Testimonials

Here is a sampling of Emails, text messages, and cards I've received from students (and parents) over the years.

Yes, it's good social proof that I know what I'm doing, but more importantly, it reassures me that my life hasn't been a total waste of time. I'm doing something meaningful and have made a difference for a lot of people along the way; as I keep getting older, this means more and more to me.


Additionally, you can read evaluations I received from students while teaching at Harvard here.


via text message:

me: I heard the good news from S. that he finished with an A in the class.

F. A.: Yes! Great news, he was super confident after yesterdayโ€™s session!! We canโ€™t thank you enough and are lucky to have found you, I think heโ€™s already getting things lined up for the fall class.

The class was very tough and I believe the class average was 60%.

I would love to write a review on your website, I really liked that you made it clear that this was not a homework service!!

F. A.
-father of University of South Florida student summer 2024



via text message:

Thank you, Eddie! K truly enjoyed learning from you. She bubbled with excitement each week after her sessions with you. You gave her such a giftโ€”the joy of learning something deeply from someone who loves it, knows it well, and understands how to share that knowledge. Sheโ€™s going to miss working with you! Please let us know if you teach any other chemistry topics.

L. T.
-mother of ASU Prep Digital student fall 2023 and spring 2024



via text message:

Good morning Eddie, this was Jโ€™s final exam!

Wow is all I can say right now!

S. A.
-mother of Xavier University student fall 2023



via text message:

Eddie. We owe you a BIG THANK YOU - you are her rock and she would not be getting As without your superb guidance.  We are really grateful that you are helping her both emotionally and academically.

D. K.
-father of UPenn student spring and fall 2022



Subject: Orgo I + II Overview

Eddie,

I hope you are doing well and enjoying the end of summer. I was able to finish Organic Chemistry II with an A-, I am extremely happy with this result! The final was long and tricky, but I was able to do well. When I found you last fall, I really thought this may be the end of my veterinary career, having to drop organic chemistry I. But you provided an extreme depth of knowledge in a manner that was organized and concise, which was a true game changer. Those tutor sessions resulted in me getting an A in Organic Chemistry I upon my retake! Your passion for organic chemistry is contagious to the point where I now think about organic chemistry in my everyday life. I thought Organic Chemistry was going to be a weakness on my application, but now it is a strength. Thanks for everything!

All the Best,

W. S.
-Tufts University student spring and summer 2022



Handwritten letter mailed to me during summer 2022:

Eddie,

Thanks so much for all of your help this past semester. 

update: I ended up with an A in the class! Could not have done it without your help, knowledge, and encouragement. Somehow, I ended the semester way more interested in Organic Chem than I had been prior, which is crazy to think about. You played a large role in that... thanks again!

Have an amazing (and restful) summer.

Best,

C. F.
-Yale University student spring 2022



Subject: Meeting

Hi Eddie!

I hope you're doing well! I really enjoyed our meetings and they definitely paid off. I got above a 90 on the exam we just took, which is a huge improvement from the last exam which I scored below a 70. Thank you so much for your help!

Our final exam is on Thursday and I was wondering if you had any time to do one on one meetings before then, preferable tonight or tomorrow? Thank you!

Best,

D. E.
-Harvard University student summer 2022



Subject: Thank you!

Hi Eddie! I hope you are doing well and having a good week!

I wanted to let you know that I ended up passing my O-Chem 2 summer class! I can't thank you enough for all your help and everything you've done to help me succeed. I couldn't have passed O-Chem 1 and 2 without you and I am so grateful to have had your help and guidance. I struggled in these classes, but you made concepts so much easier to understand, and all your extra worksheets and handouts were very helpful. You have been so kind and I am very thankful for your help.

In the future, I will be studying to take the DAT and will definitely need help with that, so I will make sure to get in touch with you! Thank you again for everything, you helped make a daunting subject for me so much easier to handle.

Best wishes,

J. A.
-California State University, Stanislaus student summer 2022



via text message:

Hey Eddie just got my final grade, I ended up getting a B overall and being the 3rd highest in my class. Thank you so much for all your help! There is no way I would have passed and done as good as I did without you! You are a lifesaver!

B. T.
-Weber State University student spring 2022



Subject: exam update

Hi Eddie!

