Skip to content
Write a review
#4 in Introduction to Computer ScienceUdemyJavaPaid courseBeginner levelCertificate

AP Computer Science A - Java Concepts and Fundamentals (Udemy.com)

Attain a high-level understanding of Java concepts and fundamentals with a focus on succeeding on the AP Exam

4.6
217 reviews

Created by: Jarrett Cornelison

Last updated January 2026

Our take

Based on the ratings of 217 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in January 2026. No course pays to be reviewed.

A short crash course in Java aimed squarely at high school students prepping for the AP Computer Science A exam. Jarrett Cornelison, a UCSD computer science grad who works as a software engineer, walks through the ten College Board units in under three hours of video, with a quiz after each lecture, ten coding exercises, and a practice test built to mimic the real exam format. It assumes no programming background. This is a study aid or a head start before the school year, not a full Java course, and it makes no claim to be one.

Reviewers like how clearly the basics are explained, and one compares it favorably to the College Board's own videos, which jump into detail too fast. One student taking it the summer before his AP class said it should help him do well the following year. The complaints are few and specific: a three-star review asks for more examples of actual code so the concepts are easier to visualize, and another three-star rating calls it boring but useful. One low rating says the explanations are not well ordered. Captions are English only, and at least one student asked for Chinese subtitles. Roughly 86 percent of the 217 ratings are four or five stars.

The course is short and built around one exam. The last update was January 2026, so the material is recent. Students or parents after a quick, paid AP CS A refresher with built-in quizzes will get what they need. Anyone who wants to learn Java properly should pick a longer course and keep this one for exam review.

Best forHigh school students who want a quick, quiz-heavy Java refresher before or during their AP CS A class.
Skip it ifYou want to actually learn Java in depth, or you are not sitting the AP exam and need projects rather than exam prep.

Pros

  • Follows the ten AP CS A units in order, so it maps directly onto the school curriculum
  • 39 quizzes, 10 coding exercises and a final practice test in the real AP exam format
  • One reviewer says the basics are explained more clearly than the College Board videos
  • Updated January 2026, and the instructor offers Q&A help and optional 1-1 sessions

Cons

  • Only 2.9 hours total, so it stays high-level; a three-star review wants more examples of actual code
  • Low-star reviews call it boring or say the explanations are not in a good order
  • English captions only, and 2D arrays get a single five-minute lecture
It was a good experience, and it also explained concepts clearly from the beginning, compared to the college board videos that jump into the details.
mriz74 ., a student

Truly beginner level with no coding required, but it is exam review, so it suits AP students more than general first-time programmers.

icon
What you will learn

  • Understand how Java stores information in different kinds of variables.
  • Utilize iteration and conditional expressions to create logic in Java.
  • Able to create custom datatypes using classes and objects.
  • Learn how to store data in Java using Arrays and ArrayLists.
  • Understand how inheritance and recursion can be used to add complexity to programs.
  • Review strategies and concepts to ensure success on the AP Computer Science A exam.

Course content

12 sections · 32 lectures · 2.9 hours of video 39 quizzes, 10 coding exercises, 1 practice test, 1 assignment, 1 article

  1. 1Introduction 2 free previews2 lectures · 11 min
  2. 2Unit 1: Primitive Types5 lectures · 6 quizzes · 19 min
  3. 3Unit 2: Objects5 lectures · 6 quizzes · 30 min
  4. 4Unit 3: Boolean Expressions3 lectures · 4 quizzes · 15 min
  5. 5Unit 4: Iteration2 lectures · 3 quizzes · 13 min
  6. 6Unit 5: Writing Classes2 lectures · 3 quizzes · 12 min
  7. 7Unit 6: Arrays3 lectures · 4 quizzes · 11 min
  8. 8Unit 7: ArrayList3 lectures · 4 quizzes · 17 min
  9. 9Unit 8: 2D Arrays1 lecture · 2 quizzes · 5 min
  10. 10Unit 9: Inheritance3 lectures · 3 quizzes · 15 min

Who it is for

The instructor says it suits

  • Beginner students looking to learn Java in preparation for the AP Computer Science A exam.

