OCTOBER → DECEMBER

Your road to the Open Exam

Eleven focused content-learning weeks, October 5 through December 20, with Monday meetings. September 28 is an informational meeting. Open the current month, find your week, and know exactly what to learn, practice, and bring to the next meeting.

Dates stay editable. Official USABO registration and exam dates should be verified each competition year.

Week 1 · Oct 5–11Cell Biology

Cell Biology I: Cell Structure, Membranes & Transport

• Organelles• prokaryotes/eukaryotes• membrane structure• diffusion/osmosis• transport proteins• electrochemical gradients• endomembrane system

Focus on organelles, prokaryotes/eukaryotes, membrane structure, diffusion/osmosis, transport proteins, electrochemical gradients, endomembrane system. Read before the meeting; bring your hardest questions.

READ

Campbell Biology, 12th ed. · Ch. 6–7

CHAPTER SLIDES

FREE ALTERNATIVE · OpenStax Biology 2e

Choose Campbell or the free OpenStax reading for this week.

PRACTICE

Diagram organelles and predict movement across membranes; try transport questions.

MONDAY MEETING

30 min: membrane transport diagrams and USABO-style questions.

Week 2 · Oct 12–18Cell Biology

Cell Biology II: Metabolism, Respiration & Photosynthesis

• Enzymes• thermodynamics• ATP• glycolysis• Krebs cycle• ETC/chemiosmosis• fermentation• light reactions• Calvin cycle

Focus on enzymes, thermodynamics, atp, glycolysis, krebs cycle, etc/chemiosmosis, fermentation, light reactions, calvin cycle. Read before the meeting; bring your hardest questions.

READ

Campbell Biology, 12th ed. · Ch. 8–10

FREE ALTERNATIVE · OpenStax Biology 2e

Choose Campbell or the free OpenStax reading for this week.

PRACTICE

Map energy and electron flow; practice pathway comparisons.

MONDAY MEETING

30 min: enzyme data and respiration/photosynthesis misconceptions.

Week 3 · Oct 19–25Molecular Biology

Molecular Biology & Genetics I

• DNA structure/replication• transcription• RNA processing• translation• mutations• gene regulation• operons• eukaryotic regulation

Focus on dna structure/replication, transcription, rna processing, translation, mutations, gene regulation, operons, eukaryotic regulation. Read before the meeting; bring your hardest questions.

READ

Campbell Biology, 12th ed. · Ch. 16–18

FREE ALTERNATIVE · OpenStax Biology 2e

Choose Campbell or the free OpenStax reading for this week.

PRACTICE

Trace DNA to protein and predict mutation effects.

MONDAY MEETING

30 min: gene regulation models and interpretation of experiments.

Week 4 · Oct 26–Nov 1Genetics

Genetics II: Mendelian → Advanced Genetics

• Mendelian genetics• pedigrees• probability• linkage• recombination• sex linkage• chromosomal inheritance• meiosis

Focus on mendelian genetics, pedigrees, probability, linkage, recombination, sex linkage, chromosomal inheritance, meiosis. Read before the meeting; bring your hardest questions.

READ

Campbell Biology, 12th ed. · Ch. 13–15

FREE ALTERNATIVE · OpenStax Biology 2e

Choose Campbell or the free OpenStax reading for this week.

PRACTICE

Solve crosses, pedigrees, and linkage problems; review misses.

MONDAY MEETING

30 min: work through difficult pedigree and recombination questions.

REUSABLE MEETING RHYTHM

One focused 30-minute meeting each week

3 min

Check-in

7 min

Difficult concepts

12 min

USABO questions

5 min

Clarification

3 min

Next steps

Optional: an extra 30-minute session during the week for questions, clarification, difficult concepts, and additional help.