The AP biology exam allows for a 10-minute period to read the essay questions carefully and make notes on your answers. Pay close attention to the directions. Circle or underline all of the verbs, such as "describe," "calculate" and "give evidence for." When you make your notes, tailor them to answer the question exactly as stated.
Outline the answers to each question ahead of time, either one by one or all four at once. Be sure to discuss each sub-question in the order that it is asked. This will help the reader follow your ideas and improve the clarity of your essay. If your organization is poor, it will not matter how good your ideas or fact recall is. Be sure to address each of the verbs you underlined. Do not forget to state the things that seem obvious -- readers are looking for a complete answer, so don't assume anything.
When writing your essays, don't get too creative or cute with prose, poetry or anecdotes. Get straight to the facts. Define all technical terms. If you cannot remember a specific term, either take a stab at it or simply describe it. Do not use an opening paragraph, topic sentence or "hook" -- this isn't an English exam. Organize your answer in the same format as the question -- you may even wish to number your answers the same as the sub-questions (e.g., 1a, 1b, 1c). Do not ramble. Properly label any graphs, charts or diagrams you may be asked to provide.
Do not panic. Talk positively to yourself. Do not cram the night before. Space out your studying over the course of several weeks. Remember that the exam is meant to be difficult. A passing score of 3 is equivalent to a score of 50 percent. Remember that jitters are normal, but try to leave emotional baggage at home where it cannot hurt your concentration or performance.