I just found out that I have to take the SAT II Bio test in order to be considered for a couple schools I applied to. I haven’t studied Bio in two years… So I am preparing a list of the topics I need to focus on the most. Does anyone who has taken the test have some recommendations of what the biggest topics I should cover are? Thank you so much!!!
This actually varies from test to test, but study Cells and Cell Division, Genetics (both Molecular and Classical), Ecology, and Animal Physiology, which are essentially the main topics.The test more or less balances out all the topics on the test, so expect Taxonomy, Plant physiology, and Evolution questions as well.
If you can, buy the Princeton Review Biology E/M book (the latest edition) and go through it, the book is very good for quick and extensive review.
And go under the “Topics on the Test” section of this website, it’ll tell you the approximate percentage of questions per topic on the E or M test:
http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-subject-test-preparation/biology-em
So would you guys say it’s possible to self-study most of the material for the biology test to still suceed?
It’s possible to self-study the entire material to score high.
Thank you @DarkEclipse
No problem. Good luck!
I would recommend buying the Princeton Review Bio book.
Read through it, understand what you’re reading and you’ll be fine.
The Princeton Review has a list of all the topics you need to ace the exam. I’m complementing this book with Barrons. However, I find the Barrons book extremely boring.
I agree. You can get practice questions on the SAT website. I would pick some prep books. Here are the 3 I chose, I like them all! Especially the “crash course” one:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cracking-the-sat-biology-e-m-subject-test-15th-edition-princeton-review/1118924962?ean=9780804125628&x=50081201
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sat-biology-e-m-crash-course-w-online-practice-tests-lauren-gross/1112623567?ean=9780738610337&x=50081201
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/barrons-sat-subject-test-biology-e-m-4th-edition-deborah-t-goldberg-ms/1114671517?ean=9781438002132&x=50081201
I think any of those would benefit you! I honestly like the Crash Course and Princeton books better because they basically give you a lesson overview and you can re-learn stuff, not just look at questions and practice tests. Best of luck to you! I’m taking the test in the summer 
It’s too late for this advice since SATs were this weekend, but for future students who may stumble upon this thread: I took the SAT II Biology (Ecology) test and used the Barron’s book to study. I took a diagnostic test and had horrific results: something around the 500-550 range, based on the scoring chart provided. A lot of the material I had never seen, and the material that I had been taught in classes was very dusty and unused for years. I studied for two weeks, reading through the entire book (admittedly, I skimmed the last few chapters on the night before the test and didn’t read them thoroughly). I did all of the questions that went with the chapters (except the last two or three sets of questions) and didn’t have time to do a single practice test. I ended up getting a 750. In my opinion, Barron’s is fabulous. Just reading through the book once and doing the majority of the practice questions along the way helped me go from a score that I’d never send to an Ivy League to a formidable score that has hopefully helped put me in competitive standing against other applicants.
TL;DR: Barron’s is great, it IS definitely possible to self-study and score well with little or mostly forgotten foundation knowledge.
Next year I am taking AP Bio as a junior. I was wondering which subject test (Bio E or M) best corresponds to the material that will be learned in AP Bio so I can take a subject test next year.
go with M
Visit Conestoga High School’s (Berwyn PA) home page there are a list of sites for studying what is necessary for the biology section.