Computer ScienceOne semester of introductory computing

AP Computer Science Principles

Explore the foundations of computing including programming, data, algorithms, the internet, and societal impacts.

AP Computer Science Principles introduces students to the foundational concepts of computer science and challenges them to explore how computing and technology can impact the world. The course covers creative development, data, algorithms, programming, computer systems, networks, and the global impact of computing. Students create a program as part of the Create Performance Task.

$65
Single 90-minute lesson
$49.50
Lowest rate per lesson
50 lessons
Full syllabus, 75 hours
Prices and optionsRequest a tutor
Course Introduction

Why AP Computer Science Principles Matters

A qualifying score on the AP Computer Science Principles Exam can earn college credit or placement. Each college sets its own policy, so check the score your colleges ask for.

Broad introduction to computer science for all students
Develops digital literacy and computational thinking
Explores ethical and societal implications of technology
No prior programming experience required
College Equivalent

Introduction to Computing or Digital Literacy course

Required/Recommended for Majors
Any major seeking computing foundationsDigital MediaInformation ScienceBusiness TechnologyEducational TechnologyLiberal Arts with tech interest
Exam Format

The AP Computer Science Principles course and exam were revised recently. Check the current sections, timing and weighting on College Board's AP course pages.

Scored 1–5. Fully digital in Bluebook: multiple-choice and free-response questions are both answered in the app.

AP Computer Science Principles course units

The units of the College Board course. Lessons follow them in the order your class takes them.

Unit 110-13% of exam
Creative Development
CollaborationProgram developmentDocumentationIdentifying errors
Unit 217-22% of exam
Data
Binary and data compressionExtracting information from dataUsing programs with data
Unit 330-35% of exam
Algorithms and Programming
Variables and assignmentsData abstractionProceduresAlgorithmsListsIterationDeveloping algorithms
Unit 411-15% of exam
Computer Systems and Networks
The internetFault toleranceParallel and distributed computing
Unit 521-26% of exam
Impact of Computing
Beneficial and harmful effectsDigital divideComputing biasCrowdsourcingLegal and ethical concerns

How lessons approach CSP

Understanding the concepts, and answering the exam's questions the way they are scored.

Conceptual Understanding
Building deep knowledge that lasts
  • Focus on understanding big ideas over memorization
  • Practice explaining computing concepts in your own words
  • Connect computing to real-world applications
  • Develop your Create Task early and iterate
Exam-Specific Strategies
Techniques that maximize your score
  • Practice reading and tracing pseudocode
  • Understand binary, data representation, and compression
  • Review internet protocols and network concepts
  • Practice identifying computing impacts in scenarios

Past papers and practice exams

Practice exams in the current exam format are reviewed afterwards, and the errors set the work for the next lessons.

Past papers

College Board sample Create performance task responses with scoring guidelines, and multiple-choice practice.

  • Full-length multiple-choice practice exams
  • Create performance task planning and review
  • Written response practice for Create Task
  • Digital ethics scenario analysis
  • Feedback on pseudocode reading skills

How a practice exam is used

  1. 1
    Sit a full practice exam
    Timed, section by section
  2. 2
    Review the errors
    With your tutor, by unit and question type
  3. 3
    Targeted practice
    On the units and question types that cost points
  4. 4
    Repeat
    Before the exam

AP Computer Science Principles: lessons, prices and how to start

One-to-one lessons are 90 minutes, live online. Prices are set per program, so they are the same for every AP subject.

AP Computer Science Principles one-to-one tutoring packages
Single lesson$65Per lesson: $65Buy a lesson
10 lessons$630Per lesson: $63Buy package
20 lessons$1,200Per lesson: $60Buy package
Full syllabus · 50 lessonsLowest rate75 hours · or 2 payments of $1,350 ($2,700 in all)$2,475Per lesson: $49.50Buy packageor pay in 2

Group options

There is no open group timetable for AP Computer Science Principles. Bring 3 or more students together and we open a private group course for you. A place is $1,755, or 3 instalments of $585, the same as an open AP group course. Each student buys their own place online, and we let you know as soon as your group is ready.

Buy a place

How do you start?

Request a free intro call: it is a conversation about your goals and timeline, not a lesson or a test. There is no separate diagnostic test for AP, because no single test stands in for a school syllabus. The first lesson does the assessment: your tutor works through your recent marked work and past-paper questions from your own specification, and reads where you stand. It is a normal paid lesson, not a free trial, and it teaches as it assesses.

Request a free intro call

Refunds

Not satisfied after your first private lesson? Full (100%) refund. Not satisfied after the first week of your group course? Full (100%) refund. No score is guaranteed. Full terms.

Every AP priceAll AP subjects

AP Computer Science Principles — Frequently Asked Questions

What college credit does AP Computer Science Principles carry?
One semester of introductory computing. Credit policies are set by each university rather than by the College Board, so confirm the score your target schools require before choosing which exams to sit.
What does AP Computer Science Principles cover?
The course is organized into 5 units: Creative Development, Data, Algorithms and Programming, Computer Systems and Networks and Impact of Computing. Our tutoring follows the same order, so what you cover with a tutor lines up with what your class is doing.
What college course is AP Computer Science Principles equivalent to?
Introduction to Computing or Digital Literacy course. That is the level the exam is written to, which is why a strong AP score is treated as evidence you can handle first-year university work in the subject.
Which majors is AP Computer Science Principles useful for?
It is most relevant to Any major seeking computing foundations, Digital Media, Information Science, Business Technology and 2 more. It is worth taking if it is either required for your intended major or the strongest subject you can show, since a high score in a demanding subject carries more weight than a safe pass in an easy one.