<p>So, who is doing USABO for the first time?
Any advice from previous USABO-ers?</p>
<p>Discuss here.</p>
<p>I’ll be doing it for the first time :]</p>
<p>I won’t get far though because I haven’t even finished reading Campbell’s this summer…</p>
<p>Don’t worry too much, and whatever happens when you actually get the test stay calm. You don’t need to get 90% of the questions to move on. Honestly, when I did it my first year I read a chapter or two and did fine, study some basic latin terms, along with Campbell’s.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>first and last year</p>
<p>hmm. what books?</p>
<p>Get through Campbell’s four or five times first :]</p>
<p>IDK if SO cell bio is similar to USABO, but I made sure that I knew Campbell’s inside and out for the really important stuff (photosynthesis, respiration, cell replication, protein synthesis, cell structure in general, etc.). This included learning how to replicate these diagrams, intermediates, whatever. I also did some college-level reading for some of these topics, and it kinda helped me, but I wouldn’t know how much that would help for USABO (since it’s all based out of Campbell, right?). </p>
<p>I probably should have done USABO. But my school doesn’t promote any of that stuff except AMC (which I suck on :().</p>
<p>semis really isn’t that hard to get into, cutoff was like 27/50 last year. I’m aiming for finals, any suggestions? I’ve gone through campbell’s about 5 times, and plan on memorizing taxonomy to phyla. Anything else I should be doing?</p>
<p>The trick is from Semis to Finals, and once your in the Semis your on your own. I found Wiki a very effective tool, I’d read about a term I didn’t fully understand, and open however many new tabs I could find links within the page to other wiki pages on terms I wasn’t all to familiar with. I find that once I go through any book more then twice I’m not so much learning anymore as I am just turning pages. Another suggestion is buy a biology dictionary (I picked up the collins one for $5 at Borders) and just went for term recognition, I can definitely say it helped, but the payback wasn’t the greatest. </p>
<p>If you have any questions let me know, sorry if part of my post wasn’t coherent.</p>
<p>Thanks, just curious, did you get into finals?</p>
<p>biology dictionary? I could just use the back of book glossaries right?</p>
<p>Everyone post their PREVIOUS experience please.</p>
<p>I’m a first timer.</p>
<p>Has anyone found any luck with the Raven’s Biology (not plants) books?</p>
<p>bump 10 char</p>
<p>
Bio dictionaries are far more comprehensive. I had one that turned out by far to be the most valuable resource for learning additional details about test topics covered on the USABO.</p>
<p>did you make finals?</p>
<p>Yes .</p>
<p>You mind telling us the time period that you took to study?
Your study plans? Books you used? Please? Etc.? Any tips?</p>
<p>bumppppppppppp</p>
<p>I’m not too familiar with this, so does anyone mind answering a question? Exactly where do you even take the exam? Do you take it at school?</p>
<p>Your school administers it.</p>
<p>Really? That’s odd I’ve never heard of it before then. There are never any announcements regarding it. How weird:/</p>