AP Biology Prep Book Reviews

<p>I just made a similar post to this one for AP English Lang & Comp. Now that the AP exam is over, I figured it might be able to start an index like this for future generations of AP Biology self-studiers and prep book users. I know there's a general listing for book recommendations, but I find that the recommendations on those lists often differ from each other and don't agree upon a singular book. So, what better resource for picking a prep book is there than from the bright CC'ers who used them just less than a week ago? I know that I would have loved having a resource like this myself when picking a prep book for AP Bio, especially when we have so many options between Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton, etc.</p>

<p>So, a'here we go.</p>

<p>BARRON'S: I actually really liked this book, even though a lot of people aren't a fan of Barron's. I crammed this book in mostly, as I did the last 250 pages of review the weekend before the exam. As a cramming material, I found it to be very useful. Lots of diagrams, which are helpful to visual learners like myself. The book is particularly strong in explaining the latter subjects, such as anatomy & physiology and ecology. I felt, though, that it was weak and confusing in explaining molecular genetics and cellular energetics. Also, some of the information on the exam, particular methylization (sp?), siRNA, and stem cells, are not covered in the book.</p>

<p>Cliffs: Honestly, I thought this book was superb. No it’s not as in-depth as Barron’s but that isn’t a bad thing. It allows for better coverage in less time, and all-together better memorization. If you did well enough in your class, Cliffs will be enough for you to pull a 5. Some of the info on the test will not be in the book, as it can’t cover everything, but a definite majority is covered. Great cramming material, simplified language, and realistic practice tests. I highly recommend it.</p>