USABO - How to Prepare, Past Tests, Dates, Full Guide
by
Indigo Research Team
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Published:
September 8, 2024
Last Updated:
September 8, 2024
Are you a high school student who loves biology? You might want to be part of the USA Biology Olympiad. Why? This prestigious event is organized by the Center of Excellence in Education and offers the opportunity to build and showcase your science skills and build your academic portfolio.
However, winning this national competition isn’t easy as there are strict requirements and you’ll be competing with over 10,000 yearly high school applicants. So, to maximize your chances of winning, this guide will teach you how to prepare for the USABO exam alongside other crucial information.
USABO is an abbreviation of USA Biology Olympiad or the USA Biolympiad. To become a champion at the USABO, one has to appreciate what the competition is all about, and that is finding young high school students who are passionate about biology. This is done by introducing these pupils to rather tough and extensive biology tests and simply letting their potential shine through.
Moreover, it is worth mentioning that the USABO was founded in 2002 and is done every year by the Center of Excellence in Education. In the course of the competition, students’ understanding of biology and how to employ the biology laboratory is ascertained in the forms of USABO practice rounds, MCQ, short answers and other tests.
The USABO exams have four rounds, and these include:
The first round, the USABO Online Open Exam, is for students who attend a registered US high school. If you perform excellently in the first round and make the top 10%, you will move to compete in the USABO Semifinals.
In the USABO Semifinals, only the top 20 best students will move on to the National Finals Exam where they will appear in person. Afterward, the top four scorers in the nationals will move on to the final phase, which is the International Biology Olympiad.
In this final round, students will be competing with top biology students from around the world in 20+ teams. So, the USABO exam is undoubtedly hard, but the good news for high school students in the US is that since the history of the competition, every participating US student has received a medal and recognition.
So, who can participate in the US Bio Olympiad? First, all students in grades 9 to 12 can participate in the USABO exam. As for high school seniors, they can still participate but shouldn’t be currently enrolled in any undergraduate program at a university or college.
Even if you’re home-schooled, you can still participate in the USABO exam but they must make arrangements through the USA Biolympiad before registration closes. Afterward, they will be able to compete at high schools within their location.
Keep in mind that students can register individually or through their school, but regardless, there is a $100 registration fee. This fee may be covered by the school, except for home-schooled students; they will be responsible for the $100.
*Note: All applicants must be US citizens or have permanent residence in the United States.
Registration for the USABO 2024 competition starts on August 1st and the USABO registration deadline 2024 is on November 8th for both schools and individuals. As for the deadline for registration fee payments, that ends on November 15th.
Most exams and competitions have a syllabus that students can focus on, but that doesn’t apply to the USABO. This is because the USABO isn’t under any set of rules that forces it to reveal what topics will be tested on the exam.
Therefore, there is no USABO syllabus or curriculum, so students are tested based on their genuine love for biology and science, not their ability to study and pass exams. The lack of a syllabus also makes it possible for there to be a good degree of consistency throughout all IBO competitions.
However, this consistency lets us predict the range of topics they often test on, which can also let you know how to study for USABO tests. These include:
Note that the USABO questions asked are often based on how biological concepts and lab tools are applied in real-world scenarios.
What kind of questions will you be asked on the examination day? Well, participants can expect Multiple-choice questions and can only respond once per question. Note that this applies to the USABO Open Exam.
As for the USABO Semifinal Exam, students will be asked Multiple Choice questions, several True or False questions, and Short Answer questions. Then, for the National and International Biology Olympiad questions, students can expect several True or False questions.
Unlike other competitions, the USABO doesn’t offer students any financial reward for coming out on top, only gold medals. Nevertheless, there are still some benefits that make competing worthwhile.
For example, it helps high school students broaden their understanding of biology more than what they may ever learn in the classroom. This is also useful for kids aspiring for a career in Biology because it gives them a head start before college.
On the topic of college, winning the USABO exam and even the IBO can boost the student’s chances of entering their desired university. This is because it is a prestigious national competition, and winning means you may be an asset with the potential for even greater contributions to the field of Biology.
In the end, the best reason to compete is because winning helps improve your understanding of biology. At the same time, the USABO awards gold medals and recognition, which makes it easier to enter your desired university.
It is time to analyze how you can get prepared for the examination now that you are through with the competitiveness and advantages of the USABO competition.
When enrolling for the USABO examination, there are two options that you can choose, either to go through your high school or as an individual. When enrolling with the school, first confirm that it is registered for the competition which can be done by your Biology subject teacher.
