TOLC-B preparation, online and focused on the real weights.
The TOLC-B is the Italian admission test for Biology and Biotechnology degrees. It is prepared by students who love biology, and biology is exactly the section that weighs least (20%). Maths is worth twice the time and twice the questions. I help you put your hours where the points really are, not where you enjoy studying.
You will find the complete guide, with a week-by-week study plan, in how to prepare for the TOLC-B, or take the free TOLC-B practice test right now, with the real structure and scoring.
Maths weighs more than biology!
The students I work with
- Final-year high school students aiming for Biology, Biotechnology or Biological Sciences at the University of Milan (Statale), Bicocca or other universities.
- Students who love biology but struggle with equations and inequalities: it is the most common profile I see arriving at lessons.
- Students who have already taken the TOLC-B and want a higher score, with a plan built on the real mistakes of the first attempt.
How it works
- First hour: a short diagnostic test to understand not only what you get wrong, but why.
- Weekly plan: two maths lessons, and one every two weeks on chemistry and physics.
- You handle biology on your own with diagrams that I correct: it is the part you can do alone.
- In the last three weeks, full practice tests reviewed together, question by question.
- Practice tests done directly on the CISIA platform, so the interface is already familiar on test day.
The 4 sections of the TOLC-B, with the real weights.
50 questions in 1 hour 50 minutes. Maths weighs twice as much as biology: the study strategy starts from here, not from the subjects you like most.
- Basic maths
- Elementary algebra: powers, radicals, algebraic fractions
- Equations and inequalities (including fractional and irrational ones)
- Functions and graphs of elementary functions
- Exponentials and logarithms (including the pH scale)
- Probability and combinatorics: it is Mendelian genetics
- Biology
- Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, organelles, membrane transport
- Molecular biology: DNA, RNA, transcription and translation
- Metabolism: glycolysis, Krebs cycle, photosynthesis (balances, not details)
- Mendelian genetics and family trees
- Basic human anatomy and physiology, evolution and ecology
- Chemistry
- Atomic structure and the periodic table
- Moles and stoichiometry
- Solutions and concentrations (molarity, percentages)
- Acids, bases and pH
- Physics
- Kinematics and dynamics, Newton's laws
- Work and energy
- Fluids: pressure, Stevin's law, Archimedes (useful in physiology)
- Basic thermodynamics
Structure, number of questions and syllabus can change from one year to the next: always check the official CISIA syllabus for the current year and your university's call for applications.
TOLC-B: frequently asked questions.
How long does TOLC-B preparation take?
With 4-5 weeks between now and the test you are in the right window. The realistic total is 35-50 hours if you come from a recent science-track high school, and 70-90 hours if you come from a classics-track school or a technical school where maths was not the focus, or have been out of study for a few years.
If I am strong at biology, is my score already high?
No, and it is the most common mistake I see. Biology is 20% of the test, while maths is 40% of the questions and 45% of the time. Students who only study what they like leave easy maths points on the table.
Is the TOLC-B the same as the TOLC-MED?
No. The TOLC-MED asks for biology and chemistry at a higher level and has a heavy logic section; the TOLC-B asks for a bit of everything with maths at the centre. Preparing with medicine material means training for the wrong test.
Is it worth studying stoichiometry for only 10 chemistry questions?
Yes: there are 2-3 guaranteed questions every session, always on the same pattern (moles, concentrations, limiting reagent). A few hours of targeted work for almost certain points.
Can I retake the TOLC-B if my first score does not convince me?
Yes, it can be retaken once a month and most universities take the best score among the valid attempts made before the application deadline. The first attempt is useful even just as a diagnosis.
Ready to prepare?
We start with a diagnostic practice test. We find out where you really lose points and build the lesson plan around maths, chemistry and physics, not just biology.