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Award-Winning AP US History Tutors

Kayley

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Kayley

BS
Kayley's other Tutor Subjects
AP Statistics
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra

Kayley's biology degree might seem like an odd fit for APUSH, but her coursework at New Mexico State included AP-level history and government, and she approaches the subject the way a scientist approaches data — by teaching students to weigh evidence before drawing conclusions. That analytical habit...

Education

New Mexico State University-Main Campus

BS

Kaitlyn

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Kaitlyn

Undergraduate Degree
Kaitlyn's other Tutor Subjects
10th Grade math
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
Linear Algebra

I'm currently a student at the University of Alabama, working towards an undergraduate degree in math/statistics. Im also a part of the honors college at the University, the honors society Phi Eta Sigma, am participating in the new STEM program that allows me to work towards a MBA while completing m...

Education

The University of Alabama

Undergraduate Degree

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Ashley

Master's/Graduate
Ashley's other Tutor Subjects
AP Biology
AP Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Chemistry

Most AP US History struggles come down to one skill: turning a pile of historical evidence into a coherent argument under time pressure. Ashley earned a Master's in History, which means she's spent years constructing and defending thesis-driven analyses — exactly the skill the DBQ and LEQ demand. Sh...

Education

Mcgill University

Master's/Graduate

Northeastern University

Bachelor's

Certified Tutor

Jessica

PHD, Medicine
Jessica's other Tutor Subjects
College Algebra
Calculus
Algebra
Honors Chemistry

Before medical school, Jessica earned her history degree at Penn — meaning she studied American political and constitutional development at a university where those debates literally happened, steps from Independence Hall and the National Constitution Center. That immersion in primary-source-rich co...

Education

Nova Southeastern University

PHD, Medicine

University of Pennsylvania

Bachelors, History

University of Pennsylvania

undergraduate

Test Scores
SAT
1540

Certified Tutor

Erika

Master of Public Policy, Public Policy
Erika's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Middle School Math
Calculus
Algebra

A Master of Public Policy degree means Erika spent graduate school analyzing how American institutions evolved and why specific policy decisions — from the New Deal to the Great Society — reshaped the country. That lens gives her a natural edge when teaching APUSH's thematic threads around governmen...

Education

Harvard University

Master of Public Policy, Public Policy

Test Scores
ACT
32

Certified Tutor

Asta

Bachelor in Arts in Political Science
Asta's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra
Arithmetic
Middle School Math

A University of Chicago political science degree means Asta spent four years immersed in the kind of rigorous argument-building and source analysis that APUSH essays demand — Chicago's core curriculum doesn't let you coast on surface-level claims. Her experience preparing international students in H...

Education

University of Chicago

Bachelor in Arts in Political Science

Test Scores
SAT
1530
ACT
35

Certified Tutor

Alastair

Bachelor in Arts, History
Alastair's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
SAT Reading
ACT Writing

AP US History's Document-Based Questions reward a specific skill: weaving outside knowledge together with source analysis into a coherent, time-pressured argument. Alastair is a History major at Columbia with a 3.96 GPA, so constructing evidence-driven historical arguments is the core of his academi...

Education

Columbia University in the City of New York

Bachelor in Arts, History

Test Scores
SAT
1580

Certified Tutor

Alex

Masters, Theological Studies
Alex's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
SSAT- Upper Level
SSAT- Middle Level

Scoring a 4 or 5 on the AP US History exam comes down to writing sharp DBQs and LEQs under time pressure — not just knowing the content. Alex breaks down the rubric so students understand exactly how to contextualize documents, build a defensible claim, and earn synthesis points. His deep knowledge ...

Education

Duke University

Masters, Theological Studies

Emory and Henry College

Bachelors, Religion

Certified Tutor

4+ years

Nathan

Bachelor in Arts, History
Nathan's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Calculus
Middle School Math
Calculus
Algebra

Studying both History and Neuroscience at Rice means Nathan lives in two worlds — one where you argue from evidence and another where you design experiments to test claims — and APUSH rewards exactly that double fluency when students need to evaluate conflicting primary sources and build causal argu...

