06-17-2011, 08:08 PM
Okay so I've been frantically searching these forums for info on Biology because I just took it this morning (kinda a spur of the moment decision. Just scheduled Wed!) and I haven't been able to find all that much on it except info about the Peterson's online practice tests.
So I've been studying on and off for about a month for this, however it would total to about 2 weeks of fairly consistent and hard studying (at least 3-4hrs a day) and taking about 4-5 practice tests.
I used the REA book that comes with the cd-rom (although its only 2 practice tests on the cd, not 3 like some have.) My scores on the REA book were a 50 (took it before I really started studying) and then a 52. Not great scores, but the key is to really really go through each test thoroughly and see where you're getting messed up.
I used ww.free-clep-prep.com and Wikipedia for a lot of topics I needed more details on.
I also used 2 of the 3 Peterson's tests online. I took the 1st practice test and then the 3rd test, because as I read on the forums, it's the toughest one! And trust me, it'll scare you SO much, but don't worry, I got about 40-45% on it, and yet passed my test today with a 55.
I also had the AP sparknotes power pack set...however I only touched the flashcards once for about 3 minutes, I'm just not a fan of vocab flashcards. However I really loved the cheat sheet thing it comes with and the really quick AP practice test it comes with on sparknotes.com. These types of fold out cheat sheets are about $5 at Borders or pretty much any bookstore so you really don't need the whole AP PowerPack. Plus you can access the Ap quiz if you want to make an account on there, bonus of great info on the website as well!
Finally, I used Khan Academy! Lovely (yet long) videos with tons of detail!
Watching a few of his Chemistry video's would probably help, because I had a handful of chemistry questions on my test that I didn't see on any practice test.
I know my score wasn't fantastic, but it's all I needed to avoid $2700 on a stupid 4 credit class that would ruin my GPA! lol Trust me, the amount of information on this test is intense, and I almost gave up! But don't! You can get a fine score as long as you give yourself a great overview of all the basics (everything from chemistry to animal stuff!) And then take as many practice tests as you can to get a good overview of the area's you need to know more details. You WILL need details on some things, but it varies, that's why I can't stress practice tests enough! They really helped ease my worries heading into the test as well.
Sorry for such a long post but I hope this helps anyone getting ready to take the Biology test! Please feel free to ask me any questions!
Good luck!
So I've been studying on and off for about a month for this, however it would total to about 2 weeks of fairly consistent and hard studying (at least 3-4hrs a day) and taking about 4-5 practice tests.
I used the REA book that comes with the cd-rom (although its only 2 practice tests on the cd, not 3 like some have.) My scores on the REA book were a 50 (took it before I really started studying) and then a 52. Not great scores, but the key is to really really go through each test thoroughly and see where you're getting messed up.
I used ww.free-clep-prep.com and Wikipedia for a lot of topics I needed more details on.
I also used 2 of the 3 Peterson's tests online. I took the 1st practice test and then the 3rd test, because as I read on the forums, it's the toughest one! And trust me, it'll scare you SO much, but don't worry, I got about 40-45% on it, and yet passed my test today with a 55.
I also had the AP sparknotes power pack set...however I only touched the flashcards once for about 3 minutes, I'm just not a fan of vocab flashcards. However I really loved the cheat sheet thing it comes with and the really quick AP practice test it comes with on sparknotes.com. These types of fold out cheat sheets are about $5 at Borders or pretty much any bookstore so you really don't need the whole AP PowerPack. Plus you can access the Ap quiz if you want to make an account on there, bonus of great info on the website as well!
Finally, I used Khan Academy! Lovely (yet long) videos with tons of detail!
Watching a few of his Chemistry video's would probably help, because I had a handful of chemistry questions on my test that I didn't see on any practice test.
I know my score wasn't fantastic, but it's all I needed to avoid $2700 on a stupid 4 credit class that would ruin my GPA! lol Trust me, the amount of information on this test is intense, and I almost gave up! But don't! You can get a fine score as long as you give yourself a great overview of all the basics (everything from chemistry to animal stuff!) And then take as many practice tests as you can to get a good overview of the area's you need to know more details. You WILL need details on some things, but it varies, that's why I can't stress practice tests enough! They really helped ease my worries heading into the test as well.
Sorry for such a long post but I hope this helps anyone getting ready to take the Biology test! Please feel free to ask me any questions!
Good luck!