BYang H2 Bio Tuition Success Story: Nicholas Chan’s Journey
He is the first ITE student ever to gain admissions into NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine after taking my H2 Bio tuition. He was also my student in the class of 2017 enrolling as a private candidate concurrently doing a full A level exam (with the subject combination of Biology Chemistry Mathematics at H2 and Geography at H1 as well as General Paper) in his final year in a Nursing diploma from Nanyang polytechnic.
Nicholas Chan: his background
Nicholas Chan, a trailblazing ITE nursing student, made history by becoming the first to enter NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine after excelling in my H2 Bio Tuition program.
He faced significant challenges where his enrollment coincided with the inaugural examination of the revised new H2 BIO syllabus.
Additionally, he balanced a full-time Nursing diploma at Nanyang Polytechnic with a rigorous A-level program, including H2 Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Geography (H1), and General Paper.
Despite these hurdles, Nicholas demonstrated unwavering commitment. He diligently attended my H2 Bio Tuition classes, completing all assigned work.
Notably, he even incorporated my H2 Bio memory cards into his daily routine, juggling hospital attachments and classes. This remarkable dedication showcased his ability to manage intense academic demands.
Nicholas’s academic resilience likely impressed the admissions team, demonstrating his readiness for medical school’s challenging environment.
His success underscores the effectiveness of my H2 Bio Tuition program in supporting students’ achievement of their academic goals.
Guiding him strategically
After his graduation, I helped Nicholas by submitting an appraisal for his application. I spent hours writing the best one I could because he is that impressive and he deserves the effort I put in.
The journey to medical school actually started a year before that.
Following his impressive A-Level results, Nicholas remained in touch and sought my guidance on navigating university applications. I offered valuable insights, leveraging my expertise in supporting students through my H2 Bio Tuition program.
Together, we crafted a strategic plan to secure a firm university offer.
Nicholas executed it flawlessly, achieving a significant milestone: successfully gaining admission to Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) prestigious Biological Science program.
To further enhance his prospects, Nicholas participated in an interview at NTU for a prestigious double major program.
I advised him to view this as a valuable practice opportunity.
Remarkably, he excelled, outperforming candidates with impressive backgrounds in scientific research, demonstrating his exceptional potential.
Leveraging success
With his NTU double major offer in hand, Nicholas gained a significant bargaining chip, positioning himself for success in the NUS medical admissions interview.
I cautioned him to remain humble, advising against complacency, and instead, to channel his confidence strategically.
During the NUS medical school admissions interview, Nicholas faced a confrontational line of questioning, likely designed to evaluate his stress management and composure under pressure.
This challenging approach tested his ability to think critically and respond effectively.
Nicholas excelled, navigating all questions with ease and confidence. His perseverance and dedication culminated in a moment of triumph: receiving the coveted admission offer to NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.
I vividly recall the 11pm phone call that will forever be etched in my memory – Nicholas sharing the thrilling news of his admission offer.
His infectious excitement echoed through the line as he envisioned the transformative journey ahead.
This moment serves as a poignant reminder that my influence extends far beyond the classroom.
I continue to make a profound difference in the lives of my students, shaping their trajectories during and long after our time together.
Interview with Nicholas Chan
BYANG. How did you manage to complete a full time diploma and A levels?! As a matter of fact you did not enroll into a JC for a single day!
Nicholas. Honestly, it was TOUGH! I started by stress-testing myself in my diploma course in the first semester. The idea was to finish all my diploma coursework many weeks ahead of schedule. This creates pockets of time for me to work on the material in A levels. So if poly exams start in Week 10, ideally I’d have everything in memory by Week 2 and only start reviewing again from Week 8 onwards.
There are times where I fall out of schedule. And I only get to review for my diploma course exams in the final 2 days before each paper.
To make matters worse, the nursing course is especially time-consuming. This is because for the bulk of our term breaks we go on clinical attachments. Furthermore, the only A level materials I had were passed down from my friends who had taken it several years before.
Nevertheless, after successfully completing my first semester with good grades using the system, I put all my effort into prepping the A level exams.
I am fortunate enough to meet other JC students in your H2 BIO tuition. They are friendly and even willing to share their notes with me.
H2 Bio tuition taught him study techniques
I use your memory cards to help memorize concepts as well as having my notes wherever I go. Even squeezing revision in public transport as I travel between school, tuition, clinical attachment and home.
