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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A valiant effort at "Cracking the SAT II",
By
This review is from: Cracking the SAT Biology E/M Subject Test, 2005-2006 Edition (College Test Prep) (Paperback)
Overall, although I admit there is no perfect SAT II: E/M book (nor will there ever be), I would have to say that the Princeton Review staff does the best job of any other SAT II: Biology E/M study guide. This book is a masterpiece of moderation; it lacks the humiliatingly low (for readers, that is) language--and title--of the "SAT II Biology for Dummies, yet also does not add university-level or AP biology in the way that Barron's and Kaplan sometimes do. The author herself also has a remarkable way of interacting with the reader, understanding that most readers will only absorb information if they are frequently quizzed and treated with some humor. Another strong point I noticed in the book involved the way the author was able to simplify esoteric concepts by use of comparisons to other things that the average teenager can relate to. The large, detailed diagrams certainly did not hurt either, and I found it helpful to read the authors' step-by-step summary of body systems like the nervous and circulatory ones. I discovered that on test day, it usually did me better to fully understand the big picture in much the same way that it was outlined in the book; for someone in a tenth-grade honors (not AP) biology class like me, there was a balance of informative and explanatory information throughout the book. Unfortunately, by the time I completed the exam this past June, I found that much of the author's hard work had gone to waste because difficult concepts such as cellular respiration barely appeared on the test. Simply put, the test has changed to one where doesn't really help to know more than basic concepts; the one or two super-detailed questions on each SAT II Biology will likely be so specific that they will only be covered in the textbook, anyway...
For those who praise Kaplan/Barron's for the extraneous detail they include to bring short-lived confidence to readers, making them think they know more than everyone else, all I can say is that the SAT in Biology has become so much more of a reasoning or "thinking" test (with the infamous lab questions) that books can only go so far; it is so much more the student than the book that determines the score -- it pays to read a review book that actually explains the material accurately and lucidly but might compromise on detail a little. As a final note, while nobody in my class who used a detailed, "thorough" review book received a score over the low-600's, my friend and I, who used Princeton Review and our own intellect exculsively on the test, received a 770 and 750, respectively. In my opinion, it is best to begin with Princeton Review and then progress to the other books only if there is extra studying time and have mastered that which is covered in Princeton's. Good Luck!
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Comprehensive, Easy to Understand Book,
This review is from: Cracking the SAT Biology E/M Subject Test, 2005-2006 Edition (College Test Prep) (Paperback)
I'm taking the SAT II in about two weeks. I've completed the book, and after completing it, I honestly did not feel ready. Later, I sought out other resources such as Spark Notes and real-life practice tests my science teacher gave me. I also looked at the Kaplan's book, which some of my classmates were using. Out of all of these resources, though, Princeton Review was definately the easiest to understand, most efficient and probably most effective. There were concepts covered in the other resources that weren't even touched upon in this book, but overall this book covered pretty much everything. I definately think this is the one book to buy: It has short quizzes after each short section and then two practice tests at the end.
Two things to improve in the next edition: MORE practice tests (at least four or five, but as many as they can fit into the book would be helpful), easier chapter/section division with shorter chapters, and a little more subject review (not much, but maybe 20-30 more pages of material would guarantee success on the test). Ironically, out of all the practice tests I took, the ones in this book were the hardest. I scored a 610 then a 620 on the practice tests in this book, then a 620 followed by a 680 on the SparkNotes.com tests, and then a 720 on the a real College Board practice test. Granted, I did take the Princeton Review Practice Tests first.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great ...,
By Hanh (CA, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cracking the SAT Biology E/M Subject Test, 2005-2006 Edition (College Test Prep) (Paperback)
I borrowed this book from my local library 2 weeks before the test (last June) and didn't finish it, having not studied some of the human systems, and I was really nervous. Not only was it my first year of Biology, my teacher didn't teach us anything and I totally relied on the textbook if I wanted to learn something. Having read the textbook the whole year + going over the Princeton review book, I got a 700. I'm sure I'll get a better score if I finished the book and finished the test (I didn't get to the last five questions due to poor time management). The best part of the book is that it's interesting and doesn't bore you out. Unlike the Barrons, PR is concise and easy to understand. However, if you're determined to get an 800 then by all mean stick to the Barrons - more is always better than less.
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