comprehensive

[smeag]

OK, one last question. What is the most comprehensive book for Java that will have everything I need in it to do good on a computer science test?
I've looked in 2 textbooks, and haven't have much success...

[DentonKnight]

[smeag]

thanks!, but can you tell me what to click when I get to the javadoc website?

[smeag]

I guess I just review the AP textbook then, right?

[DentonKnight]

[smeag]

OK, lets say I reviewed an entire AP computer science textbook, what scores SHOULD I be making?
(Just pretend that I have learned no computer science except from the textbook itself)

[nsguy1350]

I don't know what you SHOULD be making. If you've never taken the course, then that will definitely bring you down considerably.
Just take a few tests, see what you're averaging, and then that should be a good indicator of where you are. We can't tell you how well you should be doing because we've all had very different experiences.
If you've only learned from the textbook, I wouldn't expect your scores to be that high, but I can't tell you very specifically.

[smeag]

Well since I am in 9th grade, I am not taking an AP computer science class. I am learning it from a textbook, can you please give me a way to score 200+?

[nsguy1350]

I took CS A in 9th. It's probably different at my school though.
Umm... I would tell you how to get 200+... it's just that I can't do it myself :P
I've gotten 200 once, and I got a 184 at District. Past that, you're out of luck, with me. DentonKnight is really good though, he got 3rd at UIL State as a freshman last year. Take his advice on just taking tests, and learning from what you see.
I studied CS for a little while, but then I started focusing on the other 4 events. I didn't advance past District at CS, and my rival school swept top 4 (something like 240-224-216-192.)

[smeag]

I guess I'll just have to stick with the textbook... (sighs, turns and looks at the comp sci book)

[DentonKnight]

[smeag]

Are there already 100+ tests on this website, or do I need other sources. If I do need other sources, can you tell me how to get them?

[DentonKnight]

[smeag]

how did you get all your 100 tests to practice?

[DentonKnight]

[smeag]

s

[nsguy1350]

Well yes, they probably are expensive, but having someone email the tests to you, for free, when they had to pay out of their school's money for the test, isn't very fair. I mean, anyone who got the tests like that could easily email to others, and soon you have plenty of people who got the tests for free. I'm not saying you would, but I think that might be potential for a lot of trouble.

[smeag]

HMM, WELL, I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH WHAT I have. SOY DE NYEHH!

[smeag]

OK, I'm at the
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/ ... index.html
website. Can you please tell me what EXACTLY to click to get to where I need to study?

[DentonKnight]

[smeag]

ok, so all I need to know for a computer science test are the classes?

[nsguy1350]

Classes, methods, learn all that good stuff. Many of them you don't need to know, though. Once you take a good amount of tests, you'll see what they test over. Generally, it's just being able to read code, then a few specifics on syntax.

[smeag]

so... if I have a lot of questions about the computer science tests, who should I ask or how should I go about answering them myself? (The forum is awesome, but I will probably have a LOT of questions.)

[nsguy1350]

You can post some on here, but I don't think anyone wants to spends hours upon hours answering them #. I would guess that your school has a Computer Science teacher. Try to find him, then ask what resources he has, and that you're doing CS UIL and that maybe he can help you on a few things. Don't pester him, but try to show him that you're interested and serious.

If you don't have a CS teacher, then I guess self-study is the way to go. Try to program many things, to get a feel for the language.

[smeag]

Well, like I said, I am literally starting Uil in my school...
therefore, I think self study will be my only path...
\nby the way look at my signature!