Hi guys!
I’m taking the biology SAT subject test in June 2017 and I thought it’s best for me if I start studying from now… but guys , there is so many material and so many prep books that I’m already confused from the first week.
●I have bougt Barron’s 5th edition recently(and I got from someone an old version …it’s Barron’s 13th edition …the cover is old so maybe some of the material inside is different now??)
●And I bought Princeton Review
Now I started studying first chapter Biochemstry from Princton Review and it went smoothly then I decided to go over barrons and I found some new info in there so studied them … I dediced to look through the the Barrons 13th edition and I found other new info too …
At first my plan was to read both PR and B at the same time and make brief summaries for myself so that when I make my final review, I just read them …
But now , I can’t seem to know what material are really tested and what is the superfluous info.
Can somebody help me with a study plan ? Like how many hours should I study per week? FOr how many months? Should I go over both books one at a time or together? should I do summaries or should I just review from the prep books? when should I start practicing full tests?
I’m taking Math level 1 in June too …and SAT 1 in May … my life is pretty hectic right now and I can’t seem to know when to study what… any tips guys??
The Princeton Review for Biology is about the level of the actual test that you take, but Barron’s gives you a better idea of the subject. It never hurts to do more. I would say you do the Barron’s book first, then take the practice tests (IMPERATIVE!) from both the books. The PR has small practice tests after each chapter, you could look through those too.
Edition wise, just stick to one book. You’ll confuse yourself otherwise. You could also use Khan Academy, I think they have practice tests there as well. As for the hours of study, consistency is important. Divide the Barron’s into sections week wise (or day wise, which ever suits you best.) Remember to review!
@sroy17 Thanks alot for the advice! I guess I’ll stick to the barron’s for my first round of study … I had tried ,as I said in my post, to make my own review by reading the same chapter from 4 different books I have and it proved really exhausting … 2 weeks into it and the 3rd I laxed and didn’t study Biology during it… so I’'l stick to the Barron’s hopin it covers everything. . Thanks again
Personally, I like the Barron’s book better for SAT II Bio. I feel like it is more comprehensive information wise and it helps you over prepare a little (which can never hurt). Stick to one book or else you’ll get confused. Also, take a biology class if possible.
I think a good idea to start out with is just reading barron’s and taking basic minimalist notes. There are some sections about classification/specific families and phylums (I forgot which one it is, lol) that are kinda unnecessary. Try for 1-2 chapters a week. Aim to finish all the information review chapters a week or two before May SAT. After that, you have ~1 month period to focus on bio. Take a practice test each week and review the chapters for things that you got wrong. The week before the test, DON’T take a test, just skim over the book everyday.
I took the SAT II Biology as a freshman and thought it was pretty easy. Just study a bit every week and you should be fine
