*"Official" 2013 USABO*

<p>This Friday… unfortunately I don’t remember most of Campbell, and I still have a little bit left to read. I’ll probably finish it before Friday, but…</p>

<p>Hello!</p>

<p>I see that the mighty Open Exam is officially started! However, there is problem within my USABO club. It kicked-off this year, and many students are quite unprepared. </p>

<p>Today some new students asked me how to prepare for the upcoming Open Exam. I asked them if they have been reading the Campbell but they said no…what should they do to
prepare for the upcoming Open Exam with time less than two weeks (Open on next Thursday)?
Should they read Student Study Guide on Campbell Biology or AP Bio prep books like Cliffs, Barrons, or Schaum’s Outlines of Biology? I really do not think any rookies to biology can finish Campbell Biology within ten days…</p>

<p>^search for Shulin Ye’s study guide in the 2012 thread. it’s a super helpful study guide of Campbell from an USABO alumnus</p>

<p>I AM SO STRESSED OUT AHHHH :’( MINE IS AFTER VALENTINE’S DAY :/</p>

<p>It turns out my biology teacher didn’t register the school in time, so it looks like I won’t be able to take the exam. Is there any way I could sign up to take it at another school? Or is it too late altogether?</p>

<p>Ah, well. On to USNCO…</p>

<p>^
I am also preparing for UNSCO too! Are you using Chemical Principles: The Quest for Insight?</p>

<p>Do you have anymore suggestion on my current biology club problem I mentioned above? I have to modify the plan by tomorrow afternoon!</p>

<p>@maximus
I am homeschooled and i registered to take it at a high school that is an hour and a half away… just contact the usabo adminstrator and ask her what schools are registered in your area, then contact the schools she gives you, one of the will probably let you take it there.</p>

<p>Testing officially started today</p>

<p>@Mansu: I’m using Zumdahl + AP and SAT II review books. I’m really just looking for a semis qualification, as I don’t have enough time to work for nats.</p>

<p>@trig: Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll try that.</p>

<p>Lets try to keep the topic on USABO ;). Chem is in MARCH</p>

<p>Do you have any more suggestions regarding to my question?</p>

<p>anybody taken the open exam today?</p>

<p>Well, good luck to everyone who is taking (or has taken) the exam! My bio teacher lied to me, saying that she would register our school, but she never did, and when I found out, school and student registration had closed. So somebody over here ain’t takin’ the exam…:frowning:
Next year…</p>

<p>Will going over AP prep book like Cliff Notes or Campbell Bio Study Guide good as a last review?</p>

<p>To the fellow previous USABO’ers, did it seem easier or harder compared to last year ?</p>

<p>Taking the exam on Monday – how did y’all who took it already do? How was the difficulty?</p>

<p>I have been going through all the past exams and there are so many errors. Do they proof read the test and answer key after the exams are administered? The genetics questions in 2009 are very vague. Wonder how its going to be this year. I am taking my test on Monday. Has anyone taken it already? What is the level of difficulty?</p>

<p>Good luck to Parallelism and Opinion559!</p>

<p>I hope you guys both make it. My friends who made the USABO camp told me that the Curve on the Open Exam is predetermined, which is why there’s always a weird number of semifinalists (i.e. 550+ or 420 depending on the year), so hopefully you’ll all wreck it.</p>

<p>The exam wasn’t too bad ; nothing really crazy or easy, just same as its been.</p>

<p>Thanks @MasterYster!
Are you taking the open/have you taken it?</p>

<p>I will take the USABO exam but I haven’t taken it yet. However people on FB are saying that its okay, but they’re very vague about it so I’m not sure what to expect</p>

<p>Thanks @MasterYster. Hopefully it won’t be too vague. I don’t think a easy test helps either. This year the New Jersey Bio League II was very easy and so there were a lot of ties. So even if you are off by a few points, you have lost the ranking!</p>