This step is very important because it lets you know whether your institution will be eligible to receive USABO open exams which are taken online.
Alternatively, you may opt to register as an individual by clicking on the ‘USABO Registration’ section and after that, you will be allotted a high school to appear for the first online test.
The National Biology Olympiad will test your knowledge on biology and science, so it makes sense to gather more information and refresh on what you knew before. In this case, start with the basics like cell biology and genetics or ecology and evolution.
Afterward, you can move to more advanced topics like molecular biology and biochemistry, with a focus on getting more information and strengthening your weak points.
Keep in mind that you can build your knowledge with online learning tools too, like MacMillan Learning, which has 106 tutorials on several topics in biology. You can still rely on your school’s biology curriculum since you’ll be tested on high school biology.
Besides biological concepts, the USABO will test how well you understand the practical application of these biological and scientific elements. So, to prepare yourself, consider seeking hands-on help from laboratories.
You can do this by becoming an intern at a local university, being part of a summer research program, or becoming a lab attendant for your biology teacher. These options will be glad to receive and guide you if it means contributing to your USABO journey.
However, if you don’t have access to a well-equipped lab in your area, consider using a virtual lab. Options like Labster (https://www.labster.com/high-school) help high school students familiarize themselves with the lab, the tools, and how experts use them with 300+ interactive simulations and detailed explanations.
One of the best ways to prepare for any exam is to look at old questions and test your knowledge. The same applies to this competition, as you can find some USABO Open Exam past papers on the official Bio Olympiads website. They’re there to help students better prepare for the competition.
These past USABO exam papers also come with answers, so after you’ve downloaded a few, make them a core part of your study routine. It’s best to start with the most recent exam and work your way back to the first paper in 2003
You can even simulate the exam conditions by timing yourself whenever you review these exam papers. Even when you make a mistake and answer a question wrong, analyze why you made it and try to avoid it next time.
You can work with others to prepare for the competition, and these people can either be fellow biology enthusiasts or even supportive friends and classmates. The group should have regular meetings online or in-person to review past exams, revise lab tools and applications, and much more.
Your group can even organize a USA Biology Olympiad practice test with random questions from past exams or mainly of an area you don’t yet understand. This approach will definitely motivate you to work on areas that need improvement and also connect better with members of the group.
While you can also join a club with other USABO competitors to test yourselves, many consider it to be ineffective. Why? Because you will be making the already-competitive exam more difficult by training with students you hope to beat. So, it’s best to work with those that aren’t participating in the competition.
Suppose you prepare hard enough and eventually pass the USABO exam and even the International Biology Olympiads; what’s next? The best way to answer this question is to look at the testimonials of previous USABO finalists.
In the 2021 United States Association of Biology Olympiads (USABO), Greycen took home the gold medal in the year 2021, which he stated was the most precious in his life. He further explained that the competition was useful in nurturing his love of Biology, and at the same time, he met other students of the same spirit as him.
For Greycen, his strongest reward was having built a complimenting relationship with other participants. This is also the reason why he expects this particular experience to be helpful to him wherever he goes, while in college or elsewhere, be it in biology or other domains.
Jelle Zijlstra participated in the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) and took home the bronze medal in 2008 and silver in 2009. He explained that during the off days when they weren’t tackling practical biochemical tasks and theoretical exams, they were touring the scientific institutes and amusement parks and connecting with fellow enthusiasts.
Jelle says that his IBO and NBO experiences have been beneficial in his college life and beyond. Because of this life-changing impact, he remained in contact with the Dutch National Biology Olympiad well after 2009.
Based on these two previous winners, participating in the IBO is not only academically rewarding but also provides the student with a new outlook on life. They then carry this perspective as they get older, helping them through college, fields not related to biology, and even far in life.
You can find more testimonials on the official USABO website.
In the end, the USABO is a competitive event that aims to reward biology enthusiasts and expand their exposure to science through comprehensive examination. Winning the competition is hard since you’ll be fighting with up to 10,000 applicants.
Nevertheless, by studying hard and strategically with past USABO exams, a study group, your teachers, and a virtual lab, you can maximize your chances of winning.
However, if the USABO doesn’t meet your expectations, especially in terms of rewards, consider looking at the Top 10 Awards for High School Students. Whatever you choose, we wish you good luck!
If you are interested in biology, consider doing research. Conducting a research paper before your competition would add great value to you in preparing any of your future academic decisions. Our experienced mentors will guide you through the process of making high-quality, publishable research papers in line with your passion!
