Starting AP Bio in the fall--Questions about the Course

Test Preparation AP Test Preparation
1

<p>Hi everyone,
I'm taking AP Bio during the '09-'10 school year; my school uses Campbell 8th edition.
I've talked to upperclassmen who have taken the course, and they told me that the teacher gives really tough tests...as in REALLY TOUGH tests.
I've also heard/read that the key to success in AP Bio is not memorizing 1000 vocab words or taking detailed class notes...I heard that making CONNECTIONS between all the topics and having a deep understanding of Bio is the key.
I have a few questions and for your reference I've listed the materials that I own already. Your advice would be appreciated so much.
Materials I own-
1) Campbell 7th ed. (friend gave it to me, but teacher's still making us buy 8th)
2) "Preparing for the Biology AP Exam" supplement book sold with the Campbell 7th ed. textbook
3) PR review book for AP Bio
4) various review books for the Bio subject test</p>

<p>So here goes the questions...
1) Did you purchase AP Bio flash cards? If so, which kind did you use? Were they effective? What do you recommend?
2) I plan on getting the Cliffs AP Bio review book--is there anything else I should get in addition to this?
3) What's YOUR method of succeeding in AP Bio? How did it end up for you?
4) I've never taken Bio before, and I would love to get a headstart on the course over the summer. What should I do to be more prepared come fall?
5) Have you used Campbell? What do you think?</p>

2

<p>well the course itself is really tough at my school…i didnt take AP Bio though at school.
I did self study it though. Took me about 3.5 weeks. All I did was read Cliffs AP (BEST BEST BEST book by far) and Princeton Review (not so good, missing a lot of info) and I got a 5 on the exam. Bio cards are not necessary unless u truly need them. I just memorize and memorize that’s it…read it then read it again and again until it’s like a part of me LOL. You should read Cliffs AP to get a headstart. Read it twice if you want. It’s very good. And I never used Campbell…its a bit superfluous…but very informational.</p>

3

<p>answers:

  1. no
    2)i bought a princeton review and i borrowed a barrons book from my library
  2. my method was to take practice tests and read summaries and then take more practice tests…idk how it will end up…i may let you know once i get my ap scores back
  3. i didn’t really prepare in the summer. idk what you could do…read a bit about the topics maybe?
    5)i don’t really remember if my book is campbell…i’m sure its a good one though. </p>

<p>honestly…no matter what you do in the summer, i’ve never found it to actually help or hurt me during the year. for me, i never really did much summer work. maybe its cause i need the summer to relax.</p>

4

<p>1) No, waste of money.
2) I liked the PR better than Cliffs to tell you the truth.
3) Read all the chapters of the Campbell book at least once if not twice. After that, just read the PR and take notes on everything you read. Even if you aren’t going to look back at your notes, writing things over and over again at the same time as reading or listening helps substantially. And it significantly reduces the amount of time you need to study for the exam in may. Truthfully, I didn’t even touch any bio the week before the exam.
4) I don’t think this is necessary, but you could go ahead and start read your textbook. Again, it’s not necessary at all.
5) I have used it. It’s a great book. Take notes from it and you won’t need to do much later on.</p>

5

<p>Use the CD included with the textbook.</p>

<p>My teacher’s tests were killer, but I used the CD to review before every one. For every chapter, the CD included a practice quiz, two practice tests, and a video/animation review of important concepts. You have no idea how much this helps. The only chapter that I would recommend skipping the CD for is chapter 22 (an introduction to evolution); the entire thing is a very detailed review of Darwin’s journey.</p>

6

<p>

No.

PR and Cliffs should be enough.

Read Campbell and PR and Cliffs.

AP bio was the first time I learned bio. It’s not necessary to start to prepare in the summer.

Yes. 6th edition. Good book.</p>

7

<p>The AP Bio at my school was the hardest class I’ve taken. The tests were so hard. Using the website/cd from the book helps a lot. And what you said about making connections is important, especially for the AP exam. In my class, I feel like we focused on a lot of little details, but it is more important to understand the big picture. It is helpful to read general summaries of each topic in AP review books. What I did sometimes was look at a CP bio book because it explained thins better. I though the AP bio book (I used the big Cambell one) went into way too much detail, I didn’t like it.</p>

8

<p>LOL ***.
Our school uses Campbell’s 6th edition and well almost all of us get 4 or 5. 5th 4th edition is all the same. I’ve never seen anyone as prepared as you for the course. It’s not that bad. Chill, relax. Enjoy your summer. Seriously just cliffnotes alone + campbell is enough for a 5.</p>

9

<p>I will tell you the key to success. Actually read the textbook for the first half of the year, but you will reach a point in it where the material becomes to dense, and from then out out revert to your review book to get the information you need to know. I used Barron’s and it was A+, i really recommend it. I’m not a “brilliant student” either. I was one of eight students who got an A (I got an “A” A, but only 8 people got in between an A- and an A, there were no A+s), and all the other kids who got As were wayyyy naturally smarter than me. I had a really good teacher who motivated me too though</p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

10

<p>lol if you read all the chapters the whole year then you won’t need your prep book that much. It’s just one of those courses (and books.)</p>

11

<p>1) Did you purchase AP Bio flash cards? If so, which kind did you use? Were they effective? What do you recommend?</p>