Education

Rice University

Bachelor in Arts, History

Test Scores
SAT
1530

Certified Tutor

14+ years

Kirstie

Masters in Education, Education
Kirstie's other Tutor Subjects
Arithmetic
Middle School Math
Elementary Math
Geometry

Kirstie's liberal arts training and Master's in Education come together most visibly in APUSH's essay sections, where students need to do two things at once — read primary sources with a literary eye and marshal them into a historically grounded argument. She leans heavily on her AP English skills w...

Education

Harvard University

Masters in Education, Education

St Johns College

Bachelors, Liberal Arts

Test Scores
SAT
1550

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Charlie

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +30 Subjects

I am a current student at Cornell University with a 4.0 GPA. In High School, I was a National AP Scholar and a National Merit Finalist. I am passionate about helping students succeed, and I am patient and enjoy walking through multiple methods to help a student find what works best for them. I enjoy helping students reach their potential. While I tutor a range of subjects, I am most interested in and best equipped to tutor students in SAT prep (math, English, and test-taking strategies), history, economics, and statistics. In my spare time, I am likely watching baseball, playing basketball, or watching The Office.

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Dalton

AP Calculus AB Tutor • +45 Subjects

I am no stranger to people getting tutors in order to succeed. An ambition to accomplish any academic goal was encouraged all my life; thus, I am accustomed to studying hard on top of participating in countless extra-curricular activities. I graduated highs school and received a diploma from the extremely rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) program, and began attending an Ivy League college, the University of Pennsylvania, in 2016. With all this said, I am confident that I will be able to teach clients effective ways to solve any problems they have.

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Jonah

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +20 Subjects

Hobbies: reading, cooking, writing, art, movies, books, music

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Margaret

Middle School Math Tutor • +43 Subjects

I am a Stanford student from Maryland studying Political Science and Computer Science. I graduated from high school in 2015, where I was active as the captain of my high school sailing team, a section leader in the orchestra, and part of the STEM magnet program Project Lead the Way. I am currently taking some time off from school to be around family here in Massachusetts and while I will be taking a few classes, I have plenty of time and lots of flexibility. I am excited to work with middle and high school students in math, reading and writing, social studies, and computer science. In addition to taking classes and tutoring this fall I will be volunteering in after school programs with low income middle and elementary school students.

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Catherine

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +42 Subjects

I am a graduate student in the humanities who is lucky enough to teach, read, and write for a living. I am passionately committed to educational access and helping young people reach their full potential. It has been my privilege to work with dozens of bright and talented students over the years, ranging from fifth grade to university level. I especially enjoy helping students with test prep and am qualified to teach all sections of the SAT and GRE, including math. I would also love to tutor in history, literature, and writing. Hobbies: reading, cooking, music, running, art, travel, books, writing

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Molly

8th Grade math Tutor • +86 Subjects

I am an Illinois certified Teacher in grades K-9. I attended Northwestern University and received a Master's of Science in Education. I have ample classroom experience and expertise in elementary Math and Reading intervention. I have several tools and resources from various curricula to work with and would love to help your students in any elementary or middle school subject area. For the past three years, I have been working as a classroom Teacher in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade classrooms, teaching students with a variety of needs. I can also tutor students through high school and college in History and Spanish as I hold degrees in both subjects from Columbia University. I am highly qualified to tutor Writing at all levels - from elementary to adult professional writing - as I have written two distinguished theses as part of my academic training.

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Ethan

AP Statistics Tutor • +66 Subjects

I am not teaching or grading papers, I can usually be found playing some brass instrument or another, umpiring baseball, trying out a new recipe in the kitchen, or spending far too much time on Netflix.

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Patrick

Calculus Tutor • +41 Subjects

I'm a graduate of Duke University where I received a JD and an MA in History. I received my undergraduate degree from Emory University also in History. My legal experience includes working as a summer law clerk for two appellate judges and as a summer associate at a large law firm in New York City. In college and in law school I tutored for a variety of subjects and enjoy working with students one-on-one to tackle and master difficult concepts. In my spare time, I enjoy taking in all that New York has to offer including biking in the park, cooking, and golfing.

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Meghan

Calculus Tutor • +32 Subjects

I am a 2015 graduate of Northwestern University, with an undergraduate journalism major/Spanish minor and a graduate degree in journalism. During my time at NU, I spent a semester at Madrid's top-ranked university, taking upper-level history and literature courses with Spanish students. I now work at a trade magazine in Midtown covering real estate.

