SO i accidentally got the 4th edition book instead of the 3rd edition like everyone says. Should i just go ahead and get the 3rd edition or does anyone know which concepts were left out and i can just fill in the holes with something free.
I'd just go ahead and get the 3rd edition. You can get it for next to nothing.
I used the fourth edition. It was great for some topics, but definitely was lacking in others (especially A&P). Cliff's was an awesome study tool, just make sure to supplement topics with a textbook if needed.
Many people mention the third edition in their breakdowns, so I'm sure it's also an excellent resource. Here's a PDF of the online edition that I found early on:
http://www.bths.edu/ourpages/auto/2007/1/29/1170088457797/CliffsAP Biology.pdf
I found that the best way to prepare for biology was to work through a variety of different materials several times, memorize pertinent information, and keep the material fresh in my mind via flashcards.
I thought that the evolution, ecology, animal behavior, and genetics chapters were excellent in the fourth edition. Other than the A&P chapter, I personally did not like the cellular respiration, photosynthesis, and plant chapter. Likewise, there was little to no taxonomy covered in the fourth edition (which appeared in at least 3 of my questions on my actual DAT).
If you want a different perspective, try Barron's AP biology, which compliments Cliff's very well. 🙂
I thought that the evolution, ecology, animal behavior, and genetics chapters were excellent in the fourth edition. Other than the A&P chapter, I personally did not like the cellular respiration, photosynthesis, and plant chapter. Likewise, there was little to no taxonomy covered in the fourth edition (which appeared in at least 3 of my questions on my actual DAT).
If you want a different perspective, try Barron's AP biology, which compliments Cliff's very well. 🙂