Rei Loh
79% to 94% in HSC Chemistry
99.70 ATAR
Normanhurst Boys
My name is Rei Loh, I graduated Normanhurst Boys in 2023. I got an ATAR of 99.70 and a 94 in Chemistry, as well as Band 6 (90%+) in all my subjects. I improved from a 79% in my school exams to 94% in the HSC.
Bob has been, hands down, the best tutor I’ve had. His work ethic, his personalised care for his students, the lessons and homework structured on mastering weaknesses and facilitating growth – have helped me move from average in class to 94% in my HSC. But what truly differentiates Bob from other tutoring colleges is his unique teaching ability.
It’s rare to find someone who knows the ins and outs of the syllabus, yet can express it in an accessible and entertaining way. An opportunity to learn under Bob should be taken because, in addition to consolidating knowledge and guaranteeing improvement in results, he serves as an eminent mentor who has personally maneuvered me through many challenges faced thus far.
I thought I didn’t need a tutor in Year 12. Comfortable with my performance in the Year 11 chemistry course having ranked in the Top 15, I felt that just as with previous exams, sheer will and determination would push me across the line. Whist both are trademarks of success, thousands of other students dedicating the same effort too.
My internal rankings had started to drop from 6th to 19th. I felt perplexed, asking “why my work ethic was not reciprocated in my results”. I had tried everything I used to – why wasn’t it working? I felt out of control – would this continue?
I stumbled across a demo video of Bob teaching “Volhards Method of Precipitation Titration.” His diagrams and visual cues made the logical reasoning much easier to digest. He simplified a complicated topic into child’s play. I remember clicking the video clueless, but leaving confident, having completed the example questions with ease. This is the beauty of Bob’s teaching – he can impart his knowledge effectively in an engaging manner.
Bob is like a Chemistry Wizard; he conjures the old, tiresome passages from textbooks alive and creates wondrous demonstrations of Chemistry in action, that we simply can’t forget.
And so classes with Bob was always a highlight as I enjoyed the analogies and random applications of Chemistry in our world. Bob was always responsive to my questions whether online or over the email. His 24/7 support was a lifesaver because it meant I could send him a difficult question to breakdown, or ask him to refine my responses. He’d always do so in a prompt manner, and it is a testament to the care and dedication he shows to his students. Bob also creates his own exam papers and materials that are tailored to common mistakes of students across the state and in top-performing schools, so that’s a major pro if you’re looking to do really well.
But there was one particular instance tutoring with Bob that stood out for me. I had gotten my results back for my Task 3 Exam and had scored 79%, much lower than I had expected. I carried a lot of resentment, and I wanted to isolate my feelings of dread embodied within that paper from my life, but yet, Bob persisted. He persisted to retrieve my exam, and persisted even more in reviewing, understanding, and filling all gaps in my knowledge. Bob didn’t just teach me Chemistry that night on a zoom call; he taught me perseverance, and I remember him saying something along the lines of how “the fears we don’t face become our limits.”
And so, I have a lot to thank Bob for. Bob has fostered a culture of growth within Tutorgum, and in small classes, I have seen visible signs of improvement in my classmates and my own learning. No matter how bright you are, what standing you currently are among your class, I genuinely believe everyone can takeaway something from Bob’s teaching. He is definitely someone you want standing with you in your backcourt. Cheers.
