<p>Hi, I am a sophomore taking AP Bio. I currently have 85~88% average (I read thetextbook and lecture notes though). To improve my grade, I bought many prep books: Cliffs AP, Barron's, Princeton Review, 5 Steps to a 5, Peterson's, and College Board AP Bio Lab Manual.<br>
Now I regret buying many prep books but I decided to use all of them. Can you tell me how to effectively study these prep books and lab manual with lecture notes (my teacher gave as a file containing completed notes)? Any tips using them?</p>
<p>I don’t think your problem is “using” the notes or “finding” the correct book to read. I think it’s your way of studying. </p>
<p>Understand what you are reading. If you find yourself blanking out while reading, re-read the previous paragraph. If you just keep reading without knowing what you read, you’re just wasting more time than if you took the time to make sure you’re not just passing through the pages without taking anything in. </p>
<p>As for prep books, you bought WAAAY too much. Try returning some of them? I would recommend Cliffs and Barron’s. Although Barron’s is notorious for having superfluous information, it’s still October, so you can sink in as much information as you can. </p>
<p>Oh, and what time do you start studying? The mind works best during the morning, so what I did was wake up at around 7 on a weekend and read for Bio. 
Whatever you do, don’t start preparing for a Bio test at night to the point you will sleep at 1~3 AM. The mind enters REM sleep during that time. So it’s best to sleep, at most, at around 12, but never at 2 or 3!! All the hard work will not pay off if you don’t go to sleep because sleeping enhances memory. Sleeping IS studying!</p>
<p>If you want to study during weekdays, I recommend taking an afternoon nap. If you take a 30 min~1 hour nap, you’re resetting your brain from all the mind-boggling stuff you had to learn at school; therefore, you’ll be able to think better. It’s like restarting a computer after it’s been used for hours; the PC will be faster if you do. </p>
<p>I know people are different, but the majority of people’s minds works like this. lol </p>
<p>I also recommended studying for a test, especially one where you have to memorize so much detail, two days before the actual test and then review the day before. That way, the information will sink in pretty good. </p>
<p>And if you really really don’t understand *** you’re reading, then ask your teacher for help. Use your resources. </p>
<p>Good luck!! I got a 5, so I know this works (for me… haha). :)</p>
<p>Thanks! I found myself to be in full concentration during night time and dawn. I returned Peterson’s AP Biology and Princeton review prep book. Guess I will use Cliffs AP, Barron’s, 5 Steps to a 5, and College Board Lab Manual.</p>
<p>dude mansu there is absolutely no point of getting **** ton of books, it doesn’t help you at all to get a better score, but waste your time as you try to read through all of them, and stress yourself out. Just focus on one book like cliffs or pr and just focus on it, read through it a couple time, take the review tests, and see how you do and review more if needed.</p>
<p>I think he already took the test by now, considering this thread is from 3 years ago…</p>
<p>I just read over Cliffs, and I already get it. Buying all those prep books is kind of just a waste >_>. Cliffs is sufficient enough.</p>
<p>I use <a href=“http://www.survivebio.com%5B/url%5D”>http://www.survivebio.com</a> it has everything you need to study bio and has a fun points system that rewards you for studying</p>