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Biology Olympiad 2015

I am a previous UK IBO team member. The experience was amazing and I would give almost everything to go again. To ensure you get this once in a lifetime opportunity, I recommend you start preparing as soon as possible. You can take part in BBO round 1 in January if you do A-level biology or equivalent.
I can help by giving advice and access to a large amount of resources. For extra help, I will be offering tutoring over skype for a small fee. Respond to this thread if you are interested.

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As a former participant of two IBOs I would also recommend take a look at this blog http://biolympiads.blogspot.com/. New study material and past papers as well as various tips and tricks are constantly uploaded.
How did you guys prepare yourselves for this sort of olympiad? I admittedly read plenty of biology related books and articles but didn't perform so well last year (year 12). How much time would you say you put into reading each week? But anyways, congratulations on such achievements :biggrin:
Reply 3
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JDickerson
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Original post by BlueIsTheNewRed
How did you guys prepare yourselves for this sort of olympiad? I admittedly read plenty of biology related books and articles but didn't perform so well last year (year 12). How much time would you say you put into reading each week? But anyways, congratulations on such achievements :biggrin:


I tended to to read Campbell's biology in the weeks leading up to each round and just read it as much as possible. I also did some practical preparation before round 3 and did some past IBO papers.
However, I feel that I would have benefited from starting much earlier instead of doing a lot in little time. Tutoring would have also helped as I didn't really know what to expect in each round and this would have prepared me.
Reply 4
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Elictro1
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:smile:
Original post by JDickerson
I am a previous UK IBO team member. The experience was amazing and I would give almost everything to go again. To ensure you get this once in a lifetime opportunity, I recommend you start preparing as soon as possible. You can take part in BBO round 1 in January if you do A-level biology or equivalent.
I can help by giving advice and access to a large amount of resources. For extra help, I will be offering tutoring over skype for a small fee. Respond to this thread if you are interested.


Hell yeah I am interested
Reply 5
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Elictro1
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Sorry for not replying to your message.
Original post by JDickerson
I am a previous UK IBO team member. The experience was amazing and I would give almost everything to go again. To ensure you get this once in a lifetime opportunity, I recommend you start preparing as soon as possible. You can take part in BBO round 1 in January if you do A-level biology or equivalent.
I can help by giving advice and access to a large amount of resources. For extra help, I will be offering tutoring over skype for a small fee. Respond to this thread if you are interested.


Original post by martyynyyte
As a former participant of two IBOs I would also recommend take a look at this blog http://biolympiads.blogspot.com/. New study material and past papers as well as various tips and tricks are constantly uploaded.

What would you recommend to an as student taking it? Should I try finishing the as course early or just read other material- if so what?
Reply 7
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druv 2
Original post by JDickerson
I am a previous UK IBO team member. The experience was amazing and I would give almost everything to go again. To ensure you get this once in a lifetime opportunity, I recommend you start preparing as soon as possible. You can take part in BBO round 1 in January if you do A-level biology or equivalent.
I can help by giving advice and access to a large amount of resources. For extra help, I will be offering tutoring over skype for a small fee. Respond to this thread if you are interested.




When is the first round? and what do you have to get to proceed to the second.
(edited 9 years ago)
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JDickerson
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Original post by druv 2
When is the first round? and what do you have to get to proceed to the second.


http://www.ukbiologycompetitions.org/british-biology-olympiad
The information along with a past paper is on this website
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JDickerson
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Original post by lyricalvibe
What would you recommend to an as student taking it? Should I try finishing the as course early or just read other material- if so what?


I think you should look through the A-level textbooks and familiarise yourself with topics you haven't covered yet. Also look at the olympiad syllabus and look over topics not on your A-level syllabus.
Campbell's biology is definitely the best textbook to read.
Before doing the first round. I would recommend looking at the past paper on the British biology olympiad website. Also, make sure you can do the genetics questions as they are easy marks that will be needed to progress.
(edited 9 years ago)
Hello, I got chosen to do the biology olympiad but I don't think i'm clever enough to do well! Is it really hard?
Reply 11
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Original post by Lularose83
Hello, I got chosen to do the biology olympiad but I don't think i'm clever enough to do well! Is it really hard?

The biology olympiad is hard, it is designed to stretch your knowledge beyond the A-level syllabus with the final goal of choosing a team for the international biology olympiad.
Just do your best and don't worry about it.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 12
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Follett
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Did this today, it's absolutely solid :/
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biowizz
what questions came up
I'm participating this year. Doing the first paper tomorrow. :smile:

What is the whole first round out of? Or, like, the highest possible mark one can get?
Reply 15
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Follett
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Original post by Jatyization
Can anyone give me more information on this? I got an A in Biology AS and im thinking about doing it because its stimulating and will look good also :biggrin:... Is it really that hard? :redface:


Yeah, luckily it is multiple choice and not negative marking so it is possible to work towards the answer


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Original post by crozibear96
I'm participating this year. Doing the first paper tomorrow. :smile:

What is the whole first round out of? Or, like, the highest possible mark one can get?


It's out of 100 with the top award (gold medal) being about 60/100 usually


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Did the first paper today and it was alright. At the time I left, my teacher said I had 24/40. I doubt I'll be good enough to advance to the next round but the awards seem very feasible at least
Reply 18
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Follett
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Original post by Jatyization
How do i join? :biggrin:


Ask your biology teacher? Our school does it every year and I got selected


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I am doing it next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Hopefully I'll do well enough to proceed.
:awesome:

How is everyone finding it so far?

BTW please make sure you don't give out information about the test as it may give some an unfair advantage.
Had to be said I guess.

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