In 2020, as a response to the disruption caused by COVID-19, the College Board modified the AP exams so they were shorter, administered online, covered less material, and had a different format than previous tests. But thousands of students faced technical problems and had to retake their exams.
This year, the College Board is providing 3 testing dates starting in early May for each AP exam with options for in-school and at-home, as well as traditional and digital, testing.
“While this year’s exam options look different from years past, this schedule will maximize opportunities for AP students in a variety of different situations to test and earn college credit and placement,” according to the College Board.
The AP Computer Science A exam for 2021 will be a full-length exam that students can take in school and/or at home, either traditionally (i.e., paper and pencil) or digitally, depending on the testing date.
Here are the key changes you need to know to do well in the upcoming AP Computer Science A exam.
Will I get college credit for the 2021 AP Computer Science A exam?
Students who take the 2021 AP Computer Science A exam will be eligible for college credit.
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 2021 AP Computer Science A exam?
The 2021 AP Computer Science A exam will be 3 hours long. Students can take it in school or at home depending on the testing date (details below).
What’s the 2021 AP Computer Science A exam date?
The College Board is offering 3 exam dates for the AP Computer Science A exam this year. The times and locations vary by date.
| Date | Time | Location | Method |
| Thursday, May 6, 2021 | 12 PM Local Time | In School | Paper & Pencil |
| Tuesday, May 18, 2021 | 4 PM EDT | In School & At Home | Digital |
| Tuesday, June 1, 2021 | 4 PM EDT | In School & At Home | Digital |
It is up to individual schools, though, to choose the exam options that work best for them.
What will be tested on the 2021 AP Computer Science A exam?
The 2021 AP Computer Science A exam will test students on the whole course content regardless of the version of the exam they take — traditional or digital — so be prepared to answer questions on these topics:
- Unit 1: Primitive Types
- Unit 2: Using Objects
- Unit 3: Boolean Expressions and if Statements
- Unit 4: Iteration
- Unit 5: Writing Classes
- Unit 6: Array
- Unit 7: ArrayList
- Unit 8: 2D Array
- Unit 9: Inheritance
- Unit 10: Recursion
What is the AP Computer Science A exam format for 2021?
The 2021 AP Computer Science A exam consists of two typical sections: multiple-choice and free-response. Each section is worth 50 percent of the exam score. You will have 90 minutes to answer 40 multiple-choice questions and 90 minutes to answer 4 free-response questions.
For free examples of free-response questions, check here for the actual questions posed in the 2019 AP Computer Science A exam and here for those posed in the 2018 exam.
You can also practice multiple-choice and free-response questions within the digital exam app starting early April.
Is there a difference between the traditional and the digital AP Computer Science A exam for 2021?
There is no difference between the 2021 AP Computer Science A paper exam and the digital exam. They are both 3 hours long, and they test the same course content.
However, if you’re taking the digital AP Computer Science A exam, there are a few things you should know. First, you will answer free-response questions with a keyboard, rather than by hand. Second, you may not submit handwritten or photographed responses (unlike last year, when the College Board made an accommodation for the 2020 AP Computer Science A exam).
What device should I use to take the 2021 AP Computer Science A exam digitally?
What you will need to take the exam digitally will depend on whether you’re taking the digital exam in school or at home. In either case, you should make the determination of which device works best for you beforehand.
If you’re taking the digital exam in school, you will need a laptop (Mac, Windows, or school-managed Chromebook) that has a built-in camera. This can be a personal or school-provided computer. If it’s a school-provided computer, it must not be shared between students once the exam setup is completed.
To take the digital exam at home, you will need a laptop or desktop computer (Mac, Windows, or school-managed Chromebook) that has a built-in or attached camera. This can be a personal or school-provided computer. If it’s a school-provided computer, it must not be shared between students once the exam setup is completed.
No matter the type of device or who owns it, make sure that your computer is fully charged on exam day so it will last for the whole exam. If you’re taking the digital exam at home, be sure that your setup includes charging during the exam if necessary.
You should also install the digital testing app no later than the day before the exam.
You will, of course, also need reliable access to the internet if you’re taking the digital exam.
Is the College Board offering any free AP Computer Science A exam review courses?
The College Board is offering free AP resources to students.
The College Board’s AP YouTube channel gives students access to APLive classes and recordings delivered by AP teachers from across the country. Additionally, to help students review course content and skills before their exam, the College Board will give students access to AP Daily: Live Review sessions from April 19 to 29. You can sign up for the live review sessions here.
What are my other options for preparing for the 2021 AP Computer Science A exam?
If you don’t have an AP Computer Science A review book already, check out TUN’s Textbook Save Engine to compare prices and get the best deals.
There are also free and low-cost online resources that you can use to help you prepare for the 2021 AP Computer Science A exam.
Decoding AP Computer Science A
This free Udemy Decoding AP Computer Science A course is intended to help you prepare for and ace the AP Computer Science exam, according to its creator. The course consists of 115 lectures and over 10.5 hours of content, and each chapter comes with exercises that will help you put the skills you learn into practical use right away. You will learn Java fundamentals in their entirety and understand the concept behind object-oriented programming (OOP).
More than 34,000 students have taken this course to date.
Java Programming Essentials: AP Computer Science A
This Java Programming Essentials: AP Computer Science A course, available through Udemy, is the first of two courses — the second one is described below — meant to help students prepare for the AP Computer Science A exam. In this course, the instructor covers the first part of AP Computer Science A, including a complete introduction for Java programming. This course covers topics such as elementary programming in Java, program structures, OOP, and basic data structures. It includes 20.5 hours on-demand video, 19 articles, and 379 downloadable resources.
This course is currently available for $14.99, but generally costs $59.99.
Java Object-Oriented Programming: AP Computer Science B
This Java Object-Oriented Programming: AP Computer Science B course is the second course — the first one is described above — meant to help students prepare for the AP Computer Science A exam. This course includes complete tutorials for OOP, program analysis, and introduction to algorithms. It includes 1.5 hours on-demand video, 46 articles, and 490 downloadable resources.
This course is currently available for $12.99, but generally costs $59.99.
EdX AP Computer Science A: Java Programming
Taught by professors from Purdue University, this edX AP Computer Science A: Java Programming course will teach you the basics of programming in the Java language and cover topics relevant to the AP Computer Science A course and exam.
This course is free to audit, but there’s a fee of $49.99 to obtain a Verified Certificate.
If you’re taking more than one AP exam in 2021, check TUN’s AP Exam Review for details on other revised AP exams.
