Middle school and high school, prep for PCEP entry-level and PCAP associate certifications.
LEVEL III · ADVANCED
Level III extends beyond PCEP into file I/O, exception hierarchies, and object-oriented Python — the scope of the PCAP-30-XX associate certification. For students who have completed Level II and want to go further.
The national gold-standard for algorithmic programming. Python is accepted. Four divisions (Bronze → Silver → Gold → Platinum), monthly contests December–April. Free. Self-paced online.
Fit: High school · Bronze is realistic after a full Level II year.
Team and individual formats, four contest rounds per year plus an all-star finals. Mixes short programming problems with CS theory (Boolean algebra, recursion, bit manipulation). Python-friendly.
Fit: Junior Division for middle school, Senior Division for high school. Most realistic first real competition for Level II.
Technology Student Association state conference (Georgia chapter is active) plus national qualifier. Software Development is a year-long project presented in team format; Coding is a timed on-site event.
Fit: Middle school and high school. Strong match for Gwinnett-area TSA chapters.
Short computational-thinking problems run each November. Free, low-stakes, international. A gateway to contest-format thinking.
Fit: Grades 3–12. Good introduction for Level I middle schoolers.
Summer residential program with a CS/Tech strand. Highly selective; a strong goal for top Level II students.
Fit: Rising juniors and seniors. Apply through a Georgia school nomination process.