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Tom

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +41 Subjects

I am a firm believer that clear, precise communication between student and tutor makes for a productive and fulfilling learning experience. When I work with students, I strive to listen carefully to find out exactly where they are struggling, and to impart corresponding strategies clearly and concisely. I work with them step by step until we zero in on exactly where the problem is occurring, and tailor solutions from there. These collegial and yet very focused discussions go a long way toward helping me to discern where the student needs help and helping the student to master the content he or she must learn, besides ensuring a pleasant and interesting learning experience.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Students typically find the period from 1890-1945 most challenging, particularly the complexities of US foreign policy, the causes and consequences of World War I, and the nuances of the Great Depression and New Deal. The Civil War and Reconstruction era also trips up many students because it requires understanding both political and social dimensions simultaneously. Additionally, students often struggle with thematic connections across time periods—like how different groups experienced American democracy differently—rather than just memorizing isolated events.

The exam has three distinct sections requiring different skills: the multiple-choice section (55 questions in 80 minutes) rewards quick pattern recognition and elimination strategies; the short-answer questions (3 questions in 40 minutes) require you to support claims with specific evidence; and the essays (DBQ and long essay) demand strong thesis statements and document analysis. Many students underestimate the short-answer section because they focus heavily on essay prep—but these questions test your ability to explain historical causation concisely, which is a distinct skill from writing longer arguments.

Strong document analysis goes beyond identifying what a source says—you need to consider the author's perspective, purpose, audience, and historical context. Many students lose points by treating documents as simple evidence rather than asking critical questions: Why did this person create this document? Who was it meant to persuade? What was happening in 1863 that shaped this perspective? A tutor can help you develop a systematic approach to quickly categorize documents (supporting your argument, complicating it, representing a particular viewpoint) so you use your 55-minute DBQ time efficiently.

Rather than memorizing dates, focus on understanding the key tensions and transformations that define each era—for example, the early republic's struggle between federal and state power, or the Progressive Era's competing visions of reform. Students who excel recognize that themes like American identity, conflict, and change repeat across periods in different forms. A tutor can help you build concept maps that connect events within and across periods, so you see how westward expansion, industrialization, and immigration are all part of the same story of American transformation, not separate topics.

Your thesis needs to make a specific, arguable claim about causation or change—not just summarize what happened. For example, "The New Deal was important" is too vague, but "The New Deal fundamentally shifted American expectations about government's role in economic security, though it faced significant opposition from those who feared federal overreach" takes a real position. Many students write theses that are either too obvious (restating the prompt) or too broad (covering too many ideas). Tutors can help you practice narrowing your argument and ensuring every paragraph supports your specific claim with relevant evidence.

The 55 multiple-choice questions should take roughly 80 minutes (about 90 seconds per question), but strong test-takers spend 60 minutes on these to leave buffer time. The short-answer section requires about 13 minutes per question to read, think, and write a solid response. For the essays, plan to spend 15 minutes reading and analyzing documents for the DBQ, then 40 minutes writing; the long essay gets 40 minutes total. Many students rush through multiple-choice to save time for essays, but this backfires because careless errors compound. A tutor can help you take practice tests under timed conditions and identify where you're losing time.

Most students who work with a tutor see a 2-4 point improvement on the AP scale (which ranges from 1-5), with larger gains possible if you're starting below a 3. The improvement depends heavily on where you're starting and how much you practice between sessions. If you're scoring 2s on practice tests, focused tutoring on document analysis and thesis-building can push you to 3s or 4s. If you're already at a 4, reaching a 5 requires mastering the most challenging synthesis questions and eliminating careless errors—work that's very doable with targeted feedback on your practice essays.

Beyond deep knowledge of American history, strong AP US History tutors understand the specific demands of the exam format—they can teach document analysis strategies, help you build efficient study plans, and provide detailed feedback on your essays that mirrors how AP graders evaluate them. They should be able to identify whether your struggles are conceptual (not understanding Reconstruction), strategic (poor time management), or technical (weak thesis statements), because each requires different solutions. Look for tutors who use practice tests diagnostically to pinpoint your weak areas rather than just reviewing material broadly.

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