Furthermore, I also set aside time time for exercise and rest following your guidelines. This is so that I am at my biological peak. Which allows me to be more productive during my study sessions.
However, being out of the JC loop is plenty demoralizing. Because it feels like my JC friends are always light-years ahead.
Nonetheless, I just told myself that whether or not I was in a JC was beside the point.
Since we are all going to be sitting for the same paper. And most of us will have similar jitters and feelings of self-doubt going in.
I remind myself that I have the materials, and I am making time to work through most of them.
Since I may not be as able to tackle the trickier questions as my JC counterparts, I focus on making up the difference by excelling at the “giveaway” questions and minimizing mistakes the way you taught me.
Will you do it again?!
BYANG. I feel exhaustion creeping in just reading your arduous journey! So the Golden question for you. If you are to make the decision again to pursue A levels will you still do it? Why?
Nicholas. Absolutely!
I feel that doing the A levels bring a rigor to my life. It somehow makes me feel closer to some day being part of the scientific community.
Fascination sets in with almost everything I learn. Having to remember certain words and answer phrases definitely lose some of the excitement. However, not by much thankfully.
I have the luck of getting the most inspirational tutors for H2 Bio, Chem and Maths. The lessons gives me a sense of “something more” than just A levels.
It’s the kind of feeling that keeps me awake at night.
Everything about studying for the A levels just makes me feel like I MUST get to university.
I want to see bacteria moving with a microscope some day. I want to synthesize my own aspirin some day, and so on.
That semi-obsessive fascination has its costs. But even then I have no regrets. Because I know I never let up on trying to keep everything together.
I don’t know if my very normal A level grades eventually help me gain an offer into the course in NTU, but I’d like to believe it helps.
Still, I can’t care less about how horrible my grades are relative to what I had originally set out for at this point!
Importance of H2 Bio tuition
BYANG. I only wish your A level compatriots and juniors think the same way and have the same drive! Sorry for tooting my own horn because you were my student. But how important do you think H2 BIO tuition was to you preparing for A levels as private candidate?
Nicholas. I think your H2 BIO tuition is definitely essential to helping me prepare for the A’s as a private candidate.
From the beginning, I realize that it is impossible to absorb everything in the same 2-year time frame on my own even with the best JC notes.
Because of how intense some parts of the A’s syllabus are, I found that it really wasn’t enough to just have the notes.
From the get-go there are a lot of uncertainty but there is just no one to clarify them with.
Most friends already are in uni or work. While they help me where they can, I can’t expect them to answer my questions or check my work.
Not at the way a full-time tutor can.
Furthermore, I think having a group setting in your H2 BIO tuition makes so much difference because as it keeps me in the loop with the JC crowd.
I don’t want to lose track with my JC counterparts having more preparation as their teachers note tips and tricks for the subject.
This is particularly important in my year because of the change in syllabus, but in my opinion it applies just as well to any year you take the A’s.
Lastly, I’d say having a tutor for certain subjects really helped me save time as well as be efficient in my preparations.
Why do A levels?
BYANG. Finally, tell me more about why you chose to do A levels.
Nicholas With my nursing credentials, I know this will be a long shot without the A levels getting into university.
I only have 3 subjects at O levels and didn’t do particularly well in ITE. So I have to do a lot more than just my nursing diploma comparing to other traditional candidates in order to stand a chance.
Inspiration and empowerment
As you celebrate Nicholas’s triumph, I want to reassure you that his success story isn’t exclusive.
You, too, can achieve excellence in H2 Biology. My passion is to inspire and empower students, not merely to enroll them.
Unlike other H2 Biology tutors, I prioritize quality over quantity.
My focus remains on nurturing a select group of students, providing personalized attention and guidance.
I’m not equipped to support last-minute grade salvage efforts; instead, I direct students to trusted materials that is used and trusted by Nicholas so that you can also find your success in H2 Biology exams.
For proactive parents/students, I do take in students ahead of time for strategic A-Level preparation and aptitude development for Biology. Securing a strong foundation early on can make all the difference.
Finally, discover how another of my H2 Bio Tuition student, Zi Ting, secured her admission into an Australian medical school, in addition to uncovering a long-elusive medical diagnosis, despite initial setbacks with her previous Singaporean doctors.