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How should I prepare for college, is it worth sacrificing taking less AP Classes for working experience in computer science from a program?

I'm a junior in High School with a interest in computer science and software engineering.

college computer-science computer-programming
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Vamshee’s Answer

Take AP courses and other relevant classes in high school and get GPA. You can use them to get a credit in college so you can save time and cost in college.

Completing AP courses (in Maths/Computer Science/Programming) with good GPA will help you in college admissions in computer major.

If you have a time, try to learn coding (Python), Database (SQL), HTML etc. using online resources. That would help you get a job quickly also gives head start in computer science program.

You can use the summer break and weekends to do some internship or work to gain some experience and money in senior year or after completing high school.

Online resources for learning

https://www.edx.org/
www.freecodecamp.org
https://code.org/
https://www.khanacademy.org/computing

Hope this helps!
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Jim’s Answer

Jason, I would suggest thinking about AP classes this way: each class provides college credits while you're still in high school. Going into college with a number of credits can be pretty valuable You can either reduce your course load per semester to allow you to focus more on computer science or, if you sequence the courses right, you could graduate early, which would save on tuition costs. My son did this and graduated a semester early as he had 18 credits (I think) going in - and he majored in Game Design, BTW. Another angle is taking and excelling in AP courses will make you competitive in college applications; they want people with demonstrated ability to handle academic demands. Now academics isn't the only thing colleges look at but if AP or other honors classes help you stand out to admissions reps, then so much the better for you. I would balance these considerations out with whatever opportunities you have to gain practical experience.
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Shara’s Answer

I understand it can be a ton of pressure to take both AP classes and pursue real world experience. Realistically, you should try to take AP courses if you can. Many times if you take these courses in areas you're interested in it can go a long way toward college. In addition, look for opportunities through your guidance counselor about where you might get real world experience. Clubs can also help you find opportunities. Most of all try not to stress too much. You can also look into local businesses around you to see if they'd like an unpaid or part time internship. This looks great on an application AND a resume. It never hurts to ask....and that will help you grow your interviewing skills as well.
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J’s Answer

Having an opportunity to engage in hands on experience is always good. As mentioned in another post, when you enter college, there will be pre-requisite courses that you will need to take to advance in your chosen major (computer science). If you opt for the hands on experience, you will not be behind. Yes, having AP classes may put you ahead with regard to course work; however, having experience is priceless.

You may already have information about advance placement credit. I included the link to advance placement information from the College Board.
https://blog.collegeboard.org/what-know-about-ap-credit-and-placement-and-ap-score-sends

I hope this helps
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Katherine’s Answer

Taking AP courses is great and will help with your high school GPA, but taking community college classes with a dual enrollment program within your high school is so much better. Community college classes might prepare you better for college and you can transfer the credit over to college. AP courses tend to be harder and give more homework then community college courses. I recommend if you’re going into computer science to take as many computer science classes and math courses at a community college to get out of the way before college.
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Luke’s Answer

I'm surprised that you have to choose one or the other. You can't take AP classes while still pursuing this work/professional opportunity?

One on hand, it would be nice to get ahead by a few courses by taking AP classes but on the other hand, I'm a big advocate for work experience so if you have an opportunity where you will get hands on experience then that would be a huge benefit.
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Amile’s Answer

For each student, the answer may vary. I will tell you that my son was an honors student and was accepted to every college to which he applied --- and took NO AP classes. I would encourage you to work actively with your school counselor. Clubs, work experience, grades... all are super important to your journey.
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Chirayu’s Answer

Preparing for college involves a combination of academic and extracurricular activities, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. However, here are some tips to help you prepare for college as a computer science and software engineering student - Taking computer science and related courses in high school can provide a solid foundation for college-level coursework. Consider taking AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A if your school offers them. Additionally, take math courses such as Calculus, and Physics as they are relevant to computer science and software engineering. Participating in extracurricular activities such as coding clubs, hackathons, and internships can provide valuable experience and help you build a portfolio of projects to showcase to college admissions officers and potential employers. Work experience in computer science through a program or internship can be beneficial as it provides hands-on experience that will prepare you for future career opportunities. However, this shouldn't come at the cost of taking AP classes. Try to find a balance between the two if possible. Building skills in programming languages such as Java, Python, and C++ can be valuable as they are commonly used in computer science and software engineering. You can also consider learning about software development frameworks and technologies such as React, Node.js, and AWS. Research colleges and universities that offer strong computer science and software engineering programs. Look for schools that have a strong curriculum, faculty with industry experience, and opportunities for hands-on learning.
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Douglas’s Answer

Yes. Spending some time learning programming/Computer Science is of great value. There are important
skills that can be improved and learned by learning more about Computer Science. You also may find
that the challenge of programming will give you interest in working as a junior programmer. Also Computer
Science is used by nearly every area of study so I also advise that you minor (and take more programming
courses) in Computer Science, having programming as a skill may help you have a advantage over other
job candidates.

Douglas recommends the following next steps:

Take a programming tutorial or two, to try programming out.
For any other area you are interested in, learn how they use computers
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