Score improvement depends on your starting point and consistency with tutoring. Students typically see the most significant gains when they work with a tutor to identify weak concept areas—whether that's understanding elasticity, interpreting supply-and-demand graphs, or analyzing fiscal policy—and then practice applying those concepts to multiple-choice and free-response questions. Most students benefit from 4-6 weeks of focused preparation before the May exam, with 1-2 sessions per week helping solidify understanding of difficult topics.

The biggest hurdle is translating economic theory into visual form—many students struggle to draw and interpret graphs correctly, which accounts for a large portion of exam questions. Time management is another challenge; the exam includes 60 multiple-choice questions in 70 minutes and three free-response questions, so pacing matters. Additionally, students often confuse microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts or miss the nuance in policy questions that require understanding trade-offs and unintended consequences.

For the multiple-choice section, practice eliminating obviously wrong answers first, then reason through the remaining options using economic principles rather than guessing. For free-response questions, always label your graphs clearly, show your reasoning, and address all parts of the question—partial credit is available even if your final answer isn't perfect. Working through released AP exams and timing yourself under exam conditions is essential; this builds confidence and helps you identify which question types slow you down so you can practice those specifically.

Ideally, you'll connect with a tutor early in the school year if you're struggling with foundational concepts like supply and demand or basic macroeconomic models. If you're doing okay in class but want to boost your exam score, starting 6-8 weeks before the May exam gives you time to work through practice tests, identify weak areas, and build test-taking confidence. Even a few sessions focused on graph interpretation and free-response strategies can make a meaningful difference in your score.

Practice tests are critical—they're the best way to identify which economic concepts you understand versus which ones need more work, and they help you get comfortable with the exam format and timing. Taking at least 2-3 full-length practice exams under timed conditions reveals patterns in your mistakes; for example, you might consistently miss questions about price elasticity or monetary policy. A tutor can review your practice test results with you to pinpoint exactly where to focus your study time and help you develop strategies for question types that give you trouble.

Look for tutors with strong economics background—ideally someone who has taken AP Economics themselves or has taught the course. They should be able to explain concepts clearly using graphs and real-world examples, and they should have experience helping students prepare for the AP exam specifically. It's also valuable to work with someone who understands the Provo area schools' curricula and can align tutoring with what you're learning in class.

Your first session is typically an assessment—the tutor will review your current understanding of key AP Economics concepts, look at any recent tests or assignments, and ask about your goals for the exam. This helps identify whether you need foundational concept review or more focused exam strategy work. You'll leave with a clear plan for what to tackle in future sessions, whether that's mastering supply-and-demand analysis, understanding monetary policy, or building confidence with free-response questions.