AP Biology Exam

[CScull]

Hey Guys,

I was wondering if anyone here has taken the AP Biology Exam in the past. I've heard it was fairly difficult; is there any advice you could give about preparing for it? Did anyone find any workbooks that were especially helpful?

Thanks.

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[NurWollen]

I took it and got a 5, despite struggling to get a B in the class. That was 6 years ago. I didn't even answer one of the essays and I still got a 5. Then again alot of people in my class didn't do as well.

Actually, it was kind of a waste because it didn't give me credit I need as a biology major or a pre-med. At my college the AP bio test transfers as a general biology class for non-science majors, so I had to take the one for science majors, which turned out to be a much harder class than AP Bio or the AP bio test ever was. I don't feel like AP bio even helped me in the later class, though that could be because I had taken AP bio 6 years before.

 

[CScull]

I took it and got a 5, despite struggling to get a B in the class. That was 6 years ago. I didn't even answer one of the essays and I still got a 5. Then again alot of people in my class didn't do as well.

Actually, it was kind of a waste because it didn't give me credit I need as a biology major or a pre-med. At my college the AP bio test transfers as a general biology class for non-science majors, so I had to take the one for science majors, which turned out to be a much harder class than AP Bio or the AP bio test ever was. I don't feel like AP bio even helped me in the later class, though that could be because I had taken AP bio 6 years before.

That's very interesting. I'm not really worried as much about the credit as making sure if I do send the score I won't look like an idiot for getting a 2 or something. I might take it even if the college I go to does offer me credit for it; I'm afraid if I get too far ahead of myself in courses it'll be too much with no time to adjust.

I a have a solid A in the class right now but I tend to do poorly on big tests.

 

[tennisball80]

Why do you have to take it ? What happen if you decide not to to take it ?

 

[CScull]

The world will exploodeee!

 

[tennisball80]

The world will exploodeee!

Mr. Local will give you an appropriate response regarding this issue.

My personal response to you, my highest:

WTH ?!

 

[Nantes]

I'm currently deciding whether to take the AP Bio test. I'm not certain that it has (and will) cover enough material for me to actually take an advanced class over it in college, and am afraid of getting myself in a situation similar to nurwollen's. Additionally, AP now cost so much that taking it for fun or just for curiosity to see how well I understood the stuff is out of the question.

 

[CScull]

I'm thinking the same thing. I don't think I'd even take the higher class if I scored well on it... I want to get settled a bit in college before I dive into the tougher classes.

Welcome to SDN by the way, I see you're a new member.

 

[CScull]

Mr. Local will give you an appropriate response regarding this issue.

My personal response to you, my highest:

WTH ?!

Haha, I'm just kidding with you Tennis.

 

[tennisball80]

Haha, I'm just kidding with you Tennis.

I got that.

I hope the world won't explode in at least 100 years.

 

[CScull]

You and me both Tennis.

 

[ashleyann]

Kaplan has a good study guide, and they sell flash cards at most book stores. That helped a lot. There are also podcasts on iTunes about AP Biology, and music videos on youtube. Those resources actually help me a lot. As long as you read and review everything you should be fine.

 

[CScull]

Sweet, flash cards would do wonders for me... thanks for the idea!

 

[broken tibula]

CScull, you should just make your own flashcards. You don't need Netters' diagrams just yet--I made my own for Anatomy & Physiology, and the great thing about making them yourself is that you remember them better because you're writing down the information. Also, there are computer programs that do virtual flashcards, which are good if you don't want to develop CTS.



(I'll sell you my flashcards--there's +2000 of them. Two rings for each body system, one lab and one lecture, sixteen total. $10. Just follow me down this here alley and I'll show you...)

 

[CScull]

CScull, you should just make your own flashcards. You don't need Netters' diagrams just yet--I made my own for Anatomy & Physiology, and the great thing about making them yourself is that you remember them better because you're writing down the information. Also, there are computer programs that do virtual flashcards, which are good if you don't want to develop CTS.



(I'll sell you my flashcards--there's +2000 of them. Two rings for each body system, one lab and one lecture, sixteen total. $10. Just follow me down this here alley and I'll show you...)

I would, but I'd be afraid there would be stuff on the exam that we didn't cover in my class... kids at my school generally tend to do poorly on the exam but get good grades...

 

[broken tibula]

There isn't some general outline of the topics to be covered? I'm sure that someone has it somewhere...

