I am getting ready to flip out. I can barely get past the third chapter in the REA Biology book. I have taken and passed 5 CLEPs already, but this one....grroooooaaann!!! I just ordered the ST videos and I also ordered some book that someone on here recommended.
I thought that I would love Bio, but this stinks.
Any helpful advice?

I would really suggest looking into the InstantCert flashcards if you have not already done so. Without them I would not have passed! They covered the material very throughly and in a logical, easy to follow manner. Also check out the Peterson practice tests, and the Specific Exam Feedback section. Good Luck!!

__________________
BSBA Marketing Thomas Edison State College-63/120

College Math-66, College Algebra-64, Analyzing & Interpreting Literature-67, U.S. History I-66, U.S. History II-61, Information Systems & Computer Applications-59, Biology-61, DSST Introduction to Business-61, Introductory Sociology-65, Introductory Psychology-52, Principles of Microeconomics-54, Principles of Macroeconomics-47, Principles of Marketing-68, Financial Accounting-47, Introductory Business Law-62, Principles of Management-70, DSST Principles of Supervision-64, DSST Organizational Behavior-68, English Literature-61

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I am absolutely zero help, only to say I HEAR YA!!!!!!!!
Funny thing is, I thought I loved biology too. HA! Uh, yeah....I don't. I love butterflies and animals and trees and gardens and mountains and stars and oceans and rocks. As it turns out, what I love is called 6th grade science.
I have a deep appreciation for ANYONE who can major in one of the sciences, I clearly underestimated the brain power necessary to grasp those ideas. I took the class, and while I passed, I have not gotten my grade yet. I am certain it is the hardest class I ever had.

__________________
Jennifer
ALM, Master of Liberal Arts, Harvard University, 2099 or sometime sooner
AA & BA, Social Sciences, Thomas Edison State College, 2008
AOS, Culinary Arts, Culinary Institute of America, 1990

How to do your own Unofficial Evaluation http://www.degreeforum.net/general-e...ighlight=alpha

InstantCert WORKS! http://www.degreeforum.net/general-e...g-members.html

"Brick walls are there for a reason....They’re there to stop the other people.” Randy Pausch

Just hang in there, many of us here have gone through the same pain. Trust me, it does get easier towards the end and you'll walk away with loads of credit and hopefully get to enjoy the material.

Stubborn perseverance helped me with this one, others have found it more useful to relax every now and then.

What also helped me put things in perspective was watching a few related videos. I used Campbell's Biology textbook as a reference and the included CD had some interesting videos, very useful in making sense of the myriad of terms involved (especially cell biology). You may also find it helpful to use some mnemonic encoding to take some of the pain out of memorization (with the order of classification for example or the phases that cells go through).

__________________
Excelsior BS - MIS (113 credits in the bank)
Courses (*still*) in progress:
Penn Foster English Composition

Up Next:
ICCP Systems Development, Database Administration

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I didn't find it got easier, but I did find some tricks. I also used videos (even a few on youtube). I am a fan of mnemonic devices, I won't share mine...they had a few curse words in them I'll let you make up your own

__________________
Jennifer
ALM, Master of Liberal Arts, Harvard University, 2099 or sometime sooner
AA & BA, Social Sciences, Thomas Edison State College, 2008
AOS, Culinary Arts, Culinary Institute of America, 1990

How to do your own Unofficial Evaluation http://www.degreeforum.net/general-e...ighlight=alpha

InstantCert WORKS! http://www.degreeforum.net/general-e...g-members.html

"Brick walls are there for a reason....They’re there to stop the other people.” Randy Pausch

Right there with you Pattyg and Cookderosa - just doing the brain, nervous system, eye for Pysch was an eye opnener for me - I too thought I liked learning Biology - loved it in school, got A's...but not anymore - and for a while I was even contemplating a 180 mid-life career switch and looked at nursing....!

As to using mnemonics - that's how I like to do it too, and the more outrageous they are the more memorable they are..including a few choice words not for polite company!

