Princeton Review: Cracking the AP: Biology, 1999-2000 Edition

I'm sorry, but I just don't understand how people can not like this book. This book was amazing and awesome and I owe any and all of my score to this book. My teacher taught us nothing and my textbook was even worse. I did not know anything nor did I understand anything. I saught this book out of desperation after even reading the Cliffs confused me. Biology at that point was just confusing and frustrating, and none of it sank in. This book made it all make sense. It helped me understand so much. Photosynthesis, respiration, mitosis, meiosis, ecology, it all started to click. After finishing a section in this book, I went to the Cliffs to get the nuances and a deeper understanding. Did I mention that I hated my textbook? I did not read more than a fourth of that book, it was just aweful, and in class, I did my math homework, because trying to pay attention was a complete waste of time and effort. Thus, at least for me, this book and the Cliffs replaced a bulky 1,200 page textbook, a teacher, and a year of biology. I went into the test feeling prepared enough to pass, but my score amazed both myself and everyone who knows me and my experience with biology. Somehow, I managed to get a five. Did the Princeton Review help? You bet!

This is an excellent study guide for the AP Exam. Remember, I say that this is a good STUDY GUIDE. It's not a substitute for the textbook or the class. But if you get every concept from this book, you'll have no problem on the AP. If you're someone who relies on the essays more than the Multiple Choice, getting this book will be a great help. You'll really get all the ideas organized in your head and will remember the great mnemonics during the AP exam. If you want to do well on the AP or the SAT II, this is the book to get.

I agree that this book is an excellent review. You should probably take the class, but this book is very helpful with regards to the actual test. The Princeton Review's strategies (with the exception of skipping problems---don't ever do that) really work. I got a 5.

I just wanted to let the Princeton Review people know that I'm very grateful for their AP books, particularly the AP Biology Princeton Review book. (I was recommended by a friend to purchase it.) In a class where biology seemed so foreign and impossible to comprehend, the "Cracking the AP: Biology" PR book was a lifesaver. The book was informative, easy-to-understand, and thorough, without being dull or lengthy. In fact it was your book that helped me to achieve a 5 on the AP exam, a feat that I never could have pulled off alone. Thanks Princeton Review! I always enjoyed and found confidence in your blunt, honest approach to the AP exams. I am fully convinced that your program's strategies work, and I plan to enroll in your SAT II Writing class in the fall. Thanks again and continue helping out stressed out students like me!

If you want to score high on the Bio test or if you just want to learn more about Biology, this book is definitely the best study aid. I had a pretty good biology background because I read the standard AP Bio book, but this prep aid concentrated on the important aspects and I think that really made taking the test an easy task. I got a 5 on the test without breaking much sweat because the book covered most everything that was on the test. Read it about 2-4 weeks before the test and you should get a 4 or 5. However, I also recommend reading the textbook while taking the course if your teacher is not so great because the book is real in-depth.