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Pitt Biology TA for Organic Chemistry, General Chemistry, and Biology
Ray O.

5.0 (9 ratings)

21 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $40
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Response time: 18 hours

About Ray

Bio

I am a senior in the University of Pittsburgh's Honors College earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Chemistry minor, with a 3.85 GPA. I have completed Biology I and II, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry I and II, and I am currently taking Biochemistry and Microbiology. The science I tutor is recent for me, so I still remember exactly where it tends to get confusing.

My most relevant teaching experience comes from serving as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for Biology...

I am a senior in the University of Pittsburgh's Honors College earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Chemistry minor, with a 3.85 GPA. I have completed Biology I and II, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry I and II, and I am currently taking Biochemistry and Microbiology. The science I tutor is recent for me, so I still remember exactly where it tends to get confusing.

My most relevant teaching experience comes from serving as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for Biology I at Pitt for over two years, where I led recitations, held office hours, and worked with students one-on-one and in small groups to break down material that didn't land in lecture. I learned quickly that most students don't struggle with science because they lack intelligence. They struggle because the concepts aren't connected to anything intuitive yet. My approach is to find the analogy or real-world anchor that makes abstract material click, then build from there.

Since joining Wyzant, I have worked with students ranging from high schoolers in their first chemistry class to college students in General Chemistry, Biology, and accelerated Organic Chemistry. Outside of tutoring, I work as a Nursing Assistant on a cardiothoracic transplant unit at UPMC Presbyterian and in a sleep research lab at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, and I am a certified EMT. That clinical background helps me connect physiology and biochemistry to real patients, which makes the material easier to remember, and it lets me help EMT students prepare for the NREMT exam.

I tutor college Organic Chemistry, General Chemistry, Biology, Genetics, and Ecology, along with high school chemistry, math from Prealgebra through Algebra 2 and Geometry, and NREMT prep. Whether it's a weekly session or the night before an exam, my goal is always the same: make it make sense.

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Education

University of Pittsburgh
Biological Sciences

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $40
  • Rate details: One flat rate for every subject, from middle school math to Organic Chemistry and NREMT prep.
  • Lesson cancellation: 6 hours notice required

  • No background check

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Schedule

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Approved Subjects

Algebra 1

Algebra 1

As a senior Biology major and Chemistry minor in the University of Pittsburgh's Honors College, I use algebra constantly in my chemistry, physics, and quantitative biology coursework. I spent over two years as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for Biology I at Pitt, where I saw firsthand that students who struggle with the quantitative side of science almost always have shaky algebra foundations. I focus on building real understanding of core skills like solving equations, working with inequalities, graphing linear functions, and translating word problems into math, rather than just teaching students to mimic steps they'll forget after the test.
Algebra 2

Algebra 2

I am a senior in the University of Pittsburgh's Honors College majoring in Biology with a Chemistry minor, with a 3.85 GPA. I use algebra constantly in my coursework, from General and Organic Chemistry to physics, and I can help with the full Algebra 2 and college algebra curriculum: functions and graphing, linear and quadratic equations, polynomials, rational and radical expressions, systems of equations, exponentials, and logarithms. I spent over two years as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for Biology I at Pitt, which taught me how to break problem-solving down step by step for students at any level. I focus on building real understanding and confidence rather than memorized procedures, so students can tackle problems they haven't seen before.
Biology

Biology

I am a senior Biology major at the University of Pittsburgh with a Chemistry minor, and I am currently taking Biochemistry and Microbiology. I spent over two years as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for Biology I, leading recitations and helping students one-on-one with the concepts that tripped them up in lecture. I can help with cell and molecular biology, genetics, evolution, ecology, and human physiology, and my work as a Nursing Assistant on a cardiothoracic unit lets me tie physiology to real patients. Because biology courses are so content-heavy, I also teach students how to organize and study the material so they retain it for exams instead of cramming.
Chemistry

Chemistry

I am a senior at the University of Pittsburgh with a Chemistry minor, and I have completed General Chemistry I and II and Organic Chemistry I and II. On Wyzant I have tutored both high school chemistry students and college students in General Chemistry, including preparation for the ACS final exam. I can help with everything from atomic structure, stoichiometry, and balancing reactions to thermodynamics, kinetics, equilibrium, acid-base chemistry, and electrochemistry. I previously spent over two years as a Biology I teaching assistant at Pitt, and I focus on making sure students understand why a concept works before drilling problems, so they can handle questions they haven't seen before.
Ecology

