

Use study notes and other study techniques in conjunction with various AP Biology textbooks. Students should also be able to understand the importance of the scientific process while experimenting and be able to explain how they’ve used the scientific process in their own experiments both in writing and through the written word.ĭevelop a deeper understanding of different biological process, particularly as they apply to living beings and life cycles. Gain an appreciation of the scientific process, its history, and its present day applications. Students should be able to appreciate science as a coherent body of information and seek to apply it both inside and outside of the classroom. Students should focus more on concepts and discoveries rather than simply memorizing terms and technical details and routinely repeating information on exams. According to the College Board’s website, by the time students take their AP Biology exam (or the SAT exam) they should:ĭevelop a conceptual framework of Biology as a science. Students should also have experience with basic mathematical functions in order to complete experiments.ĪP Biology is a serious course with a number course goals. An introductory course will prepare students to study higher levels of science and familiarize them with the scientific process. Students taking AP Biology should first complete an introductory course in Biology, usually lasting one school year. Topics covered by this course include, Anatomy & Physiology, Biochemistry, Biodiversity, Botany, The Cell, Developmental Biology, Ecology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Origin of life, Population Biology, and Evolution. While some schools may have selective acceptance into the course, determined by academic record in prerequisite courses, other schools adhere to a policy of open enrollment, encouraging its undertaking by students that demonstrate capability for the course, though they may have performed unsatisfactorily in previous science courses. Enrollment requirements for the AP Biology course depend on policies established by each high school offering the course, but AP Biology is usually preceded by a less rigorous entry level Biology course, and sometimes by Chemistry as well. This course is offered to highly motivated students who wish to pursue their interests in the biological sciences. Because universities grant college credit for this course, they require that the textbooks, labs, and coursework used by AP courses be equivalent to those used in actual college courses. Students who choose to take AP Biology may be allowed to skip over introductory biology courses and enroll in courses in which biology is a prerequisite. The level of aptitude in this subject will assist students wishing to excel on the SAT and in college courses.Īccording to the College Board’s website, AP Biology courses are designed to be the equivalent of a college introductory course, usually taken during a biology major’s first year of college. This course can help prepare students who wish to continue their scientific education after high school, as well as students who wish to prepare for the SAT exam.
