APExam
14May 2027morning
Total time3 hr (plus 9 class hours for the Create task)
Format70 End-of-course multiple choice + 2 Create Performance Task: program, video, reference + 2 written responses on exam day
Scored 3+ worldwide · 202663%
University High School Scored 3+ · 202684%101 exams

An entry AP for students without coding background, including the Create Performance Task. Next: AP CSA.

Formats

Mainly 1-on-1, online or in person; small groups open with enough enrollment.

How to start

Start with a placement assessment. We use it to set the level and class, then confirm the year plan with the family. For schedules, tuition, and bundle offers, request the 2026-27 program guide through the form below.

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How the exam is built

Sections drawn to their share of the score; the wider the block, the more practice it deserves.

SectionQuestionsTimeWeight
End-of-course multiple choice (57 single-select, 5 passage-based, 8 multi-select)702 hr70%
Create Performance Task: program, video, reference + 2 written responses on exam day21 hr30%

Units and exam weighting

Each ruler segment equals the unit’s midpoint exam weight. The yellow unit carries the most points and gets the most class time.

  1. 1Creative Development10–13%
  2. 2Data17–22%
  3. 3Algorithms and Programming30–35%
  4. 4Computer Systems and Networks11–15%
  5. 5Impact of Computing21–26%

Global score distribution 2026

Out of every 100 test takers.

63% scored 3 or higher

At Irvine public high schools

Whether each school offers it, which grades can enroll, the gate, and last year’s results. Updates with the school guides.

Portola High School

Open to 10-12
Scored 3+ · 202697%92 exams

PrerequisitesA or higher in Math III or B or higher in Enhanced Math II (both sems) or ECS with teacher rec

Honors point; <1 hr/wk; must be enrolled to take AP exam (portfolio)

Full school guide →

IUSD course-selection rules

Which grade can take this AP at each school, what the prerequisites are, and how weighted GPA is calculated. Confirm with the school's current course catalog before choosing.

  • Irvine High School: Grade 9 may take AP World History, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Computer Science A. AP Precalculus and AP Art History open in grade 10. AP Physics 1 is taken in grade 11 and the remaining AP science courses in grade 12; AP Psychology and AP Macroeconomics require enrollment in grade 11 or 12.
    Only AP courses and the honors courses starred on the School Profile add 1 point, and only when the grade is C or higher. Weighted, an A counts 5 points, a B 4, a C 3, and a D still 1.
  • Northwood High School: No AP courses are offered in grade 9. Grade 10 is limited to four: AP Art History, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Music Theory, and AP Precalculus, assigned as seats allow. The remaining AP courses are concentrated in grades 11 and 12, and most require a current teacher's signed recommendation on the course request form.
    Only honors and AP courses whose names carry a plus sign (+) on the transcript add 1 point to the GPA (A counts 5, B 4, C 3, and D adds nothing). Embedded Honors courses in grades 9 and 10 do not add a point.
  • Portola High School: Grade 10 has a single AP option, AP Human Geography, which the school calls the "grade 10 choice." The large majority of AP courses are for grades 11 and 12. AP Precalculus, AP Statistics, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Computer Science A open from grade 10 subject to math prerequisites. Restricted to grade 12 are AP Physics C, AP English Language, AP United States Government together with Honors Political Economy, AP 3-D Design, and Honors Engineering Design and Development. Grade 9 students may not sit an AP exam at the school unless they have taken the course or the Irvine Unified School District GATE office approves it on the basis of existing preparation.
    Unweighted courses are scored A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1; the 28 AP courses and 11 weighted Honors courses are scored A=5, B=4, C=3, D=1. Weighted Honors courses are electives in grades 11 and 12; core courses in grades 9 and 10 are not weighted.
  • University High School: No AP courses are offered in grade 9. From grade 10, students may take AP Precalculus, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Statistics, and AP Cybersecurity. AP United States History is offered in grade 10 on the condition that the student earned Honors Distinction in both semesters of World History. Most AP courses are concentrated in grades 11 and 12.
    Only AP courses and fourth-year world languages (French 4, Latin 4, Spanish 4, American Sign Language IV) add 1 point to the GPA, and the grade must be C or higher.
  • Woodbridge High School: Grade 9 may take one AP course, AP Human Geography, the only AP course open to grade 9 at any of the five comprehensive high schools in the Irvine Unified School District. Grade 10 may take AP World History, AP English Language, AP Precalculus, and AP Computer Science Principles. From grade 11, AP United States History, AP Physics 1, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Calculus AB and BC, and AP Statistics open. AP Physics 2, AP Physics C, AP United States Government, and AP Macroeconomics are taken in grade 12.
    The GPA is calculated on a 4.0 scale without +/- distinctions. Only Honors courses taken in grades 11 and 12 and all AP courses add 1 point, and only when the grade is C or higher. The added point depends on the grade level: the same Honors course adds nothing in grade 10 and adds a point in grade 11.

Sources: College Board course and exam descriptions (2027 exam calendar, 2026 score distributions); school course catalogs and School Profiles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a complete beginner take this course?

Yes. The College Board designed AP Computer Science Principles for students with no coding background. It covers computational thinking, data, algorithms and programming, computer systems and networks, and the impact of computing. The impact unit alone carries 21 to 26 percent and requires no programming experience.

What is the Create task and how long does it take?

The Create Performance Task is a coursework project made up of a program, a video, and a written response. It is worth 30 percent of the score, and the College Board requires at least 9 class hours for it. Two written questions about the project appear on exam day.

How does this course differ from AP CSA for Irvine students?

CSP is a conceptual introduction; AP CSA is a Java programming course equivalent to a first-year college class. CSP does not fix a programming language and emphasizes understanding over syntax. The common order is CSP first and CSA second; availability at each Irvine school is listed in the section above.

How do Irvine public high school students score on this exam?

In 2026, 63 percent scored 3 or higher but only 10 percent scored 5 worldwide, which is low among AP exams. School-level numbers for Irvine appear in the section above. The Create task accounts for 30 percent and is graded against detailed criteria, and most lost points come from the written response and the video rather than the code.

How do Irvine students take this course?

Mainly 1-on-1, online or in person on an hours package, with small groups opening when enrollment allows. Coaching covers the Create Performance Task from topic choice through the written response, revising each section against the published scoring criteria.