How should I prepare for a specialized high school computer science entrance exam in one year?

Books or courses that explain how algorithms work can be useful once you know basic C++. Visual explanations of sorting, recursion, graphs, and other algorithms often help more than memorizing code. Don't rush into advanced topics before you can comfortably write small programs, trace them by hand, and estimate their time complexity. A gradual path—C++ fundamentals, STL, core algorithms, then timed mixed problem sets—will prepare you better than jumping straight into difficult contests.

For the schedule, consistency matters more than very long sessions. A focused hour of coding after school or dinner on several weekdays, plus one or two longer weekend sessions, would be a reasonable starting point. Keep Math, Literature, and English as fixed priorities because they directly affect your entrance results. During coding time, study one concept briefly and then solve a few problems without immediately looking at solutions. Keep notes on mistakes and revisit them each week. If your school workload increases, reduce coding temporarily instead of trying to maintain an exhausting routine.

An introductory course is a good way to learn C++ syntax, but it won't cover everything needed for algorithm exams. Once you're comfortable with the basics, focus on arrays, strings, sorting, binary search, recursion, complexity, and standard data structures such as stacks, queues, sets, and maps. Learn the C++ STL well because it lets you implement solutions efficiently. After that, practice problems aimed at competitive programming and past specialized-school exams rather than staying only with beginner exercises. LeetCode Easy is fine for building confidence, but use it as a supplement rather than your main preparation.