AP CS Debugger

I have received countless questions to the upcoming changes to AP CS A, and many people are confused about the timing of these changes.

The College Board is implementing significant updates to the AP Computer Science A (AP CSA) course and exam to better align with current introductory college programming courses. AP CS A is going fully digital in May 2025 and the changes to test content are set to take effect in the 2025–2026 academic year, with the revised exam debuting in May 2026.

Key Changes to AP CS A

1. Transition to Digital Exams:
   • Starting in May 2025, the College Board will discontinue standard paper testing for 28 AP Exams, including AP Computer Science A, transitioning to the Bluebook™ digital testing application. This move aims to enhance exam security and provide a more streamlined, accessible, and student-friendly testing experience. (AP Central)
     
2. Course Content Revisions:
   • New Topics Added: The updated curriculum will introduce topics on text files, data sets, and artificial intelligence, reflecting the evolving landscape of computer science.
   • Removal of Inheritance Unit (GOOD NEWS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE): The inheritance unit (Unit 9) will be removed to more closely align the course with introductory college courses and allow teachers to cover other topics in more detail.
   • Unit Consolidation: Units 1–8 and 10 will be consolidated into four units, streamlining the course structure.
     
3. Exam Format Revisions:
   • Multiple-Choice Section:
     • The number of questions will increase from 40 to 42.
     • Each question will have four answer choices instead of five.
     • This section will account for 55% of the overall exam score, up from 50%.
   • Free-Response Section:
     • The number of questions will remain at four, but the total scored points will decrease from 36 to 25.
     • Arrays will be removed from Question 3 (Data Analysis with ArrayList), focusing solely on ArrayLists.
     • This section will now constitute 45% of the overall exam score, down from 50%.

So, to sum up,

2025 Test: Fully Digital, no changes to test content

2026 Test: Major changes to test content

I hope you are now clear about the changes that are happening!