Award-Winning SAT Subject Test in Biology E/M Tutors

If you are preparing to take the SAT Biology test, Varsity Tutors can find SAT Subject Test in Biology tutors to guide your test prep. The SAT Subject Tests are a series of standardized exams that allow high school students to demonstrate their proficiency in specific subject areas to each college they apply to. There are many reasons why you might wish to take an SAT Subject Test. Taking the Bio exam signals your interest in science to every school you may wish to attend, giving them a better idea of who you are as a student. A good score can help differentiate you during the competitive admissions process. Some universities even award college credit for SAT Subject Test scores, allowing you to begin your undergraduate life with a more engaging workload.

There are actually two SAT Biology tests for you to choose from: Ecological and Molecular. Both tests share 60 of their 80 multiple-choice questions, but the remaining 20 center on macro concepts on the Ecological test and micro concepts on the Molecular version. If you're not sure which version of the test is right for you, your SAT Subject Test in Biology tutor can help you make a decision and design your test prep accordingly.

How can SAT Biology tutors help improve my understanding of biological concepts?

Classroom instructors do their best to help each of their students reach for their academic goals, but are hamstrung by the volume of students they are responsible for and the constraints of the school year. SAT Biology tutoring sessions provide a way to supplement your classroom instruction. For example, let's say that you are extremely confident in your knowledge of molecular genetics. Other students in your class may not be as comfortable with it, forcing your classroom instructor to go over it again even though you would prefer to move onto something else.

In contrast, an SAT Subject Test in Biology tutor can go over whatever you want them to. If you understand molecular genetics, they can shift gears to ecology, evolution, or photosynthesis to keep your study sessions engaging. Alternatively, you have the freedom to spend additional time on molecular genetics if you feel like you need another explanation to fully grasp it. A one-on-one instructor can help you go over your specific areas of opportunity to help improve your study efficiency.

Likewise, your SAT Biology tutoring sessions can be designed around your unique learning style. If you're an auditory learner, your instructor can adopt a lecture-based format with plenty of oral repetition to emphasize the most important points. If you're more of a visual student, illustrative graphics may be incorporated into each session to make it easier for you to picture key concepts. If you're a kinesthetic learner who studies best by doing, your instructor may guide you through at-home experiments to bring seemingly abstract facts to life.

Studying in a one-on-one learning environment also comes with several perks. Your instructor doesn't need to review a bunch of papers before providing feedback on yours, allowing you to address any mistakes while the material is still fresh in your mind. Your instructor can also create a learning environment where questions are encouraged, allowing you to seek clarification before a simple misunderstanding can transform into a significant learning obstacle.

Many students also concentrate on their broader study skills during their private tutoring sessions. For example, biology as a discipline involves a fair amount of rote memorization generally accomplished through textbook readings. If you could retain more of the info you read, your instructor can show you active reading tips such as note-taking to promote an increased level of engagement with the material and better retention. You might also jot down any questions you have about the material so that you don't forget to ask.

Similarly, there is some math involved in biological concepts. Whether you are calculating the size of an ecosystem's population, interpreting the data produced by an experiment, or calculating the odds of a recessive trait appearing with Mendelian genetics, you have to know how to work with numbers. Your instructor can provide practice problems to help you understand the quantitative concepts you'll need to know for the SAT Subject Test in Biology.

What does the SAT Subject Test in Biology cover?

As noted above, there are separate SAT Biology Ecological and Molecular exams. The Ecological version of the test covers the following topics: Cellular and Molecular Biology (15%), Ecology (23%), Genetics (15%), Organismal Biology (25%), and Evolution/Biodiversity (22%), The Molecular test covers the same five topics, but weights them differently: Cellular and Molecular Biology (27%), Ecology (13%), Genetics (20%), Organismal Biology (25%), Evolution/Biodiversity (15%). Either way, you need to know about these five topics.

That said, rote memorization alone won't get you very far on this test. Only 30% of each test is about raw knowledge, with the remaining 70% evenly split between how to apply it and how to interpret biological phenomena. As such, you really need a comprehensive understanding of these topics if you hope to do well.

How can SAT Subject Test in Biology tutors help me prepare for test day?

Many students opt to take practice exams during SAT Biology tutoring sessions to develop a familiarity with how the test is structured. You have to answer 80 multiple-choice questions in just 60 minutes, so you need to move quickly. Experiencing what the time available to you feels like firsthand can help you understand when it's time to move on.

For instance, the exam's multiple-choice format means that it's possible to take a guess and move on instead of burning through all of your time on a single item. Your instructor can teach you how to eliminate some of the incorrect answer choices, increasing the chances that your educated guess proves correct. There is no penalty for incorrect responses on the SAT Subject Test in Biology, and you can always go back at the end of the test if time allows.

Similarly, students may benefit from knowing how an exam handles words such as "not" and "except" so that they can be on the lookout for them. Understanding exactly what each question is asking you to do is essential to answering it correctly, and knowing what to look for can help you quickly determine what a question means.

If you have dealt with test anxiety in the past, knowing what you're getting into can also help calm your nerves. If you're still apprehensive, your SAT Subject Test in Biology tutor can show you mindfulness techniques such as meditation to calm your nerves on test day.

Perhaps most importantly, you can review the results of your practice tests with your instructor to identify where you are improving and any topics that you might need to look over again. If you consistently miss items about mitosis and meiosis, you know what your next session should concentrate on. If you don't feel great about natural selection but consistently answer questions about it correctly, you may have more self-confidence in your skills moving forward.

What makes Varsity Tutors such a powerful educational resource?

If you were to try to find your own instructor to help you prepare for the SAT Subject Test in Biology, you would need to make sure that any prospective candidate has a strong understanding of the test. You would also need to verify that they are a great communicator who understands how to effectively share information with others. Finally, you would need to figure out a way to make your busy schedules jive. Who has time for all of that?

Varsity Tutors maintains a database of thousands of independent tutors, allowing us to match you with a private instructor who meets all of your academic and scheduling needs in as little as 24 hours. Better yet, our proprietary Live Learning Platform is an online classroom that allows you to meet with your instructor anywhere with a stable internet connection. Why sit in traffic or clean the house when you can get face-to-face instruction on your mobile device of choice? If you're worried about efficacy, don't be. Our Live Learning Platform leverages powerful features such as a virtual whiteboard and video chat functionality to create a study experience that's just as effective as meeting up in person.

You are also in complete control over when your study sessions take place, allowing you to keep living your life while preparing for your exam. If you have extracurricular activities you enjoy, another test to prepare for, or just want to have some time to hang out with friends in your schedule, your instructor can accommodate you.

If you're ready to get the process started or would simply like more information about how easy it is to find SAT Subject Test in Biology tutors, reach out to Varsity Tutors today! Knowledgeable educational consultants are currently standing by to help you out in any way they can. We can't wait to help you put in your best effort on exam day.