Online Computer Science Classes for High School Students (2024)

Computer science is the study of computers, automation, technology, and information. Computer scientists learn the theoretical concepts that underlie computer hardware and software applications. Studying computer science, even as a high school student, is a great foundational step to a career as a computer scientist, an engineer, a data scientist, or a coder. However, computer science isn’t just for people interested in computers: computer science skills are needed in almost every industry. From an economist who uses computation to track financial trends to a musician who creates music with synthesizer, computer science has many applications, and computer scientists remain in high demand.

An essential part of computer science is learning to code. Computers have to be told by computer scientists how to function, and they don’t understand English or Mandarin. Computers have their own languages called programming languages. A computer scientist must become proficient in writing code in these programming languages for hardware and software to function. Some of the most popular programming languages are Java, C, Python, and JavaScript. A professional computer scientist typically uses a combination of proficiency in coding skills, understanding of software development, engineering principles, writing programs and testing them for usability, mathematics, cybersecurity, and ethics.

Why High Schoolers Should Learn Computer Science

Computer science is a lucrative career field: computer scientists make an average of $107,000 a year. This is significantly more in certain cities, such as San Francisco ($159,000), Dallas ($171,000), Denver ($147,000), Los Angeles ($163,000), and Atlanta ($151,000).

Other job titles which require computer science skills also offer above six-figure salaries. For example, a Java Developer makes an average salary of $104,000 a year. And, a software engineer makes $125,000 a year. This means that training in computer science could lead to a six-figure salary.

While it is appealing, money isn’t the only reason high school students should learn computer science. There are important skills that develop when studying computer science. Writing computer code in a programming language requires a lot of creativity and technical skills. You have to be able to imagine a program before you can code it. Learning computer science is also an excellent way for high school students to grow their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Computer scientists are asked to solve problems in code all of the time. Since most programming languages include logic, high school students who study computer science will also develop logical thinking skills.

Starting your computer science training while still in high school is a great way to get a head start on a coding career or to study for the AP Computer Science Exam. While still in high school, training in programming languages and computer science will also help prepare you for the rigorous coursework in a college computer science program.

Virtual Computer Science Classes at NextGen Bootcamp

Virtual computer science classes offer many of the same benefits as in-person courses, especially if the course is taught live online. When you’re in a live online class, you can interact with your instructor and classmates. You can ask your instructor questions and receive hands-on feedback on your work via screen-sharing software. Choosing a virtual course also opens up more options: you can learn from anywhere and pick a course that best fits your goals and needs. This can be especially beneficial if you’re a high school student since you can select a course that’s designed for your age group.

NextGen Bootcamp offers live online computer science courses specifically designed for high school students. All of these courses feature instructors who are experts in their field. They also have guaranteed small class sizes and a curriculum geared toward high school students. NextGen Bootcamp also offers a free retake option on their courses: for one year, you can retake the course for free to refresh your memory or further develop your skills. All of their courses are taught through micro-lectures and guided practices. As soon as you learn a topic, your instructor will guide you and the class by applying what they just taught in the lecture.

NextGen Bootcamp’s Live Online Computer Science Summer Certificate offers a comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals of computer science and is an excellent way for high school students to prepare for the AP Computer Science Exam. Students will train in the fundamentals of the two most taught programming languages by college computer science departments: Java and Python. Students will learn to think like a coder by writing algorithms, functions, and machine learning algorithms. The course also includes data science, as students use their knowledge of Java and Python to input, analyze, and visualize data. Graduates will receive a New York State Licensed Certificate to show for potential internships or to include on college applications.

Those planning to take the AP Computer Science Exam should consider NextGen Bootcamp’s Live Online Java Programming Summer Course. This course is designed for beginners and provides a comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals of coding in Java.

Java is the most taught language by college computer science courses, and it’s the language that the AP Computer Science Exam tests on. Students will gain proficiency in Java but also in core computer science topics such as how to think like a coder, writing algorithms, object-oriented programming, and writing functions. Graduates have a portfolio-ready program coded in Java. They also receive a certificate of completion to show for internships or college applications.

Data Science is one of the most popular subfields of computer science. NextGen Bootcamp offers a Live Online Python Data Science Summer Program, which includes foundational training in the Python programming language and applying Python to data science. Students learn through real-world projects and hands-on data science projects that teach the fundamentals of Python, writing conditional statements in Python, writing machine learning algorithms, inputting data in Pandas, and transforming that data into a visualization. The course’s final project is a presentation of your data visualization to the class. Graduates receive a certificate of completion that, combined with your presentation, will help you be competitive for internships and college admissions.

NextGen Bootcamp offers classes in design and coding: their Live Online Web Design Summer Course combines design and coding skills to build a beautiful, fully-functional website from scratch. Students begin by learning how to design a website in Sketch. Then, they develop that website as they learn to code by hand in HTML and CSS. They will mark up content with HTML, then style that content using CSS, adapt the site’s layout to remain responsive on various devices, create multiple pages with different content, use browser tools, and upload files. At the end of the course, students will have a beautifully-designed and fully-functional portfolio website. This could be a personal website or a website to promote your new web design business: it could be anything that you want your site to be. And, you’ll have all of the training you need to keep building. Graduates receive a certificate of completion to include applications for college, internships, or part-time jobs.

Other Live Online Computer Science Classes for High Schoolers

If you’re considering taking a virtual computer science class, you have several options. iDTech began as one of the first tech camps for kids and teenagers in the United States. They offer live online tech training at their 75 college campus locations across the country. High school students can study topics like Java Coding and Game Development and Code Apps with Java. theCoderSchool are franchised coding schools sprinkled across the United States. Since they are franchises, course offerings vary by location. You might want to check to see if there’s an in-person school in your area. Their Java Camp is specifically designed as both an introduction to computer science and as preparation for passing the AP Computer Science Exam.

How to Choose a Computer Science Class

Choosing the right computer science class for you is mostly about your goals and needs. Are you preparing for the AP Computer Science Exam? Are you planning to study computer science at the college level? If so, you’ll want to select a course geared towards these goals, like a general computer science course or a course that focuses on Java since that is the programming language on the exam. Y

ou might want to consider any backup interests or interests that you’d like to explore: do you find data science intriguing? Does coding intimidate you, and you’d like to start with an easy language like Python? Is design another interest? Would you want to add web design or graphic design to your growing skillset? Considering these questions is an essential first step to figuring out your goals and how taking a virtual computer science course can help you accomplish them.