I need help studying for bio :(

[7amsho]

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so I am scheduled to take the DATs July 16th, and I kind of have been studying since May 20th. I have figured out how to study for all the sections except for the bio, considering I suck at memorizing!

I went over Barron and Cliff and made review notes for every chapter for each book. Not the best review notes but they are pretty decent. Then I tried to go over Feralis notes and make flashcards, but once I reached half way through physio the number of flashcards started getting insane and I got to the realization that THERE IS JUST SOOOOO MUCH INFO TO KNOW!

My next steps were doing the destroyer for all sections for the next 3 days, and write down what I don't know and make flashcards for all the information I didn't know, and then starting Tuesday take 1 practice test every day until July 16th. I bought bootcamp, qvault, topscore and DAT Cracker (it was $10 for 3 tests). I was planning on taking a test, then go over all the questions I didn't know.

Now my question is, what do I do with bio? whenever I check a DAT question for bio, it's something that I most likely never heard of, but then I get another really really really easy question, and then a question involving some enzyme that I definitely knew what it does but I also read about 10000 other enzymes and now I have no idea which one does what...

right now I have feralis notes, review notes that I wrote, KWB flashcards, flashcards from important things posted on bootcamp and qvault (diversity, plants, genetics lab), and some flashcards from feralis notes (up to page 40)... what do I do now? memorizing everything just doesn't even make sense to me.. please advise!

Thanks in advance!

 

[pilotdentist]

You just have to fully immerse yourself in it through repetition. I made iphone audio recordings of my bio notes and listened to them when I was driving. It just takes lots of time.

 

[toothshine]

The advice I've heard given for the bio section is "breadth over depth."

I think the only things I actually memorized were things like the mnemonics (FLAT PEG, etc.) because I'm awful at rote memorization!

For physio, what worked for me was drawing the system out. Not every single one, but ones I needed to work on. For example, a sarcomere: knowing where the M line was vs. the H zone. I'd draw it out and then on the side, list what each of them was. (H zone: made up of only thick myosin filaments, etc.) I guess I'm better at picturing figures in my head than memorizing words. And I think this would be especially helpful for enzymes, because if you can draw out the system and associate it with that, you're definitely going to know what it does.

 

[7amsho]

thanks for the replies! I guess I am going to forget about the idea of memorizing (except maybe for diversity and the stuff posted on qvault and bootcamp) and just read over and over and over all my notes, feralis and the flashcards I have..

do you guys know what should definitely be memorized?

 

[toothshine]

I think it's hard to NOT memorize anything for biology - it definitely requires some memorization, which is unfortunate for those who are bad at it (like me haha).

Anterior pituitary hormones (FLAT PEG), the different kingdoms (at least be familiar with it), "King Philip came over for good spaghetti." I'm sure there's others I'm not remembering right now!

 

[JonLee]

DAT bio won't be as specific as university bio. Thus many SDNers find using Cliffs AP Bio 3rd edition very helpful since it gives a good, GENERAL review.
Here's a link to the PDF of the 3rd ed. Gl!
http://www.bths.edu/ourpages/auto/2007/1/29/1170088457797/CliffsAP Biology.pdf

 

[CustomGrills51]

Cell respiration, cell bio, and embryonic development I would know in depth. Everything else just know the basics. Especially genetics, know how to do those HW eq problems and dihybrid crosses quick. I remember that was the hardest part of my dad-gum bio section, and is the reason I gotta take it again. Also ask your friends or ppl you trust if they remember some "similar" questions/topics on their test.

 

[7amsho]

thanks guys for the input! I decided to go over Feralis notes and my review notes (especially Cliffs) every day for the next month (breadth over depth)

I know cell respiration and cell bio pretty well, just gotta focus on the HW eq then! Thank you! unfortunately I don't know anyone who took the DAT recently 🙁 I just have to hope for the best

 

[*Garam Masala*]

DAT bio won't be as specific as university bio. Thus many SDNers find using Cliffs AP Bio 3rd edition very helpful since it gives a good, GENERAL review.
Here's a link to the PDF of the 3rd ed. Gl!
http://www.bths.edu/ourpages/auto/2007/1/29/1170088457797/CliffsAP Biology.pdf

AWESOMENESS!!!!

 

[Project Pat]

You can also take a look at Feralis' notes. Try to knock out a few pages each day and really understand the material. http://datbootcamp.com/feralis-biology-notes/