Many students struggle with time management during the exam—the three essays must be completed in just 2 hours and 15 minutes, requiring strong planning and drafting skills. Others find it difficult to identify and analyze rhetorical strategies quickly, or to synthesize information from multiple sources coherently. Additionally, students often underestimate the importance of understanding argument structure and logical fallacies, which are heavily tested in the multiple-choice section.

Personalized 1-on-1 instruction allows tutors to identify your specific weak areas—whether that's rhetorical analysis, essay organization, or time management—and create a targeted study plan. Tutors can provide feedback on practice essays, teach you strategies for tackling the multiple-choice section efficiently, and help you build confidence with timed writing practice. This focused approach has been shown to accelerate learning more effectively than classroom instruction alone.

Your first session will focus on understanding your current strengths and challenges. A tutor will likely review your recent essays or practice test results, discuss your goals for the AP exam, and assess your comfort level with rhetorical analysis and timed writing. From there, they'll work with you to create a personalized study plan that addresses your priorities—whether that's mastering specific rhetorical devices, improving essay structure, or building test-taking stamina.

Practice tests are essential for AP English success because they help you understand the exam format, develop pacing strategies, and identify patterns in question types. Taking full-length, timed practice tests under realistic conditions allows you to build endurance for the three essays and become comfortable with the multiple-choice section's rhythm. A tutor can help you analyze your practice test results to pinpoint which rhetorical concepts or essay skills need the most attention.

Score improvement depends on your starting point and how consistently you engage with tutoring and practice. Students who work with a tutor for 4-6 weeks before the exam typically see meaningful gains—often 1-2 points on the 1-5 scale—by strengthening their weakest areas and refining test-taking strategies. The key is combining personalized instruction with regular practice essays and timed exams, which allows you to apply feedback and build confidence.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who specialize in AP English and understand the curriculum's demands. You can specify your goals—whether improving your essay score, mastering rhetorical analysis, or building test-taking confidence—and get matched with a tutor whose expertise aligns with your needs. Tutors work with flexibility around your schedule and can adjust their approach based on your learning style and pace.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or unsure about time management. Working with a tutor to complete multiple timed practice essays builds familiarity and confidence, reducing anxiety on test day. Tutors can also teach you calming strategies—like breaking essays into manageable steps, reading prompts carefully before panicking, and using your planning time effectively—so you feel more in control during the actual exam.