<p>I've got Barron's AP Biology and I'm going to use the online SparkNotes. Can I get an 800 by just using these? Anyone have any study tips? Is /E or /M quicker to learn?</p>
<p>I’m doing the same exact thing (actually have Barron’s SAT II) lol. IDK about 800, but as for /E or /M I guess do whatever you are stronger at</p>
<p>Which are you going to do?</p>
<p>It depends on how much time you have. I took regular high school Bio as a freshman, studied for two weeks intensively afterwards, and got a 680 in E. I am now studying for three weeks of Winter Break along with Lit SAT II and hope to get 750+. I am guessing that by “self-study” you mean you have not taken a Bio class in high school. The info was about at the level of my regular (not honors, not AP, although it was challenging) class, so you should be fine.</p>
<p>I would say it’s all about memorization. Read through one of your prep books, make study guides if you need to, and memorize all pertinent info by saying it aloud or typing it out. Do practice problems (at the end of each chapter) after you have memorized info. Memorize anything you didn’t remember from before. Take practice tests after you’ve done all this.</p>
<p>I am using Barron’s as my primary prep guide but I also have Kaplan and McGraw Hill (I don’t recommend the latter) for practice tests. I am reading through all of Barron’s (I read through all of Kaplan my first time around) and am going to take the practice tests from the three books that I have. People on CC have said that some actual test q’s have come from Princeton Review, but I don’t have that.</p>
<p>I would say that E is easier to learn because it’s more common sense about communities and populations, etc. M is more specific and content-based (enzymes and other molecules, etc.) But if you remember stuff easily, you might find that you are better at M in the end.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I actually just borrowed PR from a friend, and I am liking it a lot. The practice questions are really reinforcing the information. BTW, I am also taking SAT II Lit on the 23rd. Good luck!</p>
<p>Oh cool, thanks 
and good luck to you too.</p>