Biology is killing me

[STG]

Hi,

I remember taking bio as my third clep last year...I studied for 3 months and it still wasn't getting into my head...I also took bio in high school 4 years ago and got C's and mostly B's...I used Petersons and barely passed them. I also used the REA book and Khan Academy and IC flashcards...but the most that helped was the exam feedback and my friends on here ...I vented a lot about it and I cried many times too... I found Petersons to be a lot harder than the actual exam...(I posted all the stuff I remembered from the exam in the exam feedback section). Just keep reviewing and don't rush yourself....
Good luck!

[ShotoJuku]

I found this to be a BIG help!

[Arthiel]

Well, just wanted to update y'all on where I'm at. I took 2 Petersons tests and got a 61% and then a 53%. Not sure why I got a lower score on the 2nd one but...it was better than I was expecting! I was sure I wouldn't even get a 50% so I'm happy. I guess I am retaining more then I thought. I'm taking the last Petersons sometime this week, then the OCSG, and then I'm taking the test next Wednesday, the 21st! I still feel like there is so much I still need to study but I am feeling way more confident now thanks to you guys.

[jackbanta]

Great job, Arthiel, you're well on your way! You're gonna destroy this test!

[aliza613]

biology is a killer...however it is not impossible ...i studies for about 2 and a half weeks and i passed ... i used the rea book and khan academy..for major topics like photosynthesis and cellular resperation i used ap biology books.. its so overwhelming and its very intense..! just try to focus on concepts..there is tops of stuff that i didnt recognize on the clep exam..but i would highly recommand knowing ecology and evolution well. i just took it monday and i know the feeling...you can do anything if you just believe you can ! good luck!!

[Arthiel]

Wow. I don't know what's wrong with me today. I just took the OCSG and got a 57%. >< Ouch. Out of the 70 questions I only knew I had 15 of them right. That's pretty bad. Every question had new terms and stuff that I had NEVER heard of before. Nothing I was expecting. I've studied the Petersons tests and Wikied everything mentioned in the Specific Feedback so I thought there'd be a good amount of questions that I was ready for. But comparing other people's practice test scores I think I'll pass. At this point, I just want a 50. And that just might be what I get

[HorseManiac]

Wow. I don't know what's wrong with me today. I just took the OCSG and got a 57%. >< Ouch. Out of the 70 questions I only knew I had 15 of them right. That's pretty bad. Every question had new terms and stuff that I had NEVER heard of before. Nothing I was expecting. I've studied the Petersons tests and Wikied everything mentioned in the Specific Feedback so I thought there'd be a good amount of questions that I was ready for. But comparing other people's practice test scores I think I'll pass. At this point, I just want a 50. And that just might be what I get

Hey Arthiel,

I just looked back at my OCSG score and I only got a 60% when I did it. So I don't think you did that bad with a 57%. It sounds like you've really been studying. I hope you do well on Wednesday! Rooting for you!

Horsemaniac

[cookderosa]

Wow. I don't know what's wrong with me today. I just took the OCSG and got a 57%. >< Ouch. Out of the 70 questions I only knew I had 15 of them right. That's pretty bad. Every question had new terms and stuff that I had NEVER heard of before. Nothing I was expecting. I've studied the Petersons tests and Wikied everything mentioned in the Specific Feedback so I thought there'd be a good amount of questions that I was ready for. But comparing other people's practice test scores I think I'll pass. At this point, I just want a 50. And that just might be what I get

Ok, you need to refocus on high-yield results. Study heavily the stuff that makes up the most of the exam and let the other stuff go.

I've told this story before, but when I took social science and history for 6 credits, I had already taken psych, soc, and us history 1 & 2. The exam also included anthro, gvt and world history. I had NEVER EVER EVER studied world history. I know, crazy but true. So, what was my study plan? Learn all of the world history from scratch? No, the approach I took was to go back through everything I had a base in (psych, soc, us history) and plan on getting 100 percent of those correct. I would have wasted my time trying to randomly guess what possible world history questions they would have thrown at me. So, whenever a world history question came up, I picked "B" and moved on. I easily passed.

The point- bio is broken down almost evenly between 3 areas of bio. Look at this list, and pick your best 1 and know it cold. Pick a second area and cram like hell. Higher accuracy on 2/3 is better than lower accuracy on 3/3.
Biology | CLEP

[Arthiel]

Well, I am super excited to tell you all that I passed!!!!!! And I got a 64!!!! O_O Totally was not expecting that! I felt sure during the test that I was going to fail. Or at least have enough good guesses to get a low 50s score. I guess I'm a good guesser. But thank you SO much each of you who posted. It was your advice that gave me the confidence that I could do it.

[jackbanta]

Great job, I knew you were gonna do wonderful.