Prologue

Wait, how did you get here?

That’s a reasonable question. Take a seat, unfurl your map, and review what you know:

• You’re smart. Maybe you forgot about that. Let the title of this blog roll off your back like water from a duck in a raincoat. You wouldn’t be anywhere near the AP Biology exam if you didn’t have the goods. Believe it.

• You’re a little nervous. The College Board sits atop Mount Olympus, hurling thunderbolts at you, sneering at your hubris: “So you think you’re going to get college credit? First you must pass a little test we have devised for you . . . bwah-hah-hah-hah!” Peals of laughter thunder down from the summit. Gulp.
   
• You have — or soon will have — a plan. Your AP Biology course is part of it. This blog is another part. Ignore the thundering laughter, and put one foot in front of the other. Sure, eventually you’ll have to face the judgment of the Board. But a lot is going to happen between now and then. By the time you have to fight for your Five, you’ll be ready. In the meantime, stick to your plan.

Remember, the Board may be a jealous and vengeful god, but biology is your friend.

Biology just asks reasonable questions, like:

Wait, how did I get here?

Like biology, we are your friends. No matter how you got here, or how this blog came to you, we’re here to help. We’ve broken things down into sections that correspond to just the kind of content and questions you’ll see on the AP Biology exam. We’ve emphasized those things on which you’re more likely to be tested, and tread lightly over those things that you probably won’t see on test day. You have enough on your plate.

Each posting reviews big ideas, and highlights those nitty-gritty, rubber-meets-the road details that tend to pop up in test questions. Although you may want to start at the beginning and soldier your way through to the end, that’s not absolutely necessary. Based on your experiences in the AP Biology course, you’ve probably got a pretty good idea of your strengths and weaknesses. Feel free to pick and choose.

Maybe you don’t know what your weaknesses are. That’s okay, too. Each chapter is accompanied by a follow-up chapter that summarizes the most important points and provides questions to help you figure out where you stand. If you’re using this blog as you go through the AP Biology course, you’ll find it easy to flip to the topic of the moment. Please do.

And when you begin to hear the thunder from the summit, we’ve got you covered. We’ve included two full-length practice tests. Use them to make final adjustments to your plan, and to ensure that by the time you sit down for the real thing, you’ll have done it all before. Twice.