Acing AP Biology
What Is AP Biology?
AP (Advanced Placement) courses are challenging, college-level courses available to high school students. Many colleges even accept AP course results as college credits, allowing students to get a head start on their college education through taking AP courses. In a notable difference from usual U.S.-style courses, AP courses culminate in an external examination that determines the overall grade of the candidate, with a grade of 5 being the highest possible score.
AP biology is, naturally, one of these AP courses. Students who have taken the prerequisite courses at their high school can study for this exam, and develop their knowledge of biology. It tests a wide range of skills, including memorization, laboratory skills, scientific reasoning and overall conceptual understanding. For students who are passionate about biology, the Advanced Placement course can be both challenging and fascinating.
Why Take This AP Course over Others?
High school students often have a busy course schedule, and need to balance the various demands on their time. This includes any AP courses. Typically, college admissions officers expect to see high level courses on candidates’ applications, and if the high school offers AP courses, that is a straightforward way to meet that requirement. Highly selective and competitive colleges will usually see between five and eight AP courses on the applications of their successful candidates.
AP Biology is sought after by college admissions officers due to the challenging nature of the course, as well as the valuable scientific skills demonstrated by a strong grade in AP Bio. It’s also worth noting that it is considered more accessible than some of the other AP science courses, meaning that it occupies a middle ground between challenging, and being attainable. For students looking to round out their college application, AP Biology is an excellent option.
What Is Covered on the AP Biology Course?
The AP Biology course covers a range of topics related to biology as a discipline. It’s designed so that students develop their understanding of plant, human, animal and molecular biology, as well as understand the underlying mechanical processes and principles. This means that AP Biology students need to contend with a lot of content that must be thoroughly reviewed and learned ahead of the examination.
This also includes laboratory experiments, with the College Board (the administrators of all AP courses) mandating that 25% of instruction time be devoted to lab work, including having students conduct experiments for themselves.
Developing Your AP Biology Skills
A unique aspect of the AP Biology curriculum is that it is not only organised by topics, but also by ‘Big Ideas’. This allows students to examine how the topics interconnect, and consider the broader discipline of biology. Organising the course in this way allows students to reflect on biology, and how the concepts relate to our world. For example, AP Biology students are encouraged to consider evolution, energetics and system interactions. Students should reflect on how these concepts shape our understanding of biology.
These secondary skills of analytical reflection are at the core of AP Biology. While it is a content-heavy course that undoubtedly requires memorisation and problem-solving, successful AP Biology students should also be able to apply content. Indeed, the College Board stresses that students should be able to apply their knowledge of biology concepts to argumentation, using scientific reasoning and evidence to enhance their points. Students are expected to develop a range of skills beyond rote memorisation, making AP Biology a challenging, yet rewarding course for high school students.
How to Revise for AP Biology
As noted above, memorisation has its place in revision for AP Biology. Indeed, a large portion of the AP Biology exam requires candidates to explain concepts accurately, and with concision. In order to manage this, students should try to consolidate concepts as they go through the course (something which is particularly important if a student is self-studying for the AP Biology exam).
In addition, students should employ other revision strategies. This can include practicing with exam-style questions, and working through past papers. Students can also create posters and flashcards clarifying specific concepts alongside relevant examples. AP students often enjoy forming study groups, where participants are able to test each other and hold each other accountable.
Common Pitfalls When Studying for AP Biology
There are many potential pitfalls faced by students hoping to take AP Biology. One of the most frequent that we see in candidates is when they try to cram too much information in too short a time. Cramming has its place when preparing for exams, and can be a useful tool. However, the AP Biology course simply has too much content for this to be an effective strategy. This is why our AP Biology tutors always recommend creating revision resources as you progress through the course, and regularly review content. This helps students avoid getting overwhelmed when preparing for the AP Biology exam in May.
As for other pitfalls, students typically find it most difficult to complete the free response questions on AP Biology exams. This is because these responses require both deep knowledge of content, as well as the ability to communicate this knowledge in an argument. The best way to avoid this issue is to be thoroughly prepared. Receiving regular feedback on practice responses, and repeating the process so that it is no longer a mystery can be a great way to ensure that you enter the AP Biology exam feeling confident.
Self-Studying for AP Biology
A unique aspect of many Advanced Placement courses is that many students choose to self-study for these exams. While AP courses are often offered in U.S. high schools, a busy curriculum may not allow students to take all the courses that they wish. A great solution to this is to self-study for the exam.
While teachers offer invaluable instruction throughout the course, AP Biology can nevertheless be studied independently, partly due to the heavy emphasis placed on memorisation. Ambitious students seeking to round out their college applications may choose to take this as a self-study exam, as it demonstrates strong intellectual rigor, and substantial self-motivation and organisation.
BartyED’s AP Biology Support
Whether a student is working towards AP Biology in a school, or as a self-study project, qualified guidance is essential. Beyond the demanding content of the AP Biology syllabus, developing a strong grasp on the exam techniques required to succeed, from scientific communication to problem solving, is essential. That’s why BartyED’s team of biology tutors encourage students to receive regular AP Biology support throughout the course, rather than just in the few weeks leading up to the final exam.
Indeed, this applies across the offerings of the College Board’s AP courses. They are dense courses, and the exams are intellectually demanding, which is what makes them so prized by top universities around the world.
If you or your child feel like you would benefit from AP Biology support, or support in other AP courses such as English Language and Composition or World History, do not hesitate to get in touch with us via our contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Advanced Placement (AP) Biology is a college level course available to high school students. It is designed to challenge students to go deeper into their study of biology, helping them to round out their college applications with a high level course. AP Biology is a popular course as it combines accessibility with a solid academic rigour.
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AP courses are designed to cover a breadth of content, and AP Biology is no exception. It’s divided into 8 units, and it covers a wide range of topics, from human anatomy to environmental systems. The challenge of AP Biology is that students are expected to have a strong grasp of the material across the syllabus.
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Preparing for the AP Biology exam can be challenging due to the sheer volume of material that needs to be memorised. To thoroughly prepare for the AP Biology exam, students should vary their revision methods, incorporating both active recall, and exam-style responses. AP Biology requires specific exam techniques and response structures, so making sure that the candidate is thoroughly familiar with them is essential.
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While most students take AP Biology as part of their school workload, others self-study for the exam. In either case, BartyED’s private tutoring support in AP Biology provides invaluable resources, information and opportunities to deepen their understanding of this fascinating syllabus.