I hope you are doing well and have had a good week! I got my exam 2 score back today and I got an 82%! An 80 in my class is an A based on the curve so I just wanted to thank you for all your help because I couldn't have done it without you! I am seriously so happy that I passed this exam since I did so poorly on the last one. So thank you very much for all your help and guidance!

J. A.
-California State University, Stanislaus student spring 2022



via text message:

Wow, Eddie, I got a 197.5/200 for the chem final!

C. L.
-Harvard University student fall 2021



Blast from the past! One of my summer students from 2009 sent this on June 13th, 2021!
Subject: O chem memories!

Hi Eddie,

How are you?!

I donโ€™t know if you remember me, but you tutored me when I was at Harvard Extension for o chem back in 2008/2009?!

I was just at dinner with someone who said they dropped out of pre Med years ago because of o chem and I mentioned how you made it much more simple for me.

I remember our sessions but also our grocery friendship!

Wanted to let you know that I have graduated orthopedic residency and am heading to UC Davis for my orthopedic hand and upper extremity fellowship

You were awesome. And thank you!

Please keep in touch,

Nancy M.
-Harvard University summer student from back in 2009, went on to Georgetown University for medical school, then Seton Hall for training as an orthopedic surgeon, now headed to UC Davis for fellowship



Subject: A!!!

HELLO!

I am so happy to email you - I got an A in chem27! I am honestly so proud, basically speechless over here haha. Thank you for all your help - truly, truly appreciate it. This class was a battle but we fought together haha.

M. T.
-Harvard University student spring 2021



Blast from the past! One of my students from 2012 sent this on March 29th, 2021!

via text message:

Hello Eddie this is Sam C, you tutored me in ochem back in 2012. I was cleaning up my old text messages and came across this thread for nostalgia sake. You helped me score 30/30 on ochem DAT and thatโ€™s probably how I got into dental school. It was a rough time back then but somehow I made it, and a lot of it was help from your tutoring. Just wanna say hi and thanks, and hopefully you are doing well

Sam C.
-Dentist now, former student back in spring 2012



Good Morning Eddie,

On behalf of myself and my husband, we would like to thank you for the help and support that you gave [our daughter]. She was very happy last night after seeing her Organic Chemistry grade.

Again We really appreciate all your help!!!

Thanks for helping students to follow their dreams!!!

You are an excellent teacher and a motivator.

Kind regards

B.T.
-mother of Harvard Extension student fall 2020



via text message (3 messages):

OMG Eddie!!!! My final grade just came out and I GOT AN A!!!!!!

Honestly one of the biggest achievements of my life not gonna lie

Thank you SO SO much. Literally do not know what I would have done without your help

A. K. B.
-Harvard University student fall 2020



Hi Eddie,

I just checked my S-20 grade online, and I got an A for the entire course! I'm absolutely thrilled.

Thank you again for an amazing summer of working together - we did it!! Your creative handouts and simple explanations of complex concepts made mountains of content just "click," and your responsiveness to my (many!) questions showed how much you care about the material and your students.

I feel honored to have learned from an Ochem "Jedi master" like you, and truly feel like your mentorship has forever changed my approach to learning. Thank you for guiding me on this journey.

Wishing you the best, and I hope to keep in touch in the future! If I hear of anyone planning to take Ochem, I will absolutely send them your way.

PS - we haven't found out our exact grade on the final yet, but I'll let you know -- I'm figuring it must've been not too bad ๐Ÿ™‚

Best,

M.W.
-Harvard University student summer 2020



Eddie pours his heart into his work. He has created dozens of well-designed, humorously illustrated handouts that explain orgo in a far more accessible way than dry course lecture slides. Although he is an expert in organic chemistry, Eddie speaks in English, not in orgo.

The day before an exam, Eddie treats his students like an anesthesiologist would treat a patient before surgery. He is exceedingly responsive to last minute questions and addresses with a sense of urgency any shaky areas that could make the exam go poorly.

Eddie is the kind of tutor that I imagine Ancient Greeks wanted to send their children to โ€” people who took it as their personal mission to educate their children to the highest degree. Although I am glad to have organic chemistry behind me, I will miss working with Eddie. He will forever exemplify for me what a good teacher is like.

J.S.
-Harvard University student summer 2020



via text message:

Hi Eddie,

The [final] exam went alright I would say, it's always been hard for me to tell coming out. I would say the mechanisms were different than usual in that they weren't like what the class had "rehearsed" in terms of known reactions and motifs but rather stuff that you had to think a little harder about. I ended up being short on time towards the end, but I tried to get at least somewhere productive with each of the mechanisms. The format was similar to practice tests, with some interesting spins on concepts like EAS. Glad to be able to take a bit of a break from ochem now!

