Score improvement depends on your starting point and consistency with practice, but personalized 1-on-1 instruction typically helps students identify gaps in understanding and build problem-solving confidence. Many students see meaningful gains by focusing on their weakest topics—whether that's derivatives, integrals, or applications—and practicing under timed conditions. Working with a tutor who understands the AP exam format helps you develop strategies that maximize your performance on test day.

Students often struggle with the conceptual understanding of limits and derivatives early in the course, which creates problems later when applying these concepts to more complex problems. Pacing is another challenge—the course moves quickly, and falling behind on one topic makes subsequent material harder to grasp. Many students also find the multiple-choice section tricky because it requires both speed and accuracy, while the free-response section demands clear mathematical communication and justification of answers.

On the multiple-choice section, time management is critical—aim to spend about 1-1.5 minutes per question so you have time to review. For free-response questions, read carefully, show all work (even if you make a computational error, you can earn partial credit), and label your answers clearly. Practice distinguishing between problems that require derivatives versus integrals, and learn to recognize when you need the chain rule, product rule, or other techniques. Mock exams under timed conditions help you refine these strategies before test day.

Most students benefit from starting exam-focused review 4-6 weeks before the test, after they've completed the course curriculum. However, consistent tutoring throughout the year—especially addressing weak topics early—prevents last-minute cramming and builds genuine understanding. If you're struggling with foundational concepts, starting tutoring earlier in the school year gives you time to strengthen those skills before moving into more advanced material.

Practice tests are essential—they help you get comfortable with the exam format, identify which topics need more work, and build test-day confidence. Taking full-length practice exams under timed conditions reveals pacing issues and question types that trip you up. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who can review your practice test results with you, pinpoint errors, and help you develop strategies to avoid similar mistakes on the actual exam.

Look for tutors with strong mathematics backgrounds who have experience teaching AP Calculus AB specifically. They should understand both the conceptual foundations and the exam format, and be able to explain complex ideas clearly. It's also valuable if they've helped other students prepare for the AP exam and can share strategies that work—experience with the actual test structure makes a real difference in your preparation.

Your first session typically focuses on understanding where you stand—what topics feel solid, where you're struggling, and what your goals are (improving your grade, boosting your AP score, or both). A tutor will likely review some of your recent work or have you work through a problem to see your approach and identify gaps. From there, you'll develop a personalized plan that targets your specific needs, whether that's building foundational concepts or refining test-taking strategies.