<p>What is the best way to prepare for this exam, given that you've taken AP Bio both semesters with a relatively bad teacher.
Should reading the Princeton Review guide suffice to get a 4 or do I need to reinforce my knowledge by reading alot of textbook or what?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>I plan on taking the exam this May. I’ve had a pretty lousy teacher (she still hasn’t covered animal behavior, plants, or the immune system in class!), so I know how you feel. However, I feel prepared because of the Barron’s AP Biology book. It’s lengthy and much more in-depth than the Princeton Review. However, I finished reading it within two weeks, and you can probably finish it within a week. </p>
<p>I have the Cliff’s book as well and I hear that it’s fantastic. I plan on reading the entire thing over Spring Break, then re-reading it in the following week. </p>
<p>I also recommend buying the Barron’s AP Bio flashcards that work in conjunction with the book. Review a section of them each night. That has also helped me feel more prepared.</p>
<p>Different people have different study methods, but I find that going through the textbook and picking out information is extremely tedious and boring.</p>
<p>Personally, I read the Barrons book twice and it was amazing! I knew all of the essays, while other people that didn’t read Barrons were stumped by the first essay about the Pancreas and beta platelets…that question was such a ***** =P</p>
<p>I had an okay teacher but by reading Barrons and taking the two practice tests in the back of the book I felt fine. Also I took the PR test and I legitimately got around a 50 and started freaking out, but Barrons said I would get a 5 so I trusted that source. Anyway turns out that I got a 5. So you’ll be fine, just be prepared for a lot of memorization and a sleepless night the night before the AP test. PM me if you have more questions</p>
<p>Update: After reading through Cliff’s, I’ve decided that Barron’s is, by far, the best AP Bio prep book. The Cliff’s book is boring to read, while, for some inexplicable reason, Barron’s makes you want to go forth and read more! I went through the Barron’s book a second time and made my own flashcards based on the info in the book, and I’ve spent all weekend rewriting each of the flashcards. It sounds tedious (oh, and it is!), but I honestly feel like I will get a 5 on the exam because of it!</p>