In terms of overall difficulty...

[InsaneMcFries]

I found the MC was about equal to 2011 and such.

However, I found the short answer, sporadic, odd and harder than 2011. I also found it more odd than 2010, with more room for mistakes.

I just have no idea where the cut-off will lie this year. I don't think it'd be higher than 61.

How did you find the exam compared to past years?

[diam0nds]

I thought last years was easier, I know it's different doing the real exam but it was a lot more straight forward, and I don't think this years was THAT difficult but, there was just a lot of silly mistakes that could easily be made, and some of the questions could be interpreted in a lot of different ways (like the polypeptide q) idk

I hope the A+ cut off isn't too high

[spherelin]

2011 was much easier. in comparison... this year's exam concentrated too much on like 3 aspects of the course, especially immunity. the 2011 exam was more straightforward and tested our knowledge across the course, so they didn't ask anything too intricate/complicated in comparison to this year

[InsaneMcFries]

Yeah I found there was a huge amount of immunity in the exam.

Also, questions like the difference between cytosol and cytoplasm are really out of the ordinary as well. I found the multiple choice a really good set though, some tricky questions in there but a fair difficulty.

The short answer was surprising to me though.

[spherelin]

the exam was.... two fifths immunity? no... wait yes? idk. yeah multipule choice was reasonable. SA.... hmm not to sure. Do you think the A and A+ cut off will be higher or lower than last year?

[InsaneMcFries]

It wouldn't be lower I don't think, maybe a tiny bit higher? Or the same. It definitely wasn't a 2010 or 2006, but it wasn't a 2008 either.

[saheh]

Anyone have any suggested answers?

[ILiekMudkipz]

Anyone have any suggested answers?

No one likes biology

[diam0nds]

Wah I want solutions

My teacher thinks it's been the hardest VCAA exam haha I thought 2010 was harder

[ILiekMudkipz]

Wah I want solutions

My teacher thinks it's been the hardest VCAA exam haha I thought 2010 was harder

If it was 2010 I would've had a heart attack right there in the exam,

But thank god it wasn't and had most of my fav. topics

[Edward21]

I thought that the cytosol/cytoplasm was a really cheap shot, because I looked in Nature of Biology and I have friends from at least 5 other schools that use this textbook and the difference is listed in one sentence in small writing on the side of the page because it was Units 1/2 stuff... so sly that question! I doubt they'll give me the marks for stating that the cytoplasm is the cytosol with the organelles of the cell suspended in it because you have to specify excluding the nucleus otherwise I'm stating the protoplasm 

[diam0nds]

I never paid attention to the difference between the cytoplasm and cytosol argh it's such a simple question too, I said the cytosol was the fluid and cytoplasm was everything HAHA fml.  Yeah nature of biology is the textbook I have!

[ILiekMudkipz]

I thought that the cytosol/cytoplasm was a really cheap shot, because I looked in Nature of Biology and I have friends from at least 5 other schools that use this textbook and the difference is listed in one sentence in small writing on the side of the page because it was Units 1/2 stuff... so sly that question! I doubt they'll give me the marks for stating that the cytoplasm is the cytosol with the organelles of the cell suspended in it because you have to specify excluding the nucleus otherwise I'm stating the protoplasm 

We're separating the noobs from the pros here. (sarcasm).

[ChickenCh0wM1en]

it wasn't a hard exam to be honest, just some really real questions that were ambiguous and tricky.
many of the questions were misleading, as a result, I think this years a+ cut off mark will be around 60 or 61

[spherelin]

it wasn't a hard exam to be honest, just some really real questions that were ambiguous and tricky.
many of the questions were misleading, as a result, I think this years a+ cut off mark will be around 60 or 61

REALLY? are you sure 60 and 61 isn't the cut off for just an A :S or do you honestly mean A+ (please say you honestly mean A+, that would make me feel a million times better)
and damn,.... i forgot to say cytoplasm doesn't include nucleus... THAT QUESTION IS SO STUPID... that's unit 1/2 stuff!