<p>@Mansu007:
Of the three textbooks you recommended, from finals experience I would say to definitely read through Raven, at least until the “ecology” sections in the last part of the book. As previous commenters have stated already, plant biology is stressed in semifinals and especially finals.
Signaling molecules such as insulin, glucagon, and neurotransmitters are common question topics. Especially acetylcholine. >.> For metabolic pathways, I believe you’re talking about glycolysis and Krebs cycle? Yes, yes, yes, KNOW those. You also might want to brush up on anatomy and physiology, and for such Marieb is a good source.
If you private message me your email I can give you whatever practice tests I currently have. Good luck!</p>
<p>I’m in 7th grade. My bother introduced me to these things, but he’s more of a math/physics kind of person, so he’s not much help here. This seems very advanced, and I know I’m still a little young, but I figured, the earlier the better. Should I just jump in and try my best until im old enough to enter, or wait until I’m at least in high school?</p>
<p>Obviously it’s best to begin studying whenever possible. Start with Biology by Campbell and Reece, 8e. I don’t believe middle school students can compete.</p>
<p>@ cadburykat: I believe you have to be in 9th grade to compete in USABO, but there are plenty of things you could be doing now.</p>
<p>You might consider studying for the AP Bio exam. You’d have to go to your local high school to take it, but they let homeschoolers do this routinely, so there’s no reason you can’t. This will get you ready for USABO, and as a bonus, it will provide evidence that you actually know stuff (useful if you want to work in a lab over the summers - the younger you are, the harder it is to be taken seriously, but objective evidence helps).</p>
<p>You might also consider the middle school science bowl. It’s a good contest - it didn’t exist when I was in middle school, but the high school version was a lot of fun.</p>
<p>Depending on your interests and what’s available, you might consider going into science fairs. I was never a fan of the Intel, Siemens, etc - if someone’s parents have connections, they’ll get a pre-cooked project, and it will impress the judges even if that person barely understand what they’ve done. (The math projects are usually more legit…but the bio projects tend to be cribbed from Daddy’s last paper.) However, if you actually know what you’re doing, that will stand out. You’d have to find a university lab willing to help you if you want to be competitive, but again, it’s an option.</p>
<p>Back in the day, I also did the computing olympiads. I’m very much a biologist - my brain isn’t wired to be competitive for IMO/IPhO - but I still enjoyed the USACO contests, and wished I’d had more time to take them seriously. As a bonus, that stuff is genuinely useful for a practicing biologist. I was never even a serious contender for training camp, and yet the knowledge comes in handy all the time. (I’m in grad school now, and one of my classes is using the same textbook I bought in high school for my USACO prep class.)</p>
<p>Since you’re getting started so early, I’d also point out that you can only go to the IBO twice - you might have to decide when you’ll be most competitive.</p>
<p>Good luck, and remember to have fun with it - if you aren’t, the people who are will outwork you anyway, so you might as well find the geekery you like.</p>
<p>@blueroses67 and brock1 thanks so much! My mom has already bought me Campbell 8th edition and I’ve emailed Paly (my brothers high school) and asked them if I could take that exam next year. I know I can’t compete until 9th grade but I’ve already entered in a different science fairs (nothing big, just local stuff). Thanks for your help! :)</p>
<p>I have a 2006 semifinal exam, as well as a 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008 open exams. Anyone interested in exchanging any of those for some of the ones I don’t have? Thanks!</p>
<p>Ignore the 2006 semifinal from my post above --it was not the whole exam. </p>
<p>I have the 2010 open now, so anyone want to trade it, or any of the other ones, for some of the ones I am missing?</p>
<p>Is data analysis stressed, and if so, how should I prepare?</p>
<p>anyone have ap physics c multiple mech and e&m choice with answers from year 2000 on? i have a few usabo semifinals and opens I would be willing to trade, depending on how legitimate the mc is.</p>
<p>ughhh our ap bio teacher told us about this today! 
I wish I knew earlier!!! We’re using campbell’s 8th edition, we’ve done chapters 2-20, 52-56, we’re doing 22-26 now…what should I look over and skim? I’d really love some help and input please! I can do this again next year because this is our first year doing it, so I’ll hopefully be more prepared next year, but we haven’t even looked at plants or physiology, so should I spend most my time looking over that and reviewing?</p>
<p>You should look over everything, if possible. You must know most of the book to do well (so I’m told).</p>
<p>Trading the following:
Open: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Practice: 160 USABO practice questions sets
Study: Campbell’s official ppts.
For:
Any missing open or any semis.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Updating list.</p>
<p>Trading the following:
Any open: (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
Semis: (2007, 2010)
Practice: 160 USABO practice questions sets
Study: Campbell’s official ppts.</p>
<p>For:</p>
<p>Any missing semis I do not already have.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>so just to make sure, the campbell AP edition is good enough for the open exam right cuz i feel kinda screwed now since I have been using that for studying</p>
<p>is the ecology part of Campbell important? Can anyone give me a percent breakdown for the different parts of the test (like what percent will be based on plants, what percent on animal physiology)?</p>
<p>kwkingdom123: That information is available on the very first page of this thread.</p>
<p>My friend just registered for the Biology Olympiad Open Exam; he realized of its existence just few days ago. He did not read the Campbell Biology textbook, but know the medium-level background information of general biology (he took AP Bio last year). He bought Campbell biology 9th Edition with its textbook Study Guide that is also in market. </p>
<p>I told him it is very late to start studying right now but he said that he knows general background information on biology and he will use Textbook Study Guide + Course Notes + Schaum’s + Cliffs Flash Cards to study for Open Exam and use Campbell textbook mainly in correlation with its study guide and for the diagrams and tables.</p>
<p>Can he pass Open Exam by start studying now with these materials? Also how many times have you been reading Campbell Bio?</p>
<p>Does everyone take the exam at the same time? If not I’d really appreciate a heads up lol</p>
<p>Is it true that making it to semis isn’t really that hard as long as you read the book and understand the basic foundations?</p>
<p>anyone got full 2006 semifinal exam? if so i am willing to trade any of: 2004, 2008 semifinal exams or 2008,2009,2010,2011 open exams. pm me</p>