*shrug* I'm just cheap and hate to spend money. It'd sure be easier to just buy them.

 

[CScull]

Ick, I'll probably thumb through the prep books a books-a-million and see how they compare to the junk I've gotten from my class.

 

[KempDrumsalot]

What have I told you guys about studying? Hmm?!?!

 

[broken tibula]

Dunno, Kemp, what did the pot say to the kettle?

 

[Doctura]

Get the CliffsAP Biology by Phillip Pack. I thought the book was great, and I scored a 5 on the exam. Also, practice on the released Free Response Questions and multiple choice questions that have been released online. You can find them on the collegeboard website, and also on AP central, the teacher's website. The exam is hard but not impossible. The curve is fairly generous if I remember correctly. Good luck!

 

[KempDrumsalot]

Dunno, Kemp, what did the pot say to the kettle?

 

[broken tibula]

You know, "The pot calls the kettle black"?

 

[KempDrumsalot]

No, should I?

 

[broken tibula]

You've never heard that expression before? Really?

When the pot calls the kettle black, the pot is being hypocritical because it's black as well. So when someone says that you're calling the kettle black, you're being a hypocrite.

 

[KempDrumsalot]

Oh! I might have heard that before.

Pfft, when do I study?

 

[CScull]

*sigh*

Silly Pot.

 

[CScull]

Get the CliffsAP Biology by Phillip Pack. I thought the book was great, and I scored a 5 on the exam. Also, practice on the released Free Response Questions and multiple choice questions that have been released online. You can find them on the collegeboard website, and also on AP central, the teacher's website. The exam is hard but not impossible. The curve is fairly generous if I remember correctly. Good luck!

Thanks, I'll look for it! I haven't seen that on the college board website, but I have an account and they send me the SAT question of the day, so I'm sure I could get it figured out.

 

[DearSky]

Thanks, I'll look for it! I haven't seen that on the college board website, but I have an account and they send me the SAT question of the day, so I'm sure I could get it figured out.

Yeah, I highly recommend CliffNotes for AP Biology. I have a copy myself and I heard it's one of the best AP Biology prep books out there.

Stay away from Barron's AP Biology flashcards though. It's better to read through CliffNotes for AP BIO and review your notes than using Barron's flashcards.

I hope the essay questions for this year will be 'good'. ;]
​

 

[CScull]

Mmm, I've heard the Essays are what really make or break scores... some years they're really tricky and others not so much... ick.

 

[gsquared]

I don't mean to brag, but I didn't feel like the AP Bio exam was very difficult. I was somewhat "over-relaxed" in high school, and I didn't do my homework/study/attend AP Bio classes the majority of the time. I ended up with an uncurved C in the class (curved to a B). I studied for about three hours before the exam, and I got a five on it.

The essays were a little bit tricky, but the actual basic science on the test is VERY simple. If you are familiar with general biology you should be fine.

 

[CScull]

Thanks for all the help guys! I think I'm just going to go ahead and take it... I'll probably be doing Biology again anyways but I s'pose it'll be good practice and help me make sure that I've got all of the general concepts.

 

[DearSky]

There isn't some general outline of the topics to be covered? I'm sure that someone has it somewhere...

*shrug* I'm just cheap and hate to spend money. It'd sure be easier to just buy them.

If you look hard enough online, you can find a free copy of Cliff Notes AP Biology review book in .pdf format. *Cough* You didn't hear it from me!

You'll find a general outline of the topics to be covered on CollegeBoard's official website.

 

[Salvorix]

I used Princeton Review AP Biology and I felt it REALLY helped augment what I had learned in class (I think I started studying 3-4 weeks before the exam) and I got a 5.

 

[janneyc]

Randomly happened upon this thread and wanted to comment. For everyone who said that they don't think they'd take the AP exam because it won't really benefit skipping anything in undergrad (I swear I read that in the conversation up there), I got a 5 and skipped both introductory bio classes (101, 102) at my undergrad and went straight into the higher levels (301, etc.). I did just fine. Most of the upper level courses begin with a review of whatever system they're teaching. You can usually pick it back up pretty quickly.

I'd recommend taking it, killing it (it shouldn't be too hard if you've worked hard, honestly), and talking to some pre-med students at the college you want to go to. They can tell you if they felt the intro courses helped at all.

