What's Tested?: The SAT Biology Subject Test will evaluate your understanding of key concepts in biology, plus your ability to apply that understanding to interpret laboratory data and solve problems. Due to the breadth of biology as a subject matter, the SAT biology subject test gives you the choice to answer questions from the branch of biology that you are more comfortable with: ecological or molecular. You'll choose whether to take Biology-E or Biology-M on test day.
Should I Take the SAT Biology Subject Test?: You should take the SAT Biology Subject Test if both of these apply to you:
1. Your future college offers credits for high SAT Biology Subject Test scores, or advises you to take a few SAT subject tests.
2. You are a strong biology student and have taken a very thorough high school biology course, like an honors or AP class, and if you absorbed the material well.
1. Your future college offers credits for high SAT Biology Subject Test scores, or advises you to take a few SAT subject tests.
2. You are a strong biology student and have taken a very thorough high school biology course, like an honors or AP class, and if you absorbed the material well.
How Do I Prepare For the SAT Biology Subject Test?: The most essential preparation is taking a thorough high school biology course. Don't just memorize - you'll need to understand the underlying concepts of biology and learn how to answer questions by using those concepts. The College Board also recommends taking a year of high school algebra.
Do I Need a Test Prep Book? : Even if you've had a great high school bio course, it's a good idea to study with a test prep book specifically targeted to the SAT Biology Subject Test. Every high school has a slightly different biology curriculum, so you may have missed out on a few topics that will appear on the Biology Subject Test. A good test prep book will refresh your memory of things you've already learned, as well as fill in the blanks for things you haven't.
How Do I Choose Between Biology-E and Biology-M?: You may want to take both. Some universities offer credit for two different courses, depending on which Biology Subject Test you take. Others only offer credit for one course. Ask the biology departments of colleges you're interested in to find out.
If you're taking SAT Subject Tests to boost your application or satisfy an admission requirement rather than to earn college credit, take whichever version of the Biology Subject Test that you feel most knowledgeable about. If you're into cells and how they work, go for Biology-M. But if you know more about ecology and the environment, you'll do better in Biology-E.