<p>A bit early, but I am super pumped for USABO 2011! Anyone else (finalists last year) excited too? Bio is awesome. :D</p>
<p>(discusses)</p>
<p>Uh, how do you even ENTER D:? Since my school doesn’t sponsor anything like this (shame too, we’re pretty awesome at Bio/Chem :c), is it possible to still enter?</p>
<p>(discusses more)</p>
<p>You go beg your school’s administration for the $75 that it costs (per school, not per student). If all else fails, you could see if another school near you administers it. And ultimately, for a school, $75 for a one-time thing is not that much. My school won’t fund our Math or Science teams, so we have to pay for our own busing. IT SUCKS. A LOT.</p>
<p>How exactly does this work? What do you do at the actual event? My school doesn’t do this stuff so it’d be great if you could give me some information.</p>
<p>You basically take two levels of exams to qualify for Nationals. Here’s the website: [USA</a> Biology Olympiad (USABO) | Center for Excellence in Education](<a href=“http://www.cee.org/programs/usabo/]USA”>http://www.cee.org/programs/usabo/)</p>
<p>And at the actual Nationals? AWESOME OODLES AND TONS OF BIOLOGY. StarCraft also seems to be a tradition (the original, not SCII :P). It’s a good time overall. :D</p>
<p>
A new one, evidently.</p>
<p>Thank you :)</p>
<p>So what’s everyone else doing? I have AP bio so I’m going through the Campbell’s book…where do I find practice tests and other materials?</p>
<p>I’m taking a biochem class at a local college (hint: it’s that other school in Cambridge, down Mass Ave. from MIT, and clearly inferior to it). Other than that, I’m probably going to study Campbell like crazy once college apps are in. AP Bio is a good start, but it’s not nearly enough.</p>
<p>Google! Lots of practice materials can be found by careful Google searching.</p>
<p>Hey Insorak, would you suggest getting Raven’s only after finishing Campbell?</p>
<p>Also do you think taking notes helps?</p>
<p>Raven is a VERY helpful resource. I don’t think I studied Raven enough. However, if you just jump right in to Raven, you will find it overwhelming. Know the plant chapters in Campbell first (35-39, if I remember correctly).</p>
<p>I never took notes. :P</p>
<p>I have Campbells, a Cell Biology book, and Raven. There goes my thanksgiving and winter break…lol. Does it help that I do research?</p>
<p>How heavily do you need to study Campbell’s?</p>
<p>You should study all of Campbell’s and understand all of its content to do well on the open exam and national exam. You will probably want to study another book as well for the national exam though.</p>
<p>Does anyone know any source for semifinal exams?</p>
<p>Aside from Raven’s for botany, what other books would any of you suggest. Is it worth considering Albert’s Molecular Biology of the Cell and Marieb’s Anatomy and Physiology. </p>
<p>I am currently taking a biochemistry class, but most of the work that we are doing is computational. We are more focused on the chemistry side. What level of chemistry will they expect us to know?</p>
<p>READ CAMPBELL. THE END. :P</p>
<p>There is no known, reliable source for semis. I have maybe one or two that I nabbed through hard work and Google stalking. I suggest you do the same. (It’s just not as fun if I give them to you outright. 
)</p>
<p>I read some of Albert’s at boot camp. It seems to be fairly excellent; one of the counselors said that it was great. We never used Marieb, and the anatomy/physio is not as involved as it could be on all three levels of testing. (Sadly. Because I’m a huge physio fan.)</p>
<p>They’ll expect you to know about AP Chem-level chemistry. I took AP, and found it bearable. Some people didn’t, and struggled with it a bit. If you’re taking biochem, you should find the USABO chemistry very manageable.</p>
<p>Hey Insorak,
When you say “reliable”, are you referring to material of semifinalist level, or the actual exams?</p>
<p>I can’t seem to find anything that is a free/no ad download =(</p>
<p>Haha Insorak. How did I know that you’re going to start the USABO 2011 thread. I disagree about the AP Chem lvl knowledge though. More biochem knowledge.</p>
<p>There are many USABO Open exams floating around online. I say “reliable” as in “the link will not break after a week”, and “free download without really stupid and annoying ads”. Keep looking, they exist.</p>
<p>Heya there! USABO was wicked fun. 
Biochem is helpful, yeah. And stats. :P</p>
<p>Hey I am planning on taking the USABO this year. I checked out a copy of Campbell’s but I haven’t taken Bio in 2 years. Hopefully in 4 months I can learn enough to at least make it past the Open Round :)</p>