Award-Winning Physical Organic Chemistry
Tutors
Award-Winning
Physical Organic Chemistry
Tutors
Private 1-on-1 tutoring, weekly live classes for academic support, test prep & enrichment, practice tests and diagnostics, and more to elevate grades and test scores.
Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
UniversitiesSchools & Universities
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I am a graduate of the University of Nebraska in Omaha. I received my Bachelor of Sciences in Molecular and Biomedical Biology with a minor in Chemistry. After graduation, I did a postbaccalaureate program in pre-medicine to prepare for medical school, to which I am currently applying. My experience goes back to my college days with my classmates. When I understood a concept, I enjoyed explaining and sharing it with them in my different study groups and they loved it. I also teach adults and teenagers in my local church. I believe that knowledge is power and seeking deep and extensive understanding is actually honorable. There is no shame. We can do this together.

I am an interdisciplinary educator with an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. from Dartmouth College. My background is primarily in integrated arts learning and museum education and I specialize in visual arts, history and art history, and object-based learning. In all subjects, I take a creative, inquiry-based and learner-centered approach, designing opportunities for each unique individual to meet their learning goals.
I'm not tutoring or buried in my textbooks, you will either find me rock climbing at the Triangle Rock Club, playing Ultimate Frisbee, working on my car, or enjoying the great outdoors (beaches, mountains, forests--you name it, I love it). On rainy weekends I enjoy tinkering with computers and old electronics, playing Pokemon, or picking at my guitar.
I am a recent graduate from a masters program in biostatistics at Columbia University. I received my Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences, with a focus in neurobiology at Northwestern University. In August, I will be starting a doctoral program in biostatistics at NYU. I was a teaching assistant at Columbia University in my department and also have tutored graduate students and undergraduates privately as well. My primary areas of tutoring are math and statistics coursework in addition to math sections on standardized tests such as the GRE and GMAT. I am very passionate about helping students feel more confident and excited about math. In my spare time, I enjoy running, playing piano, and spending time with friends and family.
I am a graduate of Wesleyan University, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with High Honors. With eight years of experience working in education, I've tutored students in math, science, history, and English, as well as helped students prepare for standardized tests. I've guided adults towards passing the US Citizenship Exam and taught English in India, where I lived for six months. Whenever I work with a student I personalize the lessons to fit their particular learning style, since I know every student is unique and having the right fit can make all the difference in making learning fun and effective. My strengths are tutoring the social sciences and humanities, as well as making math and standardized tests approachable to students that normally don't like those subjects. In my spare time I like traveling, spending time in the outdoors (climbing & backpacking), meditation, and playing soccer. Next fall I will be beginning my PhD in Education at Harvard University.
I am proud to be a part of Varsity Tutors! I am originally from San Antonio, TX; I completed my undergraduate education at Rice University in Houston where I received a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Currently, I am in my second year of medical school at Baylor College of Medicine.
I'm Solange - a recent graduate from Harvard where I studied Sociology & Women's Studies. I've been tutoring for eight years now, and have worked with a wide range of ages and in a wide range of subjects. Some of my specialties are college prep/test taking II worked in the admissions office on campus); social sciences; and literature/writing.
I am a graduate of Washington University in St Louis, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in History with minors in Humanities and Anthropology. Since graduation, I have worked as a tutor, teacher, and director of tutors at a charter public middle school in Boston. During this time I also received my Masters in Mild to Moderate Disabilities from Simmons College. I have worked extensively with students with a range of abilities, including students with specific learning disabilities, emotional impairments, dyslexia, and ADHD. My teaching experience has given me a deep understanding of the knowledge and habits essential to academic success and has given me the opportunity to hone a variety of strategies that ensure students at each level can achieve their academic goals. While I tutor a broad range of subjects, my favorite ones are Reading, Elementary/Middle School Math, History, and Test Prep. In my experience, tutoring is the most rewarding when a student has that "aha!" moment and achieves a new level of understanding and confidence in his/her abilities. I am a firm believer in the transformative power of education, and I see my role to be that of a facilitator and coach who is there to help the student reach his/her goals through individualized support and rigorous practice. In my free time, I enjoy reading, running, practicing my Spanish, and discovering new music. I am also an avid traveler and just got back from a 3 month trip to South America. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you!
I am a rising sophomore at Harvard College and am about to declare as a Mechanical Engineering concentrator, working towards a Bachelor of Science degree. I've always enjoyed sharing my knowledge with my peers and those around me and have done so in both formal and informal settings. I've been a tutor for both Math and Spanish programs in high school and enjoyed the strides I made with students. I am willing to tutor any subject I have a background in, but am strong in mathematics, the sciences, Spanish, history, writing, and ACT prep. I enjoy teaching mathematics most due to the joy I can see in children once they master a topic and can answer even pointed questions meant to stump them, and maybe even put their knowledge to real world use. As a tutor, I like to give a strong foundation to orient my student, and then gradually grant them more freedom and independence until they can feel themselves grasp the concept, pointing out pitfalls or common errors along the way; teachers who used these methods on me always left the most lasting impressions. Outside of my studies, I really enjoy listening to music, both old favorites and new interests, reading classics, and gaming/playing basketball with my friends.