I can't thank you enough for all of your help. Chem really stressed me out at the beginning, and regardless of how the grade ends up, I am so thankful for our sessions that have made me appreciate rather than dread chemistry. Have a great holiday season and look forward to catching up with you after!

I.S.
-Harvard University student fall 2019



Subject: Re: another outstanding week with the kids

Hi Eddie,

Thank you again for your persistent effort in keeping them prepared. You have kept them focused on the material and have continuously encouraged them to meet the challenges.

They just look forward for your classes each week and I can see that your classes and regular communication gave them the confidence to pursue it with passion.

You are doing way more than tutoring and we are really appreciative of that.

We are sure you contributed immensely in many students success in the past.

I will be coming there next weekend (Thu-Sat) and if itโ€™s possible with you we can go for a dinner. Thank you again!  

P.M.
-Father of two high school students taking 8-credit Harvard Summer course summer 2019



via text message:

Hi Eddie,

I just wanted to thank you for a great summer of learning! I finished with an A in the class but most importantly felt like I really understood the concepts and enjoyed the challenge! Thank you so much for your help! Wish you the best!

C.R.
-Harvard University student summer 2019



Subject: Re: week 3, they are still going strong

Hi Eddie,

That is so nice of you. You are an excellent teacher and motivator, and we are glad to find you very early in the process.

I wish there are more teachers like you, but it is rare to find people like you with such passion and devotion in what they do.

We hope our children will try their best to keep up with the challenges ahead. You are definitely making it easier for them. We will meet you before the end of their semester. Thank you again!

Sincerely,

P.M.
-Father of two high school students taking 8-credit Harvard Summer course summer 2019



Subject: Re: looking for input and ideas

Hi Eddie,

Thanks so much for the email! I would love to help with this. I will brainstorm ideas and email you back soon!!

Alsoo, I got an A in Chem 17 with a B+ on my final!!! I truly cannot express my gratitude for your help this semester. You were really my teacher this semester and I canโ€™t thank you enough. The way you explained concepts and made me feel like I could really understand it was so amazing.

Thank you SOSO much for everything.

Have a great holiday week,

M.H.K.
-Harvard University student fall 2017



Subject: fall 2018: a preview!

Eddie,

First of all, thank you for making my semester so enjoyable on an academic level. Being able to do well and understand such a challenging class gave me confidence in my other classes. As you may have heard, the final exam was pretty challenging, but I kind of had fun taking it!

. . .

Best,

C.B.
-Harvard University student fall 2017



via text message:

I got a 100 on the (first) exam!

S.C.
-Harvard University student summer 2017



Subject: Hi!

Hi Eddie,

Yes! I did get an A. You believed in me the whole semester but I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw my grade! We did it!

Cheers,

L.C.
-Harvard Extension student spring 2017



via text message:

The average on the test was low 60s out of 109 and I got a 96!!

G.B.
-Boston College student (Professor Snapper) spring 2017



via text message:

My teacher just posted our test scores. The average was a 59 and I got a 95 which was the highest grade in the class!

G.B.
-Boston College student (Professor Fox) fall 2016



via text message:

Hi Eddie! Our grades were posted for the last exam; I got a 100!! That puts me above solid A territory even without the curve implemented!! Thank you so much for all your help!!!

E.T.
-Northeastern University student fall 2016, this student go a 100 on the third exam too.



via text message:

97 on exam 3! Plus 4 extra credit points=100!!! Class average was 78%!

A.Y.
-Harvard University student fall 2015



Blast from the past! One of my summer students from 2009 sent this on March 22nd, 2016!
Subject: I matched!

Hi Eddie,

I hope you are well! It's been along time from ochem, to medschool applications and now I am set to graduate in May!

I wanted to share with you that I matched into one of my top choices St. Joseph's Seton Hall in New Jersey and will begin my training as an orthopedic surgeon!

Thank you so so much for your part in this very happy moment for me.

