Has anyone ever taken AP Comp Sci with no prior knowledge of Java/programming? Is it doable?

fishgill
Mon, 01 Feb 2016 01:30:59 +0000

I took intro to comp sci first, which was definitely helpful because we jumped right into the curriculum in AP. If you school offers intro, take it. If not, it would be wise to brief on Java before you take the course.
For me, Java is simple and comes naturally. But I cannot say the same for many of my classmates who find it extremely difficult. You will be working with problem sets with no prior knowledge of Java, and the class will likely not teach you the basics if there’s an intro course. It would be wise to buy a book (Barron’s is known to be the best) and self study somehow before you start the course.
That being said, if you are not logically/math oriented, you will struggle more if you do not work for it. The A is not an easy A if it does not come naturally to you.