Demonstrating academic excellence
We typically recommend students start early in our program, from 8-10 years old, so that they have many years to develop their skills and build a strong profile in computer science. A sample progression for a complete beginner may be:
- 4th - 6th grade: Scratch Level 1, Scratch Level 2
- 6th - 7th grade: Python Level 1, Python Level 2
- 7th - 8th grade: Python Level 3, begin USACO Bronze preparation
- 9th - 12th grade: AP Computer Science A, continue USACO preparation (either Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum)
Students starting as beginners in high school would still start in Python Level 1 and have less time to prepare for USACO, but we have students who started in 9th grade who passed Bronze and Silver within 1-2 years.
Demonstrating leadership and driveBy starting early, students get involved early on with leadership and commitment in subject areas they are interested in within their school and local community. For example, kids who love computer science in middle school can self-organize a project to teach kids at a local community center how to build a video game in Python, or start a computer science club at school when they’re in 9th grade. Some students have gone on to start non-profits or publish apps while in high school as well.
Excelling in selective contestsThe final piece is encouraging your student to participate in contests and demonstrate their skills amongst a group of students. Qualified students may participate in the USA Computing Olympiad or in the Juni Champions League. The Juni Champions League encourages students to compete with hundreds of others across the country in fun programming projects to win prizes. Students do not need to be current Juni students to participate. Doing well in these contests can demonstrate a student’s excellence amongst a group of their peers.