Ecology

I earned an A in Ecology at the University of Pittsburgh, a course that covered all six levels of ecological organization from individual organisms through the biosphere, including population growth and dynamics, community structure, succession, energy flow and nutrient cycling in ecosystems, landscape ecology, and conservation. The course emphasized data analysis, primary literature interpretation, and applying evolutionary thinking to ecological problems, so I can help students who are struggling not just with the concepts but with the quantitative and analytical side that tends to trip people up on exams. I spent over two years as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for Biology I at Pitt, working with students on the kind of scientific reasoning that ecology courses demand, and I currently work in a UPMC sleep research lab, which keeps me reading and interpreting scientific data beyond the classroom.
EMT/ NREMT

EMT/ NREMT

I am NREMT-certified, having passed both the cognitive and psychomotor examinations, and I earned an A in my university EMT course at the University of Pittsburgh, which covered the full scope of EMT practice from airway management and patient assessment to trauma, medical emergencies, pharmacology, and EMS operations. I know what the NREMT actually tests and how it tests it, so I can help students focus on the high-yield material and work through the scenario-based critical thinking questions that trip most people up on the cognitive exam. I am also a pre-med Biology major working in a UPMC research setting, which means I bring a strong foundation in anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology that helps me explain the "why" behind protocols rather than just drilling memorization.
Genetics

Genetics

I earned an A in Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh, a rigorous course built around experimental problem-solving rather than memorization. I tutor crosses, gene mapping, pedigree analysis, molecular techniques, and population genetics, and I'm especially strong at helping students work through the multi-part experimental design problems that tend to make or break exam grades. As an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for Biology at Pitt, I spend my time explaining complex biological concepts to students every week, so I know where people get stuck and how to get them unstuck. I also work in a UPMC research lab, which keeps me actively applying genetics concepts beyond the classroom.
Geometry

Geometry

I am a senior Biology major and Chemistry minor in the University of Pittsburgh's Honors College, and my coursework has relied on geometry and spatial reasoning throughout, from molecular shapes in chemistry to vectors in physics. I have spent over two years as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for Biology I at Pitt, which taught me how to break difficult ideas into clear, logical steps. I can help with angle relationships, triangle congruence and similarity, the Pythagorean theorem and right triangle trigonometry, area and volume, circles, coordinate geometry, and writing proofs. Geometry rewards visual thinking more than most math classes, so I lean heavily on diagrams, and I teach students to build proofs one justified step at a time instead of guessing at what their teacher wants.
Organic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

I am a senior at the University of Pittsburgh earning a Biology degree with a Chemistry minor, and I have completed both Organic Chemistry I and II and am now taking Biochemistry, which builds directly on them. On Wyzant I have tutored college students in organic chemistry, including a student in an accelerated course, and I previously spent over two years as a Biology I teaching assistant at Pitt. I can help with nomenclature, stereochemistry, acid-base reasoning, substitution and elimination reactions, carbonyl chemistry, spectroscopy, and multistep synthesis. Rather than having students memorize reactions one by one, I teach them to follow the electrons through each mechanism, so new reactions start to look like variations on patterns they already know.
Prealgebra

Prealgebra

I am a senior Biology major and Chemistry minor in the University of Pittsburgh's Honors College, and my coursework through college-level calculus and chemistry all rests on the skills taught in prealgebra. I spent over two years as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for Biology I at Pitt, where I learned how to break concepts into small, clear steps for students who felt lost. I can help with fractions, decimals, ratios and proportions, integers, order of operations, basic equations and inequalities, and the coordinate plane. With younger students, I focus on building confidence through steady practice so that math stops feeling like a set of random rules and starts to make sense.
Spelling

Spelling

Junior at the University of Pittsburgh with extensive academic writing experience across biology, chemistry, and research contexts. Strong command of English grammar, syntax, punctuation, and spelling conventions. Experience as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for college-level Biology I, where clear written and verbal communication is essential.
Elementary Math
Elementary Science
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Response time: 18 hours

Ratings and Reviews

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5.0 (9 ratings)
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Reviews

Great teacher Patient, Kind, and extremely knowledgeable

Ray has been great for the lessons I have had him he is so knowledgeable on many topics and always can help and has a open schedule and is always prioritizing my learning and finding ways to help me understand and be able to fully explain and understand topics from a basic level to a complex and he also will send notes from the lesson and ask always if you have any questions even not during tutoring hours to still help me Ray has helped me a lot in Science and continues too

Chris, 3 lessons with Ray

Great tutor, very knowledgable and explains things well.

We talked about a variety of subjects, Organic Chemistry being one, and he was very helpful in breaking down the concepts to make them understandable. Will definitely be doing more sessions with Ray!!

Zariya, 1 lesson with Ray

Wonderful teacher, highly recommend!

Ray is a very good tutor I highly recommend. He is very easy to talk to and has a big understanding of the topics you bring to him. He’s very reassuring and really explains everything to give you the full understanding, I highly recommend him!

Alexander, 3 lessons with Ray
Hourly Rate: $40
Response time: 18 hours
Contact Ray