6 Factors You Must Consider Before Choosing Tuition For H2 Chemistry
H2 Chemistry is one of the most popular content subjects taken by JC students for A Levels as it is a subject requirement and prerequisite for many professional degrees such as medicine, dentistry and pharmacy.
To get admitted into these coveted university courses, students face the pressure to get good grades and very often turn to tuition so they can do well for exams.
Chemistry Guru, Singapore's esteemed JC Chemistry tuition centre, shares six factors parents and students have to consider before choosing the best type of tuition for them.
1. Why is H2 Chemistry important?
H2 Chemistry is an important prerequisite for several popular university courses.
For instance, students will need a "good H2 pass in Chemistry and H2 pass in either Biology or Physics" to apply for NUS Medicine.
In most cases, a "good H2 pass" would mean the student need to get "A" grade as a criteria.
Hence students will need a firm grasp of concepts in H2 Chemistry in order to do well for A Level exams.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of undergraduate courses at some local universities in Singapore that require students to pass H2 Chemistry for A Levels:
| University | Courses that require pass in H2 Chemistry | Source |
| Nanyang Technological University, NTU | aerospace engineering, bioengineering, chemical & biomolecular engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, engineering, electrical & electronic engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, biological sciences, biomedical sciences & medicine (double degree), physical sciences, bachelor of medicine / bachelor of surgery, bachelor of dental surgery, chemical engineering, and environmental engineering | Source (NTU) |
| National University of Singapore, NUS | computer engineering, dentistry, food science and technology, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and pharmaceutical science | Source (NUS) |
| Singapore Institute of Technology, SIT | digital supply chain, robotics systems, pharmaceutical engineering, food technology, diagnostic radiography, dietetics and nutrition, nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, radiation therapy, speech and language therapy, and applied artifical intelligence | Source (SIT) |
2. Should I get tuition for Chemistry in JC?
JC students often find A Level Chemistry significantly more challenging as compared to secondary school chemistry, regardless of whether they are from O Level or IP stream.
H2 chemistry syllabus is more advanced with more abstract content to memorise.
Students might find the lecture-tutorial style of learning in junior colleges unfamiliar and it takes time to get used to it.
Lectures are usually taught by a rotation of a team of tutors so students will have to adapt to the teaching styles of different tutors every time a new topic is taught.
JC students are also expected to be more independent and take responsibility to manage their own homework and learning progress.
Hence students might find JC curriculum overwhelming and their mental health might be affected as a result.
Tuition can alleviate some of these challenges by providing a more conducive classroom learning environment where students find it easier to pay attention and feel comfortable to ask questions to clarify their doubts.
Students can also select their preferred chemistry tutor based on the tutor's teaching style and pace.
A skilled tutor with many years of teaching experience can really focus on the important points and make chemistry much easier to understand.
3. How much is A Level tuition in Singapore?
Tuition rates in Singapore are based on the student level and tutor experience.
For private 1-to-1 lessons at JC level, fees can range from $50 to $65 per hour for part time tutors.
Full time tutors and MOE teachers can charge from $100 to $130 per hour.
Group tuition are more affordable with fees from $40 to $70 per hour, depending on the reputation of the tuition centre and the experience of their tutors.
4. Should I choose individual or group tuition?
Two important factors to consider when deciding on individual or group tuition are the student's learning style and budget.
Some students are more introverted, self-disciplined or prefer learning in a classroom setting with minimal interaction with the tutor.
Group tuition would be suitable as lessons are usually very structured and the syllabus can be covered in a systematic way.
Some students need more supervision, have many doubts to clarify or prefer to ask questions as they learn.
In this case private tuition will be more suitable as the tutor can give undivided attention and teach at the pace of the student.
Private tuition by experienced tutors and MOE teachers can cost a whooping $100 to $130 per hour or $800 to $1040 per month, which is beyond the reach of normal households.
Private tuition by part time tutors and undergraduates will be cheaper at $50 to $65 per hour but the teaching experience and quality will be questionable.
Choosing group tuition by experienced tutors would be more affordable ranging from $300 to $500 per month which is a good balance between budget and tutor experience.
5. Is online tuition effective?
The effectiveness of online tutoring is heavily dependent on the student's learning preference.
Online tuition suits students who are self-disciplined and can pay attention in class without much supervision.
The tutor's teaching style and experience are also important to the effectiveness of online classes.
An experienced tutor will be able to keep the students engaged even if he is physically not present to monitor the student.
Parents should note that there are some tuition centres that run online lessons concurrently with physical classes.
The tutor will have to split his attention on both students who are physically present and online, very often neglecting the online students.
6. Do branded tuition centres teach better?
Singapore's tuition industry is currently dominated by "brand name" tutoring chains which boast teaching huge number of students by qualified tutors at multiple locations at a premium price.
Parents should note that high fees charged by these branded tuition centres might not be directly related to teaching quality.
There are additional operating costs for branded tuition centres such as rental at prime locations, extensive marketing campaigns, extravagant student benefits and huge salaries paid to tutors and admin staff which will inevitably be passed down to parents in the form of higher fees.
With multiple centres and numerous tutors, students will not be able to choose their preferred tutor.
Tutors at tuition centres registered with MOE are not necessarily trained teachers from NIE, so the teaching capabilities and track records of these tutors will also be unknown.
Experienced tutors who can really teach well are highly sought after and will usually start their own tuition centres where they have more control over their income and teaching environment instead of working under other centres.
Conclusion
We hope we have given you a better idea on what to consider before selecting the best tuition for your needs.
Chemistry Guru is a reputable JC Chemistry tuition centre that has helped thousands of students since 2010.
We strive to keep chemistry tuition in Singapore affordable for everyone.
Our fees for Bishan classes are at $360/month and online lessons are at $280/month only.
