<p>Okay, my friend and I are freshmen this year, and at my school Biology is the required sophomore science. So, next year my friend and I were planning on taking Gate Biology, until we heard of someone who had a special circumstance and took AP Biology sophomore year without having taken any biology previously. What do you think my friend and I should do? I'm a good student, but science has never been my strong point--my friend is extremely strong in all subjects. These are the textbooks each class uses:</p>
<p>Gate Biology:
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805366253/qid%3D1115856685/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-0045135-4812143%5B/url%5D">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805366253/qid%3D1115856685/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-0045135-4812143</a>
Campbell/Mitchell/Reece, 3rd Edition</p>
<p>AP Biology:
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0805366245/ref=pd_ts_b_1/102-0045135-4812143?v=glance&s=books&n=226688%5B/url%5D">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0805366245/ref=pd_ts_b_1/102-0045135-4812143?v=glance&s=books&n=226688</a>
Campbell/Reece, 6th Edition</p>
<p>bio ain't that hard... and if ur doing ap... get the 7th edition, the newer one</p>
<p>What is this Gate stuff? Like honors or accelerated? I ask because, in my experience at least, the fun/interestingness of a class depends a good bit on the other students..
I don't know anything about the first textbook you listed but I used the second this year in AP. It's a great book in my opinion, usually very clear and comprehensive, can be a bit boring but I don't know how the steps of glycolysis or whatever can be made exciting.
You said science isn't your strong point...if you like it, though, AP might be worth it. Don't take AP Bio if you don't like biology, you'll be miserable. There is not a lot of math involved, but there is a lot of memorization/vocab.
A big point to consider: what do people say about the AP bio teacher at your school? The difficulty of a class depends a whole lot on the teacher.</p>
<p>hey zachsta, I just wanted to tell you that studying biology on your own is definitely doable. I self-studied AP Bio with shallow prior knowledge, using a textbook and 2 review books (cliffs- great, barrons-not so great), and when I took the AP Biology exam few days ago, I thought I was the pwnager :D!!!!! Anyways... the fact that your on CC asking this question, clearly shows the initiative that you have, so gl!</p>
<p>Thanks...and this might sound nerdy, but I really like vocab and memorization, so this might be good. And gloaming, I hear the teacher is good.</p>
<p>AP Biology is the type of class where you can really teach yourself, however labs often enrich the concepts. The 6th edition and the 7th edition, however, arent very different. The 7th has a few more charts and diagrams, but I liked it</p>
<p>So is this not considered the most "hands-on" type of science, because...as I said, I'm more into vocabulary and memorization for science.</p>
<p>it is rather hands on, but it is still predominantly vocab/memorization. If you have never taken a Bio class, I dont really reccomend taking AP first. People dont really have a hard time with it, but most people have already taken regular bio before. Learning 1200 pages of brand-new material isnt exactly the easiest task...</p>
<p>I forgot to mention, that the teacher said that if we decide to take AP Bio (my friend and I), then we need to read the Gate Biology book (Reece/Campbell/Mitchell, 3rd) first.</p>
<p>It's true that the scope of the class is pretty immense. We did the entire textbook, which meant one or two days to learn 20-30 pages of material. You get really good at skimming. I think it is possible to succeed in it though without previously taking bio, especially if the teacher is good (and his/her willingness to let you do it indicates that already.)
Most of the labs are pretty challenging and hands-on, but there are only 12 labs for the entire year, so you won't be doing one that often.</p>
<p>my friend tried it her jr year taking AP bio w/o anything previous.. she struggeld the first quarter with a D and managed to pull an A- the second quarter.. she was 4.0 and it f'd her up. lol I recomend not doing it unless you are moderately stong in science or you are ambitious enough to catch up on a lot of material this summer. <33</p>
<p>"I forgot to mention, that the teacher said that if we decide to take AP Bio (my friend and I), then we need to read the Gate Biology book (Reece/Campbell/Mitchell, 3rd) first."</p>
<p>I'm taking AP Bio next year, so I can't fully comment on your situation, but I just wanted to point out that I used your Gate Biology textbook last year (freshman year) for my Honors Bio class, and I think it's a wonderful textbook. It explains everything clearly and concisely, and I just loved it. I think, if the teacher's making you read that textbook in order to take AP Bio next year, you'll be pretty well prepared. Granted, you'll miss some classroom experiences, but you'll still know the basic concepts well.</p>
<p>I took honors bio sophomore year, and AP this year (senior). I have the same textbook for the AP. Don't take AP now, take the other course first, I strongly recommend it.</p>
<p>Actually, you DO NOT need an introductory biology background for this course.</p>
<p>What would do you a world of benefit is an intro chemistry class.</p>
<p>If you want to go ahead and take AP Biology as a sophomore, then do it. I am a sophomore now and I took the AP Biology exam last Monday (not self-studied, though).</p>
<p>It is a lot of information to be able to apply. But, it is not hard, per se.</p>
<p>Yea, at my school AP bio is offered as a first bio class...like you either take AP, Honors or CP, you dont do any prior prep work really.</p>
<p>Zachsta, what science class are you taking now? That may make a difference. And I know of that textbook, and if you must read it before entry into the class, i suppose it wouldnt be too abd because it wont brand new. But if you havent taken chemistry yet, it may be rather difficult because knowledge of chemical is necessary sometimes, useful in others, and chem is good for lab experience and apparatus which you may need....</p>
<p>I agree with fabrizio. I could barely remember anything from Regents Bio. Chemistry would be the most help.</p>
<p>Maybe chem first would be a good idea, but I don't think you have to. I did take chem last year, as a sophmore, but the teacher was so apathetic that it's almost as if I never took it. The only thing I can think of that I have needed to know from chem is moles a tiny bit in labs.. The first chapter of Campbells is a chemistry review of bonds, valences etc, and I don't think it would be hard to learn it.</p>