Be Prepared for the AP Computer Science Exam - Softcover

It is not the goal of this book to teach you everything you need to know for the AP Computer Science exam from scratch. For that you need a complete textbook with exercises and programming projects. (We recommend C++ for You++: An Introduction to Programming and Computer Science, AP Edition, and Workbook to Accompany C++ for You++, Skylight Publishing, 1998.) Most students who take the exam are enrolled in an AP computer science course at their school. A determined student can prepare for the exam on his own; it may take anywhere between three and twelve months, and a good textbook will be even more important.

The goals of this book are:

To describethe exam format and requirements

To describe the AP subset of C++

To provide a synopsis of the AP classes

To provide an effective review of what you already know with emphasis on the more difficult topics and on common omissions and mistakes

To help you identify and fill the gaps in your knowledge

To provide sample exam questions with answers, hints, and solutions for you to practice on and analyze your mistakes.

Maria Litvin has taught computer science and mathematics at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, since 1987. She is an Advanced Placement Computer Science exam reader and, as a consultant for The College Board, provides C++ training for high school computer science teachers. Prior to joining Phillips Academy, Maria taught computer science at Boston University. Maria is co-author of C++ for You++: An Introduction to Programming and Computer Science, one of the leading high school textbooks for AP Computer Science courses.