SAT Biology

The Biology Subject Test focusses on two aspects: not only does it tests your understanding of the main concepts of biology, it also assesses your ability to apply the basic principles so as to solve specific problems in biology. In one hour, you have to answer 80 questions of which 60 are multiple-choice questions related to core principles in biology. The remaining 20 questions are also multiple-choice questions related to Biology-E (Biology Ecological) or Biology- M ( Biology Molecular). This test is highly recommended for students who are interested in pre-medical and science programs.

• Score Range: 200-800 
• Time: 60 Minutes 
• Questions: 80 (Multiple Choice) 
• The Biology Subject Test offers two streams: the Ecological Biology exam and the Molecular Biology exam, of which one has to be taken. 

SAT Biology Syllabus 

Cellular and Molecular Biology (12.5% on E and 25% on M)

Cell Structure and Organization, Mitosis, Photosynthesis, Cellular Respiration, Enzymes, Biosynthesis, Biological Chemistry 

Ecology (25% on E and 12.5% on M) 

Energy Flow, Nutrient Cycles, Populations, Communities, Ecosystems, Biomes, Biodiversity, Effects of Human Intervention  

Genetics (12.5% on E and 25% on M) 

Meiosis, Mendelian genetics, Inheritance Patterns, Molecular Genetics  

Organismal Biology (25% on both E and M) 

Structure, Function, and Development of Organisms (with emphasis on plants and animals), Animal Behaviour 

Evolution and Diversity (25% on E and 12.5% on M)

Origin of Life, Evidence and Patterns of Evolution, Natural Selection, Speciation, Classification and Diversity of Organisms 

Choosing between Ecological and Molecular Biology

Although colleges, generally, do not have a preference between ecological and molecular biology exams, a high score on the ecology exam is deemed more impressive than the same score on the molecular paper. Note that the Biology SAT Subject Test is used by very few colleges either to award course credit or to place students out of introductory-level courses. 

The "E/M" seen against the exam's name refers to its two streams: Biology Ecological and Biology Molecular. The Biology Ecological, just as the name imply, involve an understanding of interaction among organisms, in particular on a landscape level or on a community level. However, the Biology Molecular deals with the learning of the inner workings of cells and organisms. To exhibit a vested interest in the Biology Subject Test, you must be clear about your specific area of interest. However, if you have other reasons to take the exam, you must choose the version that best suits your aptitude. Because only 20 questions on the test are specialized in nature, adhering to either ecological or molecular biology, you mustn’t worry too much about your choice. The remaining 60 questions are same for both versions, and they relate to questions from both topics, regardless of your choice.