Originally Posted on Inspirit AI Ambassador Blog Site
Computer Science Projects for High Schoolers: University Application Necessities
In order to get into computer science programs at top universities, students nowadays have to work through countless hours of project making, studying, and test taking in order to come out on top. It’s this challenging, uphill climb that has led so many students to become confused with that to do in order to stand out.
In this blog post, we’ll be talking about the best ways to build up a good foundation in computer science, and how to expand that into something that puts you apart from the rest in terms of meaningful projects and courses.
What does a computer science project look like?
Typical computer science projects may take on the form of a video game, or a utility software. While these are undoubtedly great options, most students don’t explore deeper into other areas of computer science, such as machine learning algorithms or niche topics like video playback and audio manipulation.
Examples of common projects:
- Recreating a retro arcade game (e.g., tetris, donkey kong, pong)
- Building a scientific calculator app
- Creating a note taking tool
Benefits of computer science projects
There are a variety of reasons to build a computer science project, some of which we will list below.
Explore, Enhance, Expand
Computer science projects allow students to learn about new softwares, algorithms, and other innovative technologies. By doing so, they enhance existing knowledge and expand their skill sets.
Preparing for the Future
If you want to become a successful software developer or computer scientist, building a few projects can prepare you well for what lies ahead.
Examples of computer science projects
Android App for Healthcare Screenings
If you already know how to code using Java, you can start creating your very own android applications! Android Studio is a free and popular IDE for developing android apps. Some skills you may gain include:
- Device emulators
- Healthcare
- Mobile app development pipeline
Contacts App/GUI
People across the globe are constantly storing new contacts and making new connections. Making a contacts app can help kickstart your computer science journey by implementing different data structures and employing efficient algorithms. For example, you could build your contacts list with data structures such as linked lists, array lists, binary trees, or even with principles stemming from graph theory!
Getting started with a computer science project
Taking the first step in a project is often said to be the hardest part. However, with the right tools and motivation, getting started can be a breeze!
Here are some tips for getting started:
Take baby steps
Don’t be overwhelmed by the sheer size of the project. Instead, break down the development process into steps (e.g., brainstorming, design, implementation, testing).
Design good code
It may take weeks or even months for you to complete the project. With that time frame in mind, it is wise to carefully plan out your next steps and be deliberate in your structural and procedural choices. This way, you don’t get lost in your own design, and the code connects seamlessly.
Good code comments itself
Anyone who may be collaborating with you on a project would certainly be grateful for well thought out code - code that doesn’t need lines on lines of comments.
With these tips in mind, you are ready to begin a computer science project of your own. Have fun!