<p>I'm planning to self-study AP bio and was wondering whether the Campbell & Reece Biology textbook is a must to get a 5.. or is using just prep books like Cliffs and PR sufficient?</p>
<p>I used the Campbell-Reece book in my AP Biology class, and I think it is great for the AP Biology exam. It gives you a comprehensive in-depth look at EVERY topic in AP Bio. Definitely use it to teach yourself the material, but use something lighter like Princeton Review to study for the AP exam.</p>
<p>I suggest you start studying now, or as ASAP.</p>
<p>I self-studied with YouTube and 5 Steps to a 5. I borrowed the Campbell book but hardly used it. I might have used the end of chapter questions for review before the test but it wasn’t anything serious. I got a 5.</p>
<p>Campbell is good because it has a lot of examples, but it can also be boring because it has too many examples. If you need reinforcement of a concept use Campbell, if not use Cliffs and some YouTube videos.</p>
<p>which YouTube videos?</p>
<p>bozemanbiology helped a lot</p>
<p>I took AP Bio last year and got a 5; my class used that text book. I will say that it has a HECK of a lot of chapters that are way too in-depth and several that don’t even appear on the AP Bio test. However, I loved that book and would highly recommend it if you have any interest in biology at all; use a test prep book to help with figuring out what will actually be on the exam and use C&R to get a good understanding of everything. Now, if you’re just trying to buff up your college app by taking as many APs as you can and you don’t like biology, I’d stick with the prep books. I loved the Princeton Review one, and I also purchased the SAT II prep book from Barrons (only got a 710 :/); both were very good.</p>
<p>thanks so much neets21!</p>
<p>neets21: how come you only scored a 710 with the use of the SAT II Bio book? I’m memorizing it right now and I’m hoping for an 800 but you sort of scared me by saying you only scored a 710. Any particular reason? Did the book not cover everything on the test?</p>
<p>Princeton review is horrible. The material is too shallow :(</p>
<p>Im taking AP Biology now as a sophomore and we use Campbell. It is true that Campbell does have a lot of information. Here is the important thing that i have learned. </p>
<p>If you really like biology and really want to learn about it, read Campbell
If you are just taking AP Bio cause it’s another AP, then just get a prepbook or something like that</p>
<p>Campbell is the way to go (get the 7th Edition). But you would have to start reading that now, or ASAP. There are 55 chapters, but they move quickly. Read about 3 every week. And it will be nothing. I can easily do a half chapter in a night without a problem. </p>
<p>While you could maybe pull off a 5 without it, I highly suggest you get Campbell, because that is the safer bet. (Also, I think Campbell has a Study Guide PrepBook thing that I get photocopied from my teacher sometimes which are REALLY good, but he said they are hard to find, but then again he doesn’t use computers much.)</p>
<p>i just had one question about that; what are some examples of chapters that you didn’t need to do. I’m in ap biology right now and were doing animal phyla and different taxonomies. Should really memorize all this stuff (like cephalpods and anthropods etc) or can i just hit the important parts like, plants structure and cell-cell communications.</p>