Private Online Chemistry Tutoring for Students

Ben graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and History of Art and Architecture. Throughout his seven-year tutoring career and as a certified ESL instructor, he has held roles such as tutor, college counselor, and online educator. Ben's guidance has led over 1,000 students to success, including admission to renowned institutions such as the University of Chicago, the University of Virginia, and Cornell University.

Ben loves forming connections with students and watching them learn, blossom, and succeed. He specializes in SAT and ACT tutoring, as well as math, ELA/ESL, history, social studies, science, Japanese, and Russian at all levels, including AP and IB. 

Ben’s tutoring style is student-centered. He prioritizes understanding students' interests, learning preferences, and areas of difficulty from the outset. Armed with this knowledge, he tailors sessions to address each student's individual needs effectively. Moreover, Ben ensures that he communicates with students on their level, avoiding talking down to them—a common pitfall in tutoring—thus fostering a supportive and respectful learning environment.

One of Ben’s standout traits as a tutor is his ability to help students work through learning blocks. Drawing on his extensive tutoring experience working with diverse students, he adeptly recognizes and addresses learning difficulties, restructuring sessions as needed to facilitate comprehension and progress.

In his free time, Ben likes to read, play video games, go hiking, travel, and learn new languages. He combined the latter two passions when he studied abroad in Moscow, Russia for a semester in 2018.

Sulaimaan earned his Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics and Statistics/Chemistry from Stony Brook University and is currently pursuing his Doctor of Medicine at the same institution. With a wealth of tutoring experience, including serving as a teaching assistant for an organic chemistry class, Sulaimaan has worked with students from diverse backgrounds. His tutoring journey began with a simple desire to assist others in achieving success.

Sulaimaan's passion for tutoring is fueled by the meaningful connections he forms with students and his capacity to help them achieve their goals. He specializes in ACT and SAT tutoring and other subjects as needed, including AP courses.

Sulaimaan's tutoring approach is highly interactive and hands-on. He challenges the conventional notion that lecturing is the most effective method of learning. Instead, he actively engages students through practice problems and flashcards and encourages them to articulate concepts in their own words. By employing these strategies, Sulaimaan ensures that students not only grasp the material but also internalize it more effectively. While maintaining high expectations for his students, Sulaimaan also prioritizes creating an enjoyable learning experience. He knows when to incorporate breaks to maintain focus and infuses students’ interests into his lessons. 

One of Sulaimaan's most notable strengths as a tutor lies in his ability to guide students through their self-doubt. He firmly believes that everyone possesses the capability to learn and improve, but it requires a particular mindset to achieve this. Sulaimaan actively fosters this mindset in students, working to convince them of their own potential and empowering them to overcome their doubts.

When Sulaimaan isn't occupied with tutoring or his medical studies, he enjoys playing basketball and video games, going to the gym, and spending time with his cat named Bunny.

Prior to attending the University of California, Berkeley, to obtain his Bachelor of Arts, Sebastian completed his Associate of Arts from Mt. San Antonio College. Before attending Berkeley, Sebastian served as a head counselor for Eduexplora, where he mentored over 150 students from Latin American countries. During his time at Berkeley, Sebastian was an Undergraduate Research Apprentice and Undergraduate Student Admissions Advisor, where he guided prospective and current applicants through the undergraduate admissions process.

As a low-income student who navigated the complexities of the application process with limited resources, Sebastian developed a deep passion for admissions counseling. Despite these obstacles, he received crucial guidance from a few mentors who believed in his potential and helped him gain admission to college. This experience instilled in him a profound determination to pay forward the transformative impact that mentorship and support can have on student success. Sebastian's passion for admissions counseling is rooted in his desire to level the playing field for students from underprivileged backgrounds. He firmly believes that every student deserves access to the resources and support necessary to pursue higher education.

As a coach, Sebastian is outgoing, empathetic, and driven by the genuine desire to see every student succeed. He maintains a warm and approachable demeanor, creating a comfortable space where students feel valued, respected, understood, and supported. He openly shares personal stories that students can relate to, emphasizing that challenges and setbacks are part of the journey to success. 

Sebastian believes that effective teaching begins with active listening, understanding the individual needs and learning styles of each student, and tailoring his approach accordingly. He also believes in the power of constructive criticism, which he always delivers with empathy and respect. By helping students identify their strengths and weaknesses, he enables them to take proactive steps toward their personal and academic growth. Emphasizing the importance of self-reflection, he also encourages his students to critically evaluate their own progress, fostering a deeper understanding of their capabilities and potential. 

Outside of coaching, Sebastian enjoys going to the gym, reading books, and playing FIFA. He is currently also learning Portuguese, which takes up a lot of his free time!