What you need before you start

  • Absolutely no prior programming experience needed. This course is meant to be a fun and engaging way for you to be able to understand everything you need to be an amazing programmer.

icon
Course Description

This course will provide you with a high-level understanding of Java concepts and fundamentals with a focus on succeeding on the AP Computer Science A exam. This course provides videos for each major topic that is presented in a quick, crash-course style with an emphasis on high-level concepts in order to maximize your engagement and enjoyment of the course. This course also provides quizzes after each lecture, practice coding questions after each unit, and a final exam that mimics the same format as the real AP exam. In the last unit, I also provided extra resources and practice related to the AP Exam in case you need it.

We will be covering the following topics throughout this course:

  • Primitive Types

  • Objects

  • Boolean Expressions

  • Iteration

  • Writing Classes

  • Arrays

  • ArrayList

  • 2D Arrays

  • Inheritance

  • Recursion

Feel free to message me or post a question in the Q&A about any questions you may have and I'll be sure to answer it as soon as I can. I can also set up 1-1 sessions if you need extra help to understand problems, homework, or a particularly hard concept. Please leave a review of the course so that I know what parts you enjoyed and which ones may need changing so that I can make future improvements. I hope you enjoy the course and get a perfect score on the exam!
Read More Beginner Beginner Level product length iconTime: 2.9h

icon
Udemy Discount

The discount is applied through our link. Open the course from here and Udemy's current promotional price is applied at checkout on most courses, no code to type.

Get the Udemy discount

Some courses are excluded from Udemy's promotions. If the price does not drop, clear your browser cookies and use the button again.

icon
Instructor Details

Jarrett Cornelison

Hi, I'm Jarrett. I have completed a Computer Science degree from UCSD and work as a Software Engineer. I enjoy tutoring and teaching people about Computer Science in a fun and engaging way. I aim to split up my lectures into short videos and then directly follow up with relevant hands-on practice because I believe the most effective learning comes from being able to practice these topics yourself. I am here to be your guide, not a lecturer, and it is my goal to ensure that you succeed! I hope you enjoy my courses and please leave any feedback you may have so that I can improve my courses in the future. If you ever have any questions or need extra help with anything at all, don't hesitate to reach out to me so that we can clear up your confusion.

Read More

icon
More Java courses

Free

$84.99

$119.99

$174.99

$17.99

$12.99

All Java courses

icon
Reviews

4.6

217 ratings on Udemy

Select a bar to show only those reviews.Select the bar again to show every rating.

Write a review

By Udemy User on 5/23/2025

He explains it really well, and it's easy to understand.

By Diego Angoiti on 5/7/2025

Great Has helped me understand some of the course until now

By Vedat Demirturk on 3/4/2025

Dude is really clear about the topics, has a good knowledge definitely give it a shot to this course it might be your path of getting 5 on the exam.

By Pat Leahy on 9/11/2024

String literal can’t be enclosed in curved quotation marks.

By Riaan Kapoor on 7/22/2024

Loving the detailed explanations! Thanks!

By Rahul Varma on 5/7/2024

Super informative and interactive

By Geselle Archie on 12/26/2023

Thank you. I will be able to teach my AP class

By Muhaab Syed on 6/26/2023

I'm still in the middle of taking the course but I feel like it has good information and can help me excel in my AP CS A class next year.

By Hemanth Challa on 2/27/2023

great presentation

By mriz74 . on 12/18/2022

It was a good experience, and it also explained concepts clearly from the beginning, compared to the college board videos that jump into the details.

Showing all 10 reviews on CourseDuck

Read all 217 reviews on Udemy

icon
Quality Score

No CourseDuck member has rated this course yet. Taken it? Give each part a thumbs up or down.

Content Quality
/
Video Quality
/
Qualified Instructor
/
Course Pace
/
Course Depth & Coverage
/

Overall Score : 92 / 100

AP Computer Science A - Java Concepts and Fundamentals
Visit course on Udemy Write a review
  • Video Duration: icon 2.9h
  • Price: $64.99
  • Provider: icon Udemy
  • Updated: icon January 2026
  • Level: Beginner Beginner
  • Language: icon English
  • Certificate: icon Yes
  • Lectures:32 in 12 sections
  • Practice:39 quizzes, 10 coding exercises, 1 practice test
  • Students:1,310
  • Subtitles:1 language
30-day money-back guarantee on most paid courses

Udemy Coupon Price Tracker

Udemy price history

For any issues or feature requests please email CourseDuck's Co-Founder at mkuhlman12@gmail.com