The College Board has modified the AP Computer Science Principles exam, and all other AP exams, in response to the disruption caused by COVID-19.
The AP CSP exam for 2020 will not include the usual end-of-course exam and will extend the Digital Portfolio due date.
Here are the key changes you need to know to do well in the upcoming AP CSP exam.
Will I get college credit for the modified AP CSP exam?
Students who take the 2020 AP CSP exam will be eligible for college credit, according to the College Board: “Colleges support this solution and are committed to ensuring that AP students receive the credit they have worked this year to earn. For decades, colleges have accepted a shortened AP Exam for college credit when groups of students have experienced emergencies.”
As in previous years, a student must obtain a score of 3, 4 or 5 to be eligible for college credit.
How long is the 2020 AP CSP exam?
The 2020 AP CSP exam will omit the end-of-year exam, consisting of multiple-choice questions, that took two hours in previous years.
What is the AP CSP exam format for 2020?
There will be no multiple-choice questions as there were in the past.
Instead, the 2020 AP CSP score will be based on a student’s score for two performance tasks — Explore task and Create task — and the due date for students’ Digital Portfolio is extended to May 26, 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time).
For the Explore performance task, students are required “to identify a computing innovation, explore its impact, and create a computational artifact that represents the computing innovation,” and submit them along with a written response.
For the Create performance task, students are required to create a computer program and submit it with a video and written response.
The Explore and Create performance tasks are administered by your school teacher. For performance tasks directions, check here.
And check here for scoring guidelines.
What if I don’t have internet access or a working computer?
If you need access to the internet or a working computer, contact the College Board here for help. The College Board is committed to making the 2020 AP CSP exam work for all students: “We recognize that the digital divide could prevent some low-income and rural students from participating. Working with partners, we will invest so that these students have the tools and connectivity they need to review AP content online and take the exam.”
What’s the 2020 AP CSP exam date and time?
There will not be an end-of-course AP CSP exam for 2020.
However, students must still complete their performance tasks and submit their digital files and written responses as final to the College Board via the AP Digital Portfolio platform by May 26, 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time), to earn an AP score. For submission directions, check here.
Is the College Board offering any free AP CSP exam review courses?
The College Board is committed to making free resources available to students through exam day.
Live classes and recordings delivered by AP teachers from across the country are available on the AP YouTube channel. You can find the daily course schedule here.
What are my other options for preparing for the 2020 AP CSP exam?
If you don’t have an AP CSP review book already and can’t get it on time through Amazon, which has recently confirmed that even Amazon Prime deliveries of non-essential goods could be delayed a month, try eBay or other alternate sources.
And don’t worry if you have problems getting your book delivered early enough to help you with your prep. There are online resources that you can use to help you prepare for the 2020 AP CSP exam.
Khan Academy
In partnership with the College Board, Khan Academy provides an official AP CSP course that comes with free instructional videos, articles, and practice exercises created by current and former AP teachers. In addition, Khan Academy offers free exam skills and strategies.
If you’re taking more than one AP exam in 2020, check here for details on other revised AP exams.
