the integrated development environment in which you will write your code.
• Read Units 0—1.
• Learn about variables, data types, and casting.
• Learn about arithmetic expressions and assignment statements.
OCTOBER
• Read Units 2—3.
• Learn about using objects and how to call their methods correctly.
• Learn about String objects and their methods.
• Learn how to use the methods from the Math class.
• Learn Boolean expressions.
• Learn to use conditional statements.
NOVEMBER
• Read Unit 4.
• Learn basic looping structures.
• Learn nested iteration.
DECEMBER
• Read Unit 5.
• Learn how to write your own class.
• Learn how to write your own methods.
• Learn how to use documentation.
JANUARY
• Read Units 6—7.
• Learn how to create and use an array.
• Learn how to create and use an ArrayList.
• Learn the enhanced for loop for arrays.
• Learn basic algorithms for using arrays.
• Learn searching and sorting algorithms.
FEBRUARY
• Read Unit 8.
• Learn how to create and use a 2D array.
• Learn basic algorithms for using 2D arrays.
MARCH
• Read Units 9—10.
• Learn inheritance and how to extend a class.
• Learn polymorphism.
• Learn how to read recursive code.
• Learn recursive searching and sorting algorithms.
APRIL
• Take Practice Exam 1.
• Review the material on the exam.
• Take Practice Exam 2.
• Review the material on the exam.
MAY
• Do any last-minute reviewing.
• Take and ace the exam. Good luck!
The One-Semester Plan
JANUARY
• Learn how the book is put together.
• Determine your approach.
• Skim the practice exams.
• Take the diagnostic exam.
• Choose an IDE, the integrated development environment in which you will write your code.
• Read Units 0—3.
• Learn about variables, data types, and casting.
• Learn about arithmetic expressions and assignment statements.
• Learn about using objects and how to call their methods correctly.
• Learn about String objects and their methods.
• Learn how to use the methods from the Math class.
• Learn Boolean expressions.
• Learn to use conditional statements.
FEBRUARY
• Read Units 4—7.
• Learn the basic looping structures.
• Learn nested iteration.
• Learn how to write your own class.
• Learn how to write your own methods.
• Learn how to use documentation.
• Learn how to create and use an array.
• Learn how to create and use an ArrayList.
• Learn the enhanced for loop for arrays.
• Learn basic algorithms for using arrays.
• Learn searching and sorting algorithms.
MARCH
• Read Units 8—10.
• Learn how to create and use a 2D array.
• Learn the basic algorithms for using 2D arrays.
• Learn inheritance and how to extend a class.
• Learn polymorphism.
• Learn how to read recursive code.
• Learn recursive searching and sorting algorithms.
APRIL
• Take Practice Exam 1.
• Review the material on the exam.
• Take Practice Exam 2.
• Review the material on the exam.
MAY
• Do any last-minute reviewing.
• Take and ace the exam. Good luck!
The Six-Week Plan
MARCH
• Take the diagnostic exam.
• Read Units 0—10.
• Learn
• variables and assignment statements.
• how to use objects.
• methods in the Math and String class.
• Boolean expressions and if statements.
• how to use while loops and for loops.
• how to write and use class constructors and methods.
• to use an array, ArrayList, and 2D array.
• searching and sorting algorithms.
• inheritance and polymorphism.
• how to read recursive code.
APRIL
• Take Practice Exam 1.
• Review the material on the exam.
• Take Practice Exam 2.
• Review the material on the exam.
MAY
• Do any last-minute reviewing.
• Take and ace the exam. Good luck!