How much MORE is in AP Bio vs Honors?

[AEC]

DS13 is doing bio this year.  We're using M&L (the Macaw book) and some of their labs.  He'll do all the chapters and is taking their standard (on-level) tests.  I'm calling it 'honors bio' because he's doing all the chapters and someone someplaced suggested that qualified <shrug>...but what's in the book is what he's doing.

 

He's doing fine (averaging 92% on the chapter/unit tests) but today he's suddenly worried that - two years from now - he'll take AP bio and it'll be harder.  :glare:

 

So, because we like to worry about all possible things that can be worried about...what's in the AP Bio exam that's either not in the curriculum he's currently using or is covered in substantially greater depth? 

[Penguin]

The short answer is that all topics are covered in more depth. There is more chemistry.

 

I can't make links right now, but I can make some suggestions:

 

Taking a look at the sample AP Biology tests on the College Board website.

 

You can google AP Bio topics and peruse them.

 

If you can preview an AP text (maybe from your library), you could compare it to the M/L book.

 

We are using the M/L book also, and I think that AP Bio will be a big leap. But I would not let the uptick of difficulty be a big source of worry. Especially if you are aiming for AP Bio in 2017-2018 (us,too).

Edited January 4, 2016 by Penguin

[LisaKinVA]

It will be harder, but not THAT much harder.  It's more the speed at which the content is covered, and the amount of content (the labs are a bit more involved as well).  DS took AP Biology in 8th, although we didn't do most of the hands-on labs, and didn't take the AP exam.  We used Campbell & Reese, with lectures from Hippocampus (now the program is at UC Scout).  He had a solid understanding of Biology prior.  The course did NOT cover the entire book.  There were chapters skipped.

 

DD took an on-line college Biology course (again, not many labs, no AP exam) in 7th.  She did very well.  DD will be taking AP Biology at the high school next year (9th).  She's currently taking Advanced Chemistry (AP). 

 

Of the sciences (IMO), AP Biology is the easiest, then Chem and then Physics (but this is based upon old AP Physics, I need to find out more about the new Physics courses).  This is based upon understanding the content NOT taking the exam -- and is subject to particular bents of any individual student (YMMV).

 

If he's worried about it, have him read through the AP Bio text (not doing problems and labs, not taking notes) over the summer and/or add some videos.  I'll be having DD do that this summer (reading our old Campbell & Reese text, going through the diagrams of cells, etc.).  DS will review over the summer whatever he's doing for AP science next year, too.

 

 

[Mom22ns]

The AP Bio exam covers some topics that M/L doesn't, particularly chemistry. It has more depth in cellular biology/chemistry. I don't think the AP exam covers human anatomy, which Miller Levine spends quite a bit of time on (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

 

In my opinion, having done a solid Biology course and a Chemistry course (hopefully), AP Biology will be different but not harder than the honors Biology he is doing now. 

[AEC]

The AP Bio exam covers some topics that M/L doesn't, particularly chemistry. It has more depth in cellular biology/chemistry. I don't think the AP exam covers human anatomy, which Miller Levine spends quite a bit of time on (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

 

In my opinion, having done a solid Biology course and a Chemistry course (hopefully), AP Biology will be different but not harder than the honors Biology he is doing now. 

 

thanks everyone for the replies.

 

Yes - that's the plan..Bio this year, Chem next, AP Bio the year after.  I haven't decided on a chem text (I'm not in love with any of the options yet) but we'll find somethign decent I'm sure.

 

 

thanks again.