Top 5 Tips for High Schoolers Interested in CS
Note: This article was written by Holly Zbierski
From those who are interested in computer science but are unsure how to start, to those who already love CS and want to do all they can to learn more about it, I have compiled some tips that may be helpful to guide you on this journey.
I am certainly not proclaiming myself an expert on this topic; I have merely been studying CS since my freshman year of high school, taking classes and engaging in topical extracurriculars, and I am now a student at Northeastern University majoring in Computer Science and Linguistics. At this point, I feel I may have some advice for younger students looking to follow a similar path.
These are, of course, only recommendations, not hard-and-fast rules, and your success in college is not at all completely dependent on these factors. Plenty of students enter college for computer science without any programming experience and earn their degrees just the same. However, I can personally attest to the following actions being instrumental in my own preparation for studying CS at a higher level in college.
1. Take as many computing classes as you can.
This may seem obvious, but I’d like to emphasize that this should be a priority. Gaining any amount of knowledge in a classroom setting before taking more advanced college courses will be invaluable. If there are issues with scheduling or very few classes offered by your school, you could certainly take classes somewhat related to CS as well, like robotics or web design. It would be ideal, though, to take CS classes up to the honors and AP level.
AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science Applications are the best classes you can take to get a head start on programming and gain a lot of foundational knowledge. In my opinion, they’re paced quite well and are not too difficult. I would like to add, though, that these are better suited for students that have taken at least an introductory CS class or have prior knowledge of programming. You may be taught Python and/or JavaScript in AP CSP, and AP CSA utilizes Java, so you get to learn the basics of these very important languages. For this reason, I would highly recommend taking notes about the structure and tools of each language you learn, to look back on to refresh your memory if you have to use it years later.
2. Code during your free time, too!
If you can find a club or two offered by your school that you’re not only interested in, but that also complements what you learn in class, it would be a great idea to join! If your school doesn’t currently have one, don’t be afraid to start your own! That would be your chance to tailor the club to your personal interests, such as cybersecurity, programming, gaming, or another area of computer science.
Either through a club or on your own, try participating in free hackathons or cybersecurity competitions. I participated in the CyberStart America competition, and its predecessor, Girls Go CyberStart, while I was in high school. Many of these programs and competitions will offer scholarships for winners or finalists, so you could even earn funding for your future education while you’re learning new skills and having fun!
Likewise, if you’re not already using these programs in class, the free programs on websites like Code.org and CodeCombat are a smart way to get programming experience if your school doesn’t offer CS classes, or if you’d just like to supplement what you’re learning in school. Code.org is best for true beginners to coding because it involves block programming in a simple language to be used as a steppingstone to more mainstream languages. While both websites teach you how to code through fun games, CodeCombat uses Python, which is an amazing introduction into all that language has to offer!
Any way you can immerse yourself into CS further will only benefit you in your pursuit of more skills and experience!
3. Take math classes throughout all 4 years.
While math may not be one of your favorite subjects, whether it be because you find it difficult or uninteresting, most degree programs in computer science require advanced math classes. Do your best to challenge yourself without having to sacrifice your grades too much, whatever that may look like for you. It would be fantastic to take at least up to Calculus I, and even better if you can take AP Calculus AB or BC. I took AB my senior year, and the credit from that class covered the one math class required for my major. It will be an incredible relief to not have to take any more arduous college classes than you absolutely have to.
If you do happen to like math, that can be a wonderful strength of yours to take with you to college! Countless careers of today combine CS and math, so you will do well if you decide to pursue both passions.
4. Don’t shy away from pursuing other interests of yours!
In the Digital Age, it is seeming like every career field needs workers with coding skills. Even if you think CS doesn’t pair with your other interest at all, keep pursuing it anyway and you may be surprised one day at the opportunities available to you for your unique skill set. Computer science can be combined with an infinite number of disciplines, there’s no need to choose between it or another one of your passions. As much as it’s good to take CS classes and join related extracurriculars, you should really just do what you’re most interested in!
5. Be a diligent student overall.
Having solid study habits from high school will help you succeed in honors and AP courses, and in college. Plus, if you have your eye on a particularly highly-ranked, exclusive CS program at a top college or university, your grades will be one of the biggest factors in the admissions process. It can take time to build up a high GPA, but it reaps many rewards to put in the time to study and truly learn the material you are taught, in any class. Computer science is not an easy subject to master: you’ll need to be willing to put in hard work to succeed.