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Award-Winning AP US History Tutors

Certified Tutor
2+ years
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...
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
BS

Certified Tutor
2+ years
Kaitlyn
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...
The University of Alabama
Undergraduate Degree
Certified Tutor
2+ years
Ashley
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...
Mcgill University
Master's/Graduate
Northeastern University
Bachelor's
Certified Tutor
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...
Nova Southeastern University
PHD, Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Bachelors, History
University of Pennsylvania
undergraduate
Certified Tutor
Erika
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...
Harvard University
Master of Public Policy, Public Policy
Certified Tutor
10+ years
reid
Reid's double major in political science and philosophy at Hobart means he spent years doing exactly what APUSH essays demand — building thesis-driven arguments from primary evidence and defending them against counterarguments. He's especially sharp on the constitutional and governance threads that ...
University of Chicago
Master of Arts, Political Science and Government
Hobart William Smith Colleges
Bachelors, Political Science and Government
Certified Tutor
Meghan
A semester at Madrid's top-ranked university taking upper-level history courses alongside Spanish students gave Meghan something unusual for APUSH prep — the habit of examining American events through an outsider's lens, which is exactly the kind of contextualization and perspective-shifting the DBQ...
Northwestern University
Masters, Journalism
Northwestern University
Bachelors, Journalism
Northwestern University
Undergraduate degree in journalism (major) with a Spanish minor
Certified Tutor
Priscilla
Studying government at Harvard means Priscilla lives inside the institutional frameworks — federalism, separation of powers, constitutional interpretation — that APUSH tests as recurring themes from the founding through the modern era. She's also currently teaching a civics course to younger student...
Harvard College
Bachelor in Arts, Government
Certified Tutor
9+ years
Margaret
Studying political science at Stanford means Margaret spends her coursework inside the same institutional frameworks — constitutional design, federalism, party realignment — that APUSH tests most heavily across every period. That gives her a structural vocabulary for explaining why events like the N...
Stanford University
Current Undergrad Student, Political Science and Government
Certified Tutor
9+ years
Dalton
The IB program's emphasis on extended essays and Theory of Knowledge — where students defend interpretive claims with structured evidence — builds the exact muscles APUSH's DBQ and LEQ require. Dalton completed the full IB diploma and now draws on that training to teach how to frame a historical arg...
University of Pennsylvania
Bachelor in Arts, Mass Communications
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Top 20 Social Studies Subjects
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Ryan
Calculus Tutor • +30 Subjects
I'm particularly interested in politics, history, and religion. I am an avid reader and enjoy discussing literature and popular culture.
Richard
AP Calculus BC Tutor • +70 Subjects
I am a rising senior at Harvard College pursuing an AB in Government. Academically, I have diverse interests, including history, language, math, physics, philosophy, music, and politics. In high school, I tutored elementary, middle, and high school students in music, math, ACT and SAT prep, and Spanish. At Harvard, I spent a year as a course assistant in the math department, helping to teach introductory undergraduate calculus. Currently, I volunteer with the Leadership Institute at Harvard College (LIHC) as part of its Social Outreach Committee. This work involves teaching a weekly course called "Fundamentals of Leadership" to a class of middle school students. Overall, I have found my experiences tutoring math to be the most rewarding.
Nathan
Pre-Calculus Tutor • +57 Subjects
I am currently a student at Rice University studying both History and Neuroscience. Being the oldest of five kids, working with younger students has always been a part of my life. I can tutor a wide variety of subjects, but I specialize in writing, public speaking, and test taking. My goal for every tutoring session is to give students large-scale takeaways that they can apply in their academic future, maximizing the efficiency of every session.
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.
Kevin
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +30 Subjects
I am very invested in my students' success, and nothing makes me happier than helping them to finally grasp a difficult concept. I know that every student learns differently, so I always start my tutoring sessions by first trying to learn what the student's strengths and weaknesses are. After allowing them to work through and explain a few problems in front of me, I try to tailor an individualized teaching method to best suit each student's specific needs. While my methods may not be the perfect match for every student out there, I can promise that I will always be a patient, diligent, and understanding tutor, and I will be genuinely dedicated to helping each of my students achieve their goals. Hobbies: writing, books, music, art, reading
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.
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.
Asta
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +74 Subjects
I am a graduate of the University of Chicago where I received my undergraduate degree in political science. Right after graduation, I worked as an academic and test prep tutor as well as admissions consultant in Hong Kong. For the past two years, I worked with a number of students to help prepare them for college in the United States.
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.
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
Top 20 Subjects
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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