 

[CScull]

Hmm, so I got my TPR Bio Exam study book yesterday... appearently 50% of the exam is on Organisms and Populations. Shoot me now please.

All and all it looks like a pretty promising book. Thanks for the advice guys!

 

[futuredocDB]

if u dont mind me asking, CSkull, how did you do on the exam?

 

[CScull]

CScull actually, haha not a typo, Scull is my last name. Though it is pronounced like skull.

I made a 3, not as well as I'd have like to, but not bad either. I wish I had studied more, but everyone in my class was making it out to be so hard I didn't think I would stand a chance, so why bother? It really wasn't bad at all though, just make sure you know your basic concepts and key terms.

 

[futuredocDB]

oh woops. sorry for the typo. lol
i took it in may and did pretty well (i made a 5) but i thought everyone made it out to be a lot harder than it actually was. i spent the entire weekend b4 that test relearning everything and taking practice tests. i must say, the multiple choice was way too easy compared to the practice test the college board released. and the essays were pretty hard. i bs a few of them. lol what did u think of the test this year?

 

[CScull]

No problem.

Haha, a 5 is pretty well, hm? Congrats, that's awesome!!

I felt the same way, which is why I wish I'd put more effort into studying for it. I thought the multiple choice questions were easy, and a couple of the essays weren't too terrible either; but there were some that I sort of remembered but not well enough to answer completely.

I'm not a big test taker though, and long, boring tests are the worst... anything that's over an hour makes my head spin.

 

[futuredocDB]

lol. oh. well congrats on ur score too!
overall, the test was pretty hard (but not as hard as ppl make it out to be)
haha. not a test taker? get some practice, girl. cuz life is full of tests! haha

 

[xnfs93hy]

I'm using Cliffs to study for the Bio exam next May.

 

[CScull]

lol. oh. well congrats on ur score too!
overall, the test was pretty hard (but not as hard as ppl make it out to be)
haha. not a test taker? get some practice, girl. cuz life is full of tests! haha

Bah. School is full of tests, life is full of work. Unless you're a teacher, then it's both.

 

[DaTruMD]

I made a 3, not as well as I'd have like to, but not bad either. I wish I had studied more, but everyone in my class was making it out to be so hard I didn't think I would stand a chance, so why bother? It really wasn't bad at all though, just make sure you know your basic concepts and key terms.

It only gets harder when you get to college and then to professional school... Honestly, everything in HS was a joke including AP physics, chem, calculus, etc. (Assuming you go to a good college, of course).

 

[futuredocDB]

It only gets harder when you get to college and then to professional school... Honestly, everything in HS was a joke including AP physics, chem, calculus, etc. (Assuming you go to a good college, of course).

cant wait for the challenge!

 

[dmbxvii]

jeez I loved the AP bio exam. I thought both the MC and essay topics were pretty easy (just the time constraints with the essays made me a little nervous). i'm not a genius either, i just really loved the course and connected with the material. my teacher also let us know which 4 essay topics she thought would be on the exam, and she got two of them right haha...that was awesome. the 2 were the hard ones too (the ATP one, and i forget the other)

 

[futuredocDB]

I'm using Cliffs to study for the Bio exam next May.

good choice on the Cliffs. make sure you read and understand EVERYTHING! cuz u never know what gonna be on the exam. and do the practice questions at the end of each section and the two practice tests. if u want any more tips, let me know! i've been down this road b4.

 

[CScull]

It only gets harder when you get to college and then to professional school... Honestly, everything in HS was a joke including AP physics, chem, calculus, etc. (Assuming you go to a good college, of course).

... I don't fully understand why I'm being lectured here. Is it because you think my score was abysmal, or that I'm dumb enough to expect that college is actually easier than high school, and that the way our education was set up is just a fluke, completely random, and from here on out it's smooth sailing?

Maybe it's the fact that I have no idea what college is actually like, I mean it's not like I've aced GChem at a 4 year university, or psychology either. That's impossible! Because you know everything about me and my work ethic from what you've read of me in two posts! But then again those aren't even the hard classes, but since I think college is easier than high school, by that logic I also think OChem is easier than GChem! So thanks for all the advice... or condescending warning, it's dually noted.

 

[xnfs93hy]

good choice on the Cliffs. make sure you read and understand EVERYTHING! cuz u never know what gonna be on the exam. and do the practice questions at the end of each section and the two practice tests. if u want any more tips, let me know! i've been down this road b4.

Will do.