<p>Unfortunately, I didn’t, but I had a strong A the entire year without them. But if flashcards are your thing, you might be able to gain further use by making your own. It may be daunting, but you tend to learn better if you write down the vocab/definition. I did that for Psychology - over 500 words alone - and that really helped to solidify topics.</p>

<p>2) I plan on getting the Cliffs AP Bio review book–is there anything else I should get in addition to this?</p>

<p>5 Steps to a 5 have an AMAZING review book as well as Barrons - if you opt on not getting Cliffs. 5 Steps made the topics relatively easy, while Barrons had AMAZING graphs/charts/pictures. Cliffs had great detail, even though missing certain topics. It all depends on how you like to learn. What helped was to have friends in my class who each had a different review book and using each others’ books as reference.</p>

<p>3) What’s YOUR method of succeeding in AP Bio? How did it end up for you?</p>

<p>STUDY. STUDY. STUDY. That’s what I have to say. It’s not the easiest AP course, but it’s the most rewarding after realizing that you have learned that much. My class used Campbell’s 7th Edition - 55 Chapters, 1280 pgs (i believe). I learned so much from that course - time management, study skills, etc. The material was quite interesting as well.</p>

<p>4) I’ve never taken Bio before, and I would love to get a headstart on the course over the summer. What should I do to be more prepared come fall?</p>

<p>Google “AP Biology”. Many teachers have websites for their courses with powerpoints, notes, etc. Get an idea of the material you’ll be facing. Research biology in general. It’s such a broad field - ranging from Gregor Mendel’s Pea Plant Experiments to Barr bodies to Photosynthesis.</p>

<p>5) Have you used Campbell? What do you think?
Yep - I used the 7th Edition. I absolutely loved it! It was easy to read and the illustrations were amazing. WORD OF CAUTION: It’s quite detailed though and LUCKILY, we don’t need to know so much detail for the actual AP EXAM :)</p>

12

<p>I got a 5 by paying attention, answering chapter questions, and last minute panicked cramming.</p>

<p>My only regret is not ever really reading the textbook until AFTER the exam… It’s a great book. And then I had to return it.</p>

<p>AP Biology is such an extensive course that I doubt you will cover all the chapters in a year; find out which units your teacher is skipping and read them on your own.</p>

<p>The pictures are quite nice. There is an incredible amount of detail (that’s why it’s so heavy). You only need 60% of the multiple choice on the exam to score a 5; College Board assumes that the teacher will only get to 60% of the course.</p>

<p>Therefore, cover everything and you’ll be set. I’m guessing your teacher will probably at least skip over the animal and plant sections, describing the different kingdoms and genus. :frowning: That’s where all the best pictures are.</p>

<p>Oh, and while you’re at it, sign up for the SAT II, okay?</p>

13

<p>Cliffs = lifesaver.</p>

14

<p>Wow, you really seem into this. Don’t waste too much money, and flashcards are only good for people like me that are always on the road or somewhere where they can’t pull out their review book. I used the Barron’s ones which were okay. Cliff’s alone should be enough. My method was actually reading Campbell along with the curriculum throughout the year, instead of using it to cram from for tests. Don’t use Campbell to study for the AP, but do read it throughout the year, it’ll be your little Bio Bible. Oh, and check your inbox, I’m sending you something.</p>

15

<p>1) No
2) It’s up to you.<br>
3) I succeeded by reading the textbook, paying attention in class, and working on my weak areas. I got to the point where I didn’t need to study at all to get a 5 on the AP Test.
4) Maybe read through your review book. You could read through the textbook, but it’s huge.<br>
5) Campbell AP 7th edition. It was a piece of **** textbook, tbh. I took regular bio the year before, and the textbook (easier version of Campbell) taught pretty much the same stuff but was much more readable and concise. In the AP 7th edition, there is so much extra information that is not useful at all (and most likely won’t help later on in a college bio class). Instead, the stuff that is really important (say, CDKs) get a paragraph.</p>

16

<p>The test itself is based less on trivial knowledge and more on understanding. Half of the questions are the kind where you either know it or you don’t, but the other half are ones where they give you information to analyze, and your best bet of doing well on the test is learning how to analyze graphs using the stuff you learn. One of the essays always involves experimental design and 1 of the 12 prescribed labs.</p>

17

<p>Hey, I’m not a really smart guy or anything, but I was one of 7 in a class of 40 who got an A - and the truth is I didn’t even have to do that much. We used the same testbook as you by the way. So here’s the key. For the first half of the year, actually read the text (you’d be surprised how few people actually do this). After the first half, the material in the book will get too “dense” and then actually reading is a waste of your time and will actually confuse you. From then out out, work out of the review book. GET BARRON’s. It’s so good I swear. Toward the end, you’ll have that “big picture” of biology that nobody else will have. That’s how I got an A, and all the other kids who did were extremely smart geniuses and/or are who studied all the time (im not/didn’t)</p>

<p>and yes, for the actual exam, the don’t realize test you how well you know biology. They just ask you random questions and then have you analyze. But knowing the big picture will help you with that, especially if u need to make a guess (because you can tell some answers have nothing to do with the topic)… It’ll also help you ace the course.</p>

<p>AP Biology became my favorite class ever</p>

<p>EDIT: Do not waste your money on flashcards. And you do not have to reread every chapter, or actually read every chapter in the textbook as some are saying. Read until it gets too dense. Then let it go. To review, go through the barron’s chapters multiple times before the ap exam. If you want to do a little self study over the summer, the just read the barron’s book once (but only once)</p>