Pattyg - Have you checked out the Biology SparkCharts? Sometimes Sparkcharts help me get over that sense of being swamped with so much to learn on a particular subject. Once I have that framework in place, it helps me place the rest of the information in context more easily and does not seem so overwhelming. One block of info at a time!

__________________
CLEPS/DANTES ATTEMPTED/PASSED -21 Classes credited:
- Human/Cultural Geography (SOC300) 69/Nov 08
- Intro to Business Law (LEG100) 73/Nov 08
- Astronomy (HUM300) 68/Nov 08
- Human Resource Management (BUS310) 73/Jul 08
- Money and Banking (ECO320) 64/Jun 08
- Principles of Finance (FIN100) 67/May 08
- Principles of Macroeconomics (ECO100) 75/Apr 08
- Principles of Marketing 74/Apr 08
- Introduction to World Religions (HUM400) 78/Apr 08
- Analyzing & Interpreting Lit 69/Mar 08 (6 credits)
- Introductory Psychology 74/Feb 08
- Introductory Sociology 73/Jan 08
- Principles of Mgmt 75/Dec 05
- English Comp (cold) 59/Sep 05 (6 credits)
- Information Systems & Computer Apps 72/Sep 05
- College French Language 75/Jun 05 (12 credits)

+Traditional Credits Earned 2005-2008: 17 classes - last 3 traditional classes completed Oct/08
ALL DONE NOV 08. Degree received: BS in Business Administration, minor in Management, SCL. Saved $$$$$ and Time - Thanks to InstantCert.

If you are having so much trouble with the REA book, I advise you go back to the basics. My highschool biology book was just the ticket to pass. I read it from the beginning to the end, all over again. Priceless, and I got 8 credits for it. It's quite easy once you can differeniate a few names (like ocean-type subphylms vs worm subphylms)

P.S. I used the REA Book and my highschool textbook to pass. That's it!

__________________
Credits Racked Up.....71
Peers: (Still) Not Even Outta High School Yet.
No More CLEPs left. I've taken them all!
Spring 2009: Managerial Accounting, Business Cal, Statistics

I also had a tough time with the biology clep (i used REA only). But if you plan on taking the Natural Science CLEP as well its definitely worth the effort. Nat Sci is 50% biology, I passed the bio clep and then took the nat sci with no additional studying and got a 61. Thats 12 credits for the same biology material! You can do it!

__________________
-Daniel

-------Degree Info---------
BS in Liberal Studies from Excelsior
AARTS - 30 ll
CLEP - 51 ll
DSST - 9 ul
ECE - 15 ul
ECE - 6 ll
ACTFL OPI - 3 ll
Total LL: 90 out of 90
Total UL: 24 out of 30 (6 left)
Grand Total: 114 out of 120 (6 left)

-------Next Up!-----------
2 UL ECE


Ani Yehudi!

Here, try this
MNEMONIC-DEVICE.EU - BIOLOGY - Searchable collection of assistive mnemonic devices (memory devices). Improve your study skills and memory. Memory aids for memory improvement.

__________________
Jennifer
ALM, Master of Liberal Arts, Harvard University, 2099 or sometime sooner
AA & BA, Social Sciences, Thomas Edison State College, 2008
AOS, Culinary Arts, Culinary Institute of America, 1990

How to do your own Unofficial Evaluation http://www.degreeforum.net/general-e...ighlight=alpha

InstantCert WORKS! http://www.degreeforum.net/general-e...g-members.html

"Brick walls are there for a reason....They’re there to stop the other people.” Randy Pausch

Cool site Jennifer, I wish I knew about it earlier.

Edit:
I just went over a few pages, this is so funny. My imagination sucked big time in comparison.

__________________
Excelsior BS - MIS (113 credits in the bank)
Courses (*still*) in progress:
Penn Foster English Composition

Up Next:
ICCP Systems Development, Database Administration