<p>I've taken the SATII Biology test twice, once in June and again in October. In June I got a 730, and in October I got a 710, even though I thought the test was super easy. I guess there wasn't much curve...</p>
<p>anyway, I was just wondering - how would you guys suggest studying for the test? Is it easier if you've taken AP Bio? Would you suggest actually acquiring an AP BIO book to study from along with an SATII prep book? And also, which month is it best to take (the month with the most curve)?</p>
<p>I also got a 790, but I didn't use any textbooks. Simply use Princeton Review and sparknotes tests online and you should do well. However, if that really isn't working for you, take a Barron's book and review specific information. Some people also recommend Kaplans, though I don't know how well that would work. Study from study guides, rather than from textbooks, since texts often give too much unnecessary information.</p>
<p>Was Barron's any good? I have Barron's for my three tests (Physics, Chemistry and Bio) and the Physics one seems especially difficult. It may be because I'm an international student and the formulae are written differently in Barron's, though...</p>
<p>SAT bio, I haven't taken the AP course yet and don't plan to until my senior year. I don't know how good PR is for APs, but I know it's good for SAT II subject tests.</p>
<p>I had not taken any AP Bio class, just a semester long introductory course. Basically I began to read through the Barrons SAT Bio book a couple days before the test. Read it from start to finish and do the problems at the end of each section.</p>
<p>PR was the best I found for the Bio SAT II; I got a 780 without having ever taken high school bio. Kaplan had a needlessly unclear writing style and a decent number of factual errors, and Barrons was a general waste, though I think there's a new edition out that might be better</p>
<p>Don't get an AP review book or textbook for the SAT II. You'll just end up wasting your time on concepts and details that the SAT II exam doesn't cover.</p>
<p>i'm planning on taking the sat 2 bio in june but people have told me that since i'm putting in the effort to study for the subject test, i may as well take the ap. i haven't taken ap bio, just a semester-long magnet course. how much more difficult and different is the ap exam from the sat 2 bio exam? </p>
<p>is princeton review the general consensus for best book for sat 2? and barrons for ap?</p>
<p>What year of high school are you in? Are you good at biology? Do you have an easy time memorizing things and grasping concepts? Have you taken AP exams before? </p>
<p>The SAT II is substantially less material to worry about than the AP. Your high school bio class may have given you a good start for the SAT II, but probably didn't make much of a dent in AP level material.</p>
<p>The Cliffs AP Bio book is by far the best for that test. I'd suggest going to a bookstore and taking a look at it, and if it seems manageable to you consider taking the AP.</p>
<p>Man so many people got 790s, but not one has posted that they received an 800. I got a 790 as well. I hadn't taken any AP Bio class yet and all I did was read (half) the PR book. Its not too hard if you spend your time actually studying all the topics.</p>
<p>As for the AP test, it is considerably harder than the SAT II. Don't take it if all you are doing is studying for the SATs. It usually works the other way around. If you are taking the AP test, might as well do the SAT.</p>
<p>I highly recommend the PR book - I was looking at the practice test problems, and I ended up doing around 2-3 problems that were identical on the June 2008 SAT, with the rest being incredibly similar to other material. Granted, I studied extremely well for AP Bio, so flip through PR first and then decide where you are with the material. Sometimes the AP labs show up in a simplified version on the SAT II. 770.</p>
<p>Do you guys think if I read through Campbell's Biology (easier said than done, I know) as well that I'd be able to do well on both the AP and SAT II? I have until May so if I start now would that be enough time?</p>
<p>If you read the book and actually remembered most of the info, then you'd do great on the tests. It all depends on your definition of "read". Some people just can't read something and remember it a month later.</p>
<p>Just reading through Campbell's would probably be a disaster. Sure, if you remembered and understood every single page of every single section in the book you'd be okay; you'd also probably be insane. Reading the whole book as a method of studying for the AP and SAT II would be like trying to drink from a fire-hose. You might be okay if you had a good idea of what sections to emphasize and repeatedly confirmed your understanding and memory along the way through self-testing, but why would you bother when a good review book will cover all of the material you need for the exams?</p>
<p>To put in perspective how much material Campbell's covers compared to the AP syllabus... my university uses Campbell's as the textbook for the entire four course intro bio sequence, only one semester of which you can get credit for with an AP exam score. Having gotten a 5 on the bio AP and knowing Campbell's was the book my high school's AP bio class used, I was a little concerned that I'd have to take three semesters of review material. Holy crap was I wrong. The background from the AP information was helpful, but that textbook can be used to hold you responsible for a whole different level of detail.</p>
<p>reading campbell's bio (5th edition - i know its pretty old but most of the info is probably the same i guess)...started over christmas break and at page 480...i have to finish in 2.5 weeks for the jan 24th sat II...aiming to make it to about page 900-1000...skipping some useless chapters in the middle...</p>
<p>and reading PR SAT II bio...never use kaplans SAT II bio..it screwed me on the november test..</p>