Course Selection
What is the difference between Basic and Advanced courses?
We can summarize the difference between basic and advanced courses as follows: Basic Advanced Objective Increasing USACO score to 500 out of 1000 in that level Promotion to the next USACO level Problem difficulty Easy to medium USACO problems of that level Medium to hard USACO problems of that level Prerequisite Requires previous level course Requires the Basic course of that level | USACO level | Typically for new students or students who scFew readersDo I have to take Part A course before Part B course?
In courses below USACO Gold Basic courses, Part A is required by Part B courses. In USACO Gold Basic and above courses, Part A and Part B courses can be taken in any order.Few readersWhat is the difference between regular and booster courses?
Our year-round courses teach the full curriculum at that level including the topics. In booster courses, we do not teach topics but we solely focus on improving current USACO scores. We solve last 3-years USACO contest problems in that level intensively including the whole class discussions and implementation. Live booster courses are typically offered in Winter camp. Live regular courses are offered as year-round, or summer, or Winter camp. All courses are offered as self-study at any time.Few readersHow will I know my level and/or course?
To determine your level, please take the diagnostic exam first. You need to register for the free diagnostic exam at: https://alphastar.academy/diagnosticexam/. Then you will receive an email regarding the diagnostic exam. Following the directions, go to the course and you will see diagnostic exams in different levels such as: Programming USACO Bronze USACO Silver USACO Gold USACO Platinum You will see the description of eacFew readers
Programming Languages
Which programming language should I learn?
It is based on your goals. Here are some scenarios: If you don't have a programming background and want to start programming quickly, it's recommended to start with Python. If your goal is to help AP Computer Science A course, you can start learning Java. If you have long term plans for USACO, C++ is recommended. In USACO Silver and above contests, some problems are not solvable with Python in the given time limits. Starting medium/hard USACO Gold problems, C++ have some adFew readersWhich programming language do you use in your courses?
We have two types of courses: Programming courses USACO courses Each programming course is on a specific language such as "CS21A: Programming with Python". Our USACO courses support all of the following languages: Python, C++ and Java. A student can use ANY of those languages. Furthermore, students don't have to stick to one language throughout the course. For instance, a student can submit a solution in C++ for a problem and in Java for another problem. In USACO coursesFew readers