10 Online Python Courses for High School Students
In today’s tech-driven world, learning Python offers high school students a valuable head start. Python is widely used in various fields, from software development to data analysis, making it a practical tool for future career opportunities. By learning Python early, students can develop problem-solving skills, logical thinking, and creativity.
Python is increasingly becoming a vital tool across many industries. Learning it now provides students with skills that are highly sought after in today’s digital economy, giving them a competitive edge for college admissions and job opportunities.
Below, we’ve compiled a list of 10 online Python courses tailored for high school students. These programs offer diverse learning experiences, ranging from basic syntax to advanced applications in data science and AI.
Cost: $2,290 (financial aid is available)
Application Deadline: October 20, 2024, is the deadline for the winter cohort.
Program Duration: 25 hours over 10 weeks in the winter.
Eligibility: Open to high school students
Veritas AI, founded and led by Harvard graduate students, focuses on equipping high school students with a strong foundation in computer science. The program introduces students to key concepts in data science and artificial intelligence, including machine learning, neural networks, natural language processing, sentiment analysis, image classification, and Python programming.
The 10-week AI Scholars program emphasizes hands-on learning, where students collaborate in teams of 3 to 5 to create real-world projects that demonstrate their skills and passions. Financial aid covering up to 100% of the program cost is available.
2. Learn Python 3 - Codeacademy
Cost: Free with basic access; premium options start at $15.99/month
Application Deadline: N/A
Program Duration: 23 hours (13 projects)
Eligibility: Open to everyone, regardless of experience level
Codecademy’s Learn Python 3 course offers a thorough introduction to Python, a great starting point for high school students looking to get into programming. The highly interactive course features 23 hours of content covering key Python concepts such as syntax, control flow, loops, functions, and data structures.
The self-paced structure allows students to learn at their own speed while working through quizzes and coding challenges. Each lesson is designed to help you build practical coding abilities, such as creating a point-of-sale system or writing functions for physics formulas.
3. Build Chatbots with Python - Codeacademy
Cost: Free with basic access; premium options start at $15.99/month
Application Deadline: N/A
Program Duration: 28 hours (15 projects)
Eligibility: Open to everyone, including Python beginners
This skill path takes you from a Python beginner to building your own AI chatbot. You'll learn Python basics, explore AI and deep learning, and gain the skills to create both rule-based and generative chatbots. By the end, you'll be able to code chatbots that follow specific rules or train ones with deep learning for more advanced interactions.
This program covers essential Python programming fundamentals before delving into more advanced topics like natural language processing (NLP) and deep learning. You’ll build rule-based and retrieval-based chatbots, eventually progressing to open-domain generative chatbots. The course concludes with a capstone project, allowing you to apply what you've learned by building your own chatbot model.
4. The Complete Python Bootcamp From Zero to Hero in Python - Udemy
Cost: $199.99
Application Deadline: N/A
Program Duration: 22 hours of video content with additional exercises and projects
Eligibility: Open to beginners, programmers switching languages to Python, or intermediate Python programmers interested in enhancing their skills
This Udemy course is a comprehensive guide to learning Python, whether you're a complete beginner, familiar with basic syntax, or looking to explore advanced features. The course features over 22 hours of video content, 19 coding exercises, and 15 articles, guiding you from beginner to advanced Python programming.. The course also includes quizzes, tests, coding exercises, homework, and major projects to help build a Python project portfolio.
Key topics covered include Python basics like command line usage, data types, lists, dictionaries, and functions, as well as more advanced subjects like object-oriented programming, error handling, modules, and unit testing. Each lecture comes with coding screencasts and notebooks, ensuring you can learn in a practical, hands-on way. The course also guides you through Python setup on any operating system, making it accessible to everyone.
5. Python for Data Science and Machine Learning Bootcamp - Udemy
Cost: $124.99
Application Deadline: N/A
Program Duration: Self-paced, 25 hours of video
Eligibility: Open to beginners with some programming experience or those looking to transition into data science.
This course offers a comprehensive guide to using Python for data analysis, creating visualizations, and applying machine learning algorithms. You'll dive into Python libraries such as NumPy, Pandas, Seaborn, and Plotly, essential for handling data analysis and creating impressive visualizations. You'll also explore machine learning algorithms like linear regression, decision trees, and neural networks using the scikit-learn library.
