C++ --> Java

[slanders09]

My school barely knows what computer science is and i just found out about the UIL event this year. I just finished up a semester of college C++ and was wanting to compete in CS spring '08. What is the fastest and most efficient way to pick up on the Java needed in CS with only knowledge of C++???

[mathslug]

You need a LANGUAGE INTENSIVE book on Java. I recommend Ivor Horton's Beginning Java 5. Its got all the sticky syntax you need to cover for the exam.

Now. Make a schedule to follow over the break. I want you to look at the UIL study guide for CS (provided on the UIL home web page), and coordinate the subjects you tackle with the book. As you go through the book, compile a study guide of all the highlights and weird things you find as you read through the book. If you make a good guide, you'll be golden come district and region.

Compliment your studies with practice tests! Stretch out the last 3 years of tests evenly throughout the break. Just going through these tests should give you a good feeling for what you'll need to study.

Recap:
1) Make a schedule that has you actively reading your way through a language intensive book.
2) Incorporate ALL of the UIL study guide into your studies.
3) Spread out your lessons, don't try to do it all at once.
4) To review each day you study, finish by compiling a study guide of everything you learned for the day.
5) Take UIL practice tests to bolster your studies.

You can do this! I promise that you'll be scoring 180+ by the end of the break if you do what I say. This is totally manageable if you do a little bit everyday. I did this in the middle of my Junior year, and I went from scoring 120 to 216 at district. Good Luck in becoming a CS Baller.

Zack

[Quelloquialism]

Not to be a downer or anything, but I think it's a point worthy of note--the UIL CS is annoyingly focused on testing nuances of Java-specific behavior on a number of questions. (EDIT: I'm not saying it's too difficult and shouldn't be attempted or anything...just saying, it takes a non-negligible time investment.)

As an alternative to Zack's method, I've found that I always learn best not as much by reading about the language, but by writing code on my own. Of course, you need a book or some form of tutorial to develop your skills enough to cobble programs together from the start, but seeing and feeling the language's peculiarities helps to reinforce your knowledge of the language (or at least it has in my experience). My study method (on the very rare occasion that I actually feel like studying for UIL CS, that is) is generally to take a practice test, then label all the ones that I'm hesitant on and all the ones that I got wrong, type them into a file, and fudge around with the code until you know what the stuff does like the back of your hand. Change values, switch lines around. Break things and figure out why they broke. Trace values in your code and try to guess what they will be after execution before executing. If your trace is wrong, figure out why.

This method might be something to fall back on if you start losing focus on the bookwork in Zack's method.

Also, one issue worthy of note: I'd recommend getting to know and love the after you've trudged through the basics. Java has a strong advantage over many other languages of having such a well-organized encyclopedia of standard library classes and methods.

[mathslug]

I agree with Nathan. Programming is a necessity. If you want to get good at CS in general, you should start working problems from the ACM database, or join USACO, or start doing other programming contests. In my opinion, these things are much better than the UIL written tests. The written tests are Java trivia tests, and the only good way to get good at taking them is to find a way to codify all the nitty-gritty details into one easy to study list. Either that, or take so many tests that you just get to where you can recognize trends in the tests. This reminds me that you can order practice tests from A+ comp sci to get more practice tests if you should want to do so. I found them pretty helpful when I was working to become a baller in CS.

A caution to you though... I became apathetic towards the UIL CS written test after my first year of doing it. I can promise you that after my first year of studying, I didn't touch my study materials all of the next year. I placed 4th at region two years in a row, and didn't get much better than that. UIL kind of made me kind of dislike CS, just because of how trivial the tests were at times.

Zack

[shrig94]

I'm a 3a Freshman at Hirschi.
I have to lead our CS team (I started it). I'm taking C++ right now in college. How should I approach learning and teaching java.
Thanks, Shri