The SAT Biology E/M subject test can be a great addition to your college application. Some schools require one or more subject tests as part of the application, and biology can be a less intimidating option than chemistry or physics for some students.
Biology E/M can also be a good choice for students who wish to compensate for a low grade in a high school biology class or who wish to demonstrate dedication to pursuing a degree in the biological sciences.
To make the most of the SAT biology subject test, follow these three steps when preparing for the exam.
[Ask three questions to decide between AP exams, SAT subject tests]
1. Choose between ecological and molecular: The “E/M” in the exam’s name refers to the two available versions: Biology Ecological and Biology Molecular.
As the names imply, the ecological option includes a greater emphasis on interactions among organisms, specifically on a community and landscape level. The molecular option, in contrast, emphasizes the inner workings of cells and organisms.
If your motivation is to demonstrate interest in a biology degree, your choice should support the specific type of biology that interests you. However, if you have other goals in sitting for the exam, choose the version that best suits your biology background.
Either way, do not worry too intensely about your choice. Of the 80 questions on the biology subject test, only 20 are specialized for either ecological or molecular. The remaining 60 questions are identical between the two versions and feature questions from both topic areas, regardless of which you choose.
[Know three things about SAT subject tests before you study.]
2. Review and refine timing: With 60 minutes to complete 80 questions, you will have less than one minute per item on the subject test. All of the questions are multiple-choice, but not all are equal in terms of difficulty.
Some questions depend on quick recall, like this online practice question that asks you to identify the nitrogenous base that occurs in RNA but not DNA. You should be able to select the answer in a moment and then move on.
You will need the time you save on recall questions to work through more challenging items like question 8 in the student guide. This question asks you to predict the result of a genetic cross. You must recognize the relevant problem type (that is, Mendelian inheritance and Punnett squares) and see the pattern implicit in the numbers before you can select an answer.
You will need to spend even more time on parsing experimental setups, like questions 10 and 11 in the student guide. With an average of 45 seconds per question, you will have time to, at best, skim the experimental setup before working out the answers to the questions.
[Find out what questions to ask yourself before taking SAT subject tests.]
In this case, you don’t even need to read the paragraph. Question 10 asks you to identify the independent variable.
By looking at the table, you can see which elements vary between treatments: temperature and heart rate. Of those, the experimenter can control the temperature, so that must be the independent variable. The second question asks you to select the graph that best fits the data.
If you are a conscientious student used to paying attention to every detail, it can be very difficult to avoid reading each paragraph in full. Remember that the clock is ticking. Practice quickly skimming and then see if you can answer the questions without the detailed information from the introductory paragraph.
3. Study experimental design: You have likely figured out by now that understanding experimental design is key to acing the SAT biology subject test. Ideally, you will have covered basic experimental design in your high school biology class.
How do you determine dependent and independent variables? What are good test conditions? How should data be collected and displayed?
Even if you feel confident about experimental design, you should briefly review it during your preparations. If you did not have a great high school biology experience or did not have the opportunity to conduct experiments, spend extra time — perhaps several hours spread over multiple prep sessions — getting familiar with how experiments work.
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3 Steps for Acing the SAT Biology E/M Subject Test originally appeared on usnews.com