Key topics include Python programming, working with NumPy and pandas for data manipulation, handling Excel files, web scraping, SQL integration, and data visualization with libraries like matplotlib, seaborn, and plotly. The machine learning section covers essential algorithms such as linear regression, K-nearest neighbors, decision trees, random forests, neural networks, and support vector machines. This course has garnered positive reviews for its clarity and depth, making it a great option to develop practical, job-ready Python skills.
6. Learn Python Programming Masterclass - Udemy
Cost: $199.99
Application Deadline: N/A
Program Duration: 63.5 hours, 22 coding exercises, 11 articles
Eligibility: Open to complete beginners to programming
This course is designed to give you a strong foundation in Python programming, whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced developer looking to expand your skills. It equips you with the core knowledge needed to pursue various career paths, from landing your first Python programming job to advancing in fields like machine learning, data science, and Django development. Python is widely used by major companies like Google, making it a valuable skill for anyone aiming for high-demand tech roles.
The masterclass is filled with coding exercises, quizzes, and hands-on projects to enhance your learning. Python is a top choice for machine learning, data science, and AI, and this course focuses on the essential skills required to become employable in these fast-growing industries.
7. Python for Everybody Specialization - Coursera
Cost: Free; certificate available for a fee
Application Deadline: N/A
Program Duration: Approximately 32 weeks (5 courses)
Eligibility: Open to all, no prior experience required
This University of Michigan partnered specialization expands on the Python for Everybody course, diving into essential programming topics like data structures, databases, and networked application programming interfaces, all through the use of Python. The Specialization is broken down into five courses, including:
Programming for Everybody
Python Data Structures
Using Python to Access Web Data
Using Databases with Python
Capstone: Retrieving, Processing, and Visualizing Data
Each course builds on the last, guiding you from basic Python syntax to more complex applications. For the Capstone Project, you'll apply the knowledge gained throughout the Specialization to design and build your own applications. These projects will focus on data retrieval, processing, and visualization, allowing you to put your Python skills into real-world practice.
8. Program in Python - Coursera
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: N/A
Program Duration: Approximately 44 hours
Eligibility: Open to beginner-level students interested in programming
This course introduces foundational programming skills through Python syntax, focusing on problem-solving using code. You'll explore the Python ecosystem, learning about popular modules, libraries, and tools. Key concepts include working with objects, classes, methods, variables, control flow, loops, functions, and data structures. It includes a mix of video lessons, quizzes, and coding assignments to reinforce the key concepts learned throughout the course. While it is free, students can also earn a certificate upon completion by paying for certification.
By the end of the course, you'll be able to set up your system for Python, understand Python syntax, handle errors and exceptions, and grasp object-oriented programming concepts.
9. Introduction to Computer Science in Python - CodeHS
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: N/A
Program Duration: 175 hours over the course of a year
Eligibility: Open to high school students
In this course, students start by learning basic programming concepts through fun, hands-on activities like drawing shapes using Turtle Graphics. The curriculum covers the basics of programming, using Python as the primary language, and gradually advances to more complex topics. As the course progresses, students are introduced to conditionals, loops, and functions, which help them write more efficient and modular code. They also learn to handle exceptions and manipulate strings.
Later, students dive into data structures, working with tuples, lists, grids, and dictionaries to build more complex programs. The course culminates in a project where students apply their skills to create a word guessing game, followed by a final exam that tests their understanding through multiple-choice, short-answer, and coding questions. The curriculum covers the basics of programming, using Python as the primary language, and gradually advances to more complex topics.
10. Introduction to Programming in Python - Udacity
Cost: $249/month, or $846/4mo
Application Deadline: N/A
Program Duration: Typically 4 months to complete, though students can work at their own pace.
Eligibility: Open to beginners with no prior programming experience.
This Udacity course offers a dynamic introduction to Python, combining traditional lessons with hands-on projects that allow you to create interactive programs and games. You'll learn the fundamentals of Python by working on engaging projects, including a virtual pet, a movie recommendation system, an ASCII art generator, and a text adventure game. These projects help reinforce core Python concepts in a practical and enjoyable way.
What sets this course apart is its emphasis on personalized feedback from a diverse team of professors and teaching staff, ensuring you receive guidance as you progress. With its unique blend of projects and supportive instruction, this beginner-friendly course provides an engaging pathway into Python programming that many other courses may lack.
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