I am a junior Mechanical Engineering major at Yale, and I hope to become a Naval Aviator after college. I am also a varsity sailor, and enjoy playing music with friends when I can get some free time. I have been tutoring my fellow students throughout my entire academic career, and I would best describe my tutoring style as one that adapts to each students' needs. For example, I have always tried to frame questions in a different way so that the student can better understand the question. Some students need visual representations of numbers and systems to understand them, and others benefit more by understanding the concepts behind each formula. I prefer to tutor in math and physics, and especially with real world application problems. I hope to help students improve their standardized test scores and their understanding of the math and sciences so that they can achieve their academic goals!
I am an aspiring applied mathematician, with particular interest in image processing and climate science. I graduated in May 2017 from Washington University in St. Louis with a bachelor's in physics and mathematics, and am beginning a PhD program in September 2017 at the University of Chicago in Computational and Applied Mathematics. I've tutored introductory physics students for three years and enjoyed it thoroughly, as a chance to help other students while revisiting fundamental concepts to enhance my own knowledge. I'm eager to continue reaching out and helping students of math and physics to succeed and, furthermore, to appreciate the beauty and power of these 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.
Testimonials
Because the right Physical Organic Chemistry tutor makes all the difference.
Average Session Rating – Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
Top 20 Science Subjects
Top 20 Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
Physical Organic Chemistry combines abstract theoretical concepts with complex problem-solving, making it challenging for many students. The main difficulties include visualizing reaction mechanisms at the molecular level, understanding how electronic effects influence reactivity, and applying kinetics and thermodynamics to predict organic behavior. Many students struggle with the transition from memorizing reactions to understanding why reactions occur the way they do. Personalized tutoring helps break down these interconnected concepts into manageable pieces, allowing you to build genuine understanding rather than relying on memorization alone.
Visualizing abstract concepts like molecular orbitals, transition states, and electron flow is essential for Physical Organic Chemistry success. A skilled tutor can use multiple approaches—drawing detailed reaction mechanisms step-by-step, explaining orbital theory through analogies, working with molecular models, and showing how computational tools visualize these concepts. Breaking complex mechanisms into individual steps and connecting electron movement to structural changes helps these abstract ideas become concrete. With personalized instruction, you can practice until you can confidently visualize and predict how molecules behave, rather than just memorizing reaction pathways.
Memorizing reactions gives you temporary solutions for exam questions, but understanding mechanisms builds a foundation for predicting unknown reactions and solving novel problems. True understanding means knowing the electronic factors driving reactivity, how substituents affect reaction rates and selectivity, and why certain pathways are favored. When you understand the underlying principles—like resonance stabilization, steric effects, and orbital overlap—you can apply them to reactions you've never seen before. Personalized tutoring emphasizes conceptual understanding by connecting each mechanism to broader principles, so you develop problem-solving skills that extend far beyond what you've memorized.
Physical Organic Chemistry isn't just theoretical—it directly explains how pharmaceuticals are designed, how catalysts work in industry, and how synthetic pathways are optimized for efficiency and safety. Understanding reaction mechanisms helps chemists predict side reactions, design more selective catalysts, and develop greener synthetic routes. By seeing these connections, you'll understand why concepts like activation energy, thermodynamic vs. kinetic control, and substituent effects matter beyond the classroom. A tutor can highlight real-world applications—from drug synthesis to materials science—that show how Physical Organic Chemistry principles solve actual problems, making the subject more engaging and memorable.
Success in Physical Organic Chemistry requires mastering several interconnected skills: drawing accurate mechanisms with proper arrow pushing, predicting reactivity based on electronic effects, applying kinetics and thermodynamics to reaction behavior, and solving multi-step problems. Beyond content knowledge, you'll need strong scientific reasoning—the ability to analyze a problem, identify relevant principles, and construct a logical solution. Personalized tutoring develops both technical skills (drawing mechanisms, balancing equations, unit conversions) and thinking skills (analyzing why a reaction proceeds in a certain direction, predicting unknown outcomes). Regular practice with immediate feedback helps you strengthen these skills systematically rather than struggling through them alone.
Exam preparation in Physical Organic Chemistry requires more than reviewing notes—you need targeted practice with problems that test your conceptual understanding and problem-solving ability. A tutor can identify your specific weak areas, explain challenging concepts in different ways until they click, and provide extensive practice with exam-style problems. You'll learn effective strategies for approaching mechanism problems, predicting reaction outcomes, and working through multi-step synthesis questions under time constraints. Most importantly, personalized instruction ensures you understand why answer choices are right or wrong, so you're prepared for novel questions and variations you haven't explicitly practiced before.
An excellent Physical Organic Chemistry tutor should deeply understand not just reaction mechanisms and theory, but also common student misconceptions and how to address them. They should be able to explain abstract concepts clearly, draw and interpret mechanisms accurately, and connect theory to real applications. Look for someone who emphasizes understanding over memorization, asks probing questions to assess your grasp of concepts, and adapts their teaching style to your learning preferences. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who have strong backgrounds in chemistry and proven experience helping students move from confusion to confidence in Physical Organic Chemistry.
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