PrepNow Tutor - Benjamin R.
A process-oriented thinker, Benjamin focuses on teaching problem-solving methods that allow students to tackle new and unfamiliar questions in a reliable and efficient manner. He holds two degrees: a BS in materials science engineering from the University of Michigan; and an MS in physiology and biophysics from Stony Brook University. After college, Benjamin worked at Howmet Aerospace as a process engineer for five years before pursuing his master’s degree. “From there, I became a full-time tutor, teaching pre-med students preparing for the MCAT,” Benjamin shares. “Over the years, I have expanded to tutor many other students, including exams such as the GRE, GMAT, SAT, and ACT, as well as high school math and science courses.”
Benjamin started teaching during graduate school, working as a teaching assistant. “I found that I really enjoyed helping other students improve their understanding of the material,” he says. “As most of the students were aiming for medical school, I started with tutoring for the MCAT, then gradually expanded to other topics.” In addition to test prep, Benjamin has tutored algebra, geometry, pre-calculus, and AP courses (calculus, biology, physics, and chemistry). Benjamin’s proudest tutoring moment has been teaching an adult immigrant student math. He explains that this student needed to master math through Calculus 2 to enter a four-year psychology program. “It was an incredibly difficult experience at first, due to the language barrier as well as their completely lacking basic math knowledge,” Benjamin recalls. “However, it was rewarding to watch their improvement in both English and math.” After over two years of steady progress in both math and English, they successfully passed Calculus 2 and were admitted to a program.
When tutoring, Benjamin tends to use a question-and-answer style. He explains, “I believe allowing the student to first approach the problem on their own, then using a series of leading questions based on the student's existing knowledge to gradually guide them to the answer using their own logic, is much more effective at developing strong problem-solving skills.” Benjamin is a strong listener, which enables him to identify how each individual student tackles problems and then adjust his teaching methods to improve their understanding. “I aim to be flexible and resourceful to better serve students who come from a wide range of backgrounds and upbringings,” Benjamin says.
As a student, Benjamin played tennis, track, and golf. He continues to enjoy golf, as well as 3D modeling and animation. He also builds his own computers.
“My employment at Howmet Aerospace is what solidified my process-oriented thinking,” Benjamin shares. “As a process engineer, my main responsibility was to identify ways to improve the manufacturing process to reduce waste and improve cost efficiency. My experience in this role was surprisingly useful as a tutor, where I could apply similar methods to identify ways to improve how students approach problems and widen their understanding of problems.”
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