The English Language and Composition Test is one of the most popular AP tests. In 2018 more than a half million students took the test. You can go on the AP website and find data showing that a little more than 57% passed, earning a score of 3 or higher. That means that almost 43 percent did not pass!  Here is a screenshot from the report As you can see from the report, about almost 30 percent received a 2 (not passing), and almost 30 percent received a 3 (passing). If only those scoring a 2 had earned a few more points, they might have passed. Why did so many students fail? Although you are not required to take an AP class to take an AP test, the vast majority of students who took the test did take a class. This means that despite taking an AP class every day for a semester, they still could not garner enough points to pass. Why not? Why was a semester-long class not enough? The answer is that although these students may have learned a lot in their AP English class, they did not learn what they need to know to pass the test.

The AP English Language and Composition Test tests you for specific abilities. It requires you to be able to answer multiple choice questions that require careful reading with a knowledge of rhetorical devices. And it requires you to write three very different types of essays. This is where an experienced AP tutor can be invaluable. A good AP English tutor focuses solely on the things you need to know to score well. An experienced tutor will go over your practice essays using the same rubric as AP readers use. He or she will help you to see where you earned points, and where you failed to earn points. A good tutor will help you to parse the essay questions and guide you on how to plan your essay and then write it well.

Unlike many tests where you can buy a study book and work on multiple choice questions over and over, the AP English tests require that you write essays. In order to improve, you need to have an expert review your essays and let you know what you need to do to improve. Unfortunately, most AP English teachers do not have the time to provide expert one-on-one feedback on multiple essays to everyone in their classes. There is just not enough time. This is why an experienced AP English tutor can really make the difference. A good tutor can help top students jump from a 3 to a 4 or a 5.  A score of 4 or 5 will impress admissions officers. In addition, even top schools will accept a 4 or a 5 for credit or to skip introductory classes. A good tutor will help average students improve scores from a 2 (not passing) to a 3 (passing). A score of 3 is accepted at many schools for credit. If you are not sure if you need an AP English tutor, the best way to find out is to take a practice test and see how well you do. If you visit the AP website, you can find past test questions and essay prompts. You can even see sample essays written by real students and how they were graded. Take the test yourself, then compare.