Course Comparison

Which AP course is the right fit?

Six courses families usually weigh against each other, compared on the things that actually decide the choice: what the course is about, whether it requires programming, what it assumes coming in, and what it ends with.

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Side by side

The six courses, compared row by row

Read across a row to compare all six on one question, or down a column to see a single course end to end.

Comparison of six Code Scholars AP and honors courses across subject, focus, programming requirement, exam, starting point, and pairing.
Compare	AP Computer Science A AP Computer Science	AP Computer Science Principles AP Computer Science	AP Cybersecurity AP Career Kickstart	AP Networking AP Career Kickstart	AP Precalculus AP Mathematics	Precalculus Honors Mathematics
Subject area	Computer science, Java	Computer science, broad	Cybersecurity	Computer networking	Mathematics	Mathematics
What it centers on	Writing and tracing object-oriented Java	Concepts, data, and the impacts of computing	Analyzing risk and choosing defenses	Configuring, securing, and diagnosing networks	Function families and mathematical modeling	Trigonometry, functions, and calculus readiness
Programming required	Yes, substantial	Some, at a gentler pace	No	No, but command-line work	No	No
Ends in an AP Exam	Yes	Yes, with the Create performance task	Yes	Yes, first national exam May 2028	Yes, format changes with the May 2027 exam	No, it follows the school syllabus
Typical starting point	Some prior programming	No programming background needed	No prerequisites stated	No prerequisites stated	Geometry and Algebra 2, or Integrated Math 3	Algebra 2, usually at honors level
Often taken alongside	AP Precalculus or Precalculus Honors	A first programming course	AP Networking	AP Cybersecurity	AP Computer Science A	AP Computer Science A
What we offer for it	Study guide, MCQ practice, FRQ practice, Flashcards, Online compiler, Exam builder	Study guide, MCQ practice, FRQ practice, Flashcards, Exam builder	Study guide, MCQ practice, FRQ practice, Flashcards, Exam builder	Study guide, MCQ practice, FRQ practice, Exam builder	Course page and tutoring	Study guide, MCQ practice, Exam builder

AP Computer Science

AP Computer Science A

The Java AP: object-oriented programming, arrays, ArrayList, recursion, code tracing, and free-response writing.

Subject area: Computer science, Java
What it centers on: Writing and tracing object-oriented Java
Programming required: Yes, substantial
Ends in an AP Exam: Yes
Typical starting point: Some prior programming
Often taken alongside: AP Precalculus or Precalculus Honors
What we offer for it: Study guide, MCQ practice, FRQ practice, Flashcards, Online compiler, Exam builder

AP Computer Science

AP Computer Science Principles

The broader AP: algorithms, abstraction, data, the internet, and impacts of computing, plus Create task planning.

Subject area: Computer science, broad
What it centers on: Concepts, data, and the impacts of computing
Programming required: Some, at a gentler pace
Ends in an AP Exam: Yes, with the Create performance task
Typical starting point: No programming background needed
Often taken alongside: A first programming course
What we offer for it: Study guide, MCQ practice, FRQ practice, Flashcards, Exam builder

AP Career Kickstart

AP Cybersecurity

Risk analysis and defense across physical spaces, networks, devices, applications, and data, argued from evidence.

Subject area: Cybersecurity
What it centers on: Analyzing risk and choosing defenses
Programming required: No
Ends in an AP Exam: Yes
Typical starting point: No prerequisites stated
Often taken alongside: AP Networking
What we offer for it: Study guide, MCQ practice, FRQ practice, Flashcards, Exam builder

AP Career Kickstart

AP Networking

Configuring and securing connections, dividing networks deliberately, and diagnosing failures from command output.

Subject area: Computer networking
What it centers on: Configuring, securing, and diagnosing networks
Programming required: No, but command-line work
Ends in an AP Exam: Yes, first national exam May 2028
Typical starting point: No prerequisites stated
Often taken alongside: AP Cybersecurity
What we offer for it: Study guide, MCQ practice, FRQ practice, Exam builder

AP Mathematics

AP Precalculus

The College Board AP mathematics course: function families, modeling, multiple representations, and the three AP practices.

Subject area: Mathematics
What it centers on: Function families and mathematical modeling
Programming required: No
Ends in an AP Exam: Yes, format changes with the May 2027 exam
Typical starting point: Geometry and Algebra 2, or Integrated Math 3
Often taken alongside: AP Computer Science A
What we offer for it: Course page and tutoring

Mathematics

Precalculus Honors

A six-unit honors sequence through trigonometry, polar and complex work, function families, systems, conics, and limits.

Subject area: Mathematics
What it centers on: Trigonometry, functions, and calculus readiness
Programming required: No
Ends in an AP Exam: No, it follows the school syllabus
Typical starting point: Algebra 2, usually at honors level
Often taken alongside: AP Computer Science A
What we offer for it: Study guide, MCQ practice, Exam builder

Precalculus Honors is listed here because families routinely weigh it against AP Precalculus. It is not a College Board course and has no AP exam; its scope is set by the school.

Still deciding?

New to programming

AP Computer Science Principles moves at a gentler pace and assumes no background. AP Cybersecurity and AP Networking require no programming at all.

Already coding

AP Computer Science A is the Java-heavy option, and the one most often taken alongside a precalculus course in the same year.

Choosing a math course

AP Precalculus follows one national framework and ends in an exam. Precalculus Honors follows your school's syllabus, so its scope varies by district.