Thinking of you,

Nancy M.
-Harvard University summer student from back in 2009, went on to Georgetown University for medical school and now heading to Seton Hall



Subject: Thanks + congratulations

Dear Eddie,

I hope you've enjoyed some time off over winter break! I'm writing to thank you again for all your help in the fall. I'm happy to say that I earned an A in Chem 17, and it's in a very large part thanks to you! Your consistent energy and dedication to your students is unlike anything I've experienced before at Harvard. Thank you for all your hard work!

I'm also writing to congratulate you on becoming the head TF for Chemistry 20. I checked your website recently and learned of the good news. I can't begin to express how excited I am for you and your students!!

Let's keep in touch! See you soon.

Best,

J. Y.
-Harvard University student fall 2015



Subject: Thank you!

Hi Eddie,

Happy holidays Eddie! Now that the semester is officially over, I'd like to thank you again for being easily the best TF I have had at Harvard. Without you, I doubt I could have done nearly as well in a class as difficult as this one. Like I said earlier, being a first-year TF, I tried to model the way I TF after you, since I felt that you had such a passion for orgo and put so much effort into teaching our class.

Thanks so much,

A. J.
-Harvard University student fall 2015



Subject:

Hey Eddie,

I just wanted to say thank you for a great semester in Chem 17! I think I did very well on the final, and I can honestly say that I would not have done as well this semester if I did not have you as my TF. You are far and away the best TF that I have ever had at Harvard, and I have had some excellent TFs. Good luck to you in all of your future endeavors. Thanks for everything!

Best,

R. N.
-Harvard University student fall 2015



Subject: We Did It!!!!!

We did it Eddie!!! Again, thank you so much for all of your help this past semester! I couldn't have done it without you! You and this class have helped me to make the decision to switch out of biology and major in chemistry. Thanks man!

I have loved having you as a TF. In the future, I hope I can always count on you as a mentor and would love it if I can keep coming to you for advice.

Best,

R. L.
-Harvard University student fall 2015



Subject: Thank You!!

Hey Eddie,

How are things now that the semester is over? The final felt like it went really well!! There were a few challenging questions, but nothing we hadnโ€™t seen before. Any who, I wanted to say thank you for all your help this semester. I really appreciated the time and patience you took to teach me all about the concepts of O-Chem. Without you, I wouldnโ€™t have done nearly as well in the course, nor would I have enjoyed it as much. I never expected to like O-Chem, but I think itโ€™s probably one of the coolest subjects Iโ€™ve ever taken. Thank you for always being so encouraging and sharing your passion for learning O-Chem, it was truly contagious. It was a real pleasure working with you and getting to know you. I hope to keep in touch ๐Ÿ™‚

Happy Holidays!

M. E.
-Harvard Extension student fall 2015



(This student, who I'll call "P", had failed organic chemistry the year before)
Subject: Hi

Hi Eddie,

How are you? Hope all is well. Itโ€™s been a while since I last emailed you. I just had an exciting phone call from "P" and he also just texted me and said that he texted you with his news. We are so happy with his final grade for organic chemistry. Iโ€™ve been praying all semester that he would receive a passing grade.

A โ€œBโ€ in Organic Chemistry, in my eyes is an A++++++++++ !!!!!!!! The stress of waiting for his grade over the holidays has been lifted !!!!! Thank you so much for tutoring him and guiding him though this subject. I canโ€™t tell you enough how much Paul and I appreciated it. "P" has done so well in all his classes but, organic was definitely a challenge for him.

Thanks again, Eddie. Wishing you a beautiful holiday season. Take care.

Sincerely,

Paul and Patti S.
-parents of UMass Amherst student fall 2015



Subject: ochem mastery

Hi Eddie!

Thank you for checking in with me! Can I just say how much I admire you as a TF and how grateful I am for all of the energy and effort that you put into teaching us. Thank you, thank you. You have made learning organic chemistry a fun and doable process. I finished the Pset and I also completed all of the practice problems from this week's handout. I am reviewing the last two weeks of material by redoing the problems on the psets and on the weekly handouts. I'm planning on taking a practice exam today to gauge where I am with my understanding and focus on the areas that need more work. I will be coming to your office hours today, and I do have a few questions, so I'll see you there!

Dominate O-Chem!!
Sincerely,

V. K.
-Harvard University student fall 2015



Subject: Exam

Hi Eddie,

Just wanted to let you know that I got above a 95 on the final exam (and an A in the class)! Thank you so much for working with me this summer. The extra problems and your review of the material from a different perspective were so helpful in such a fast-paced class. Hope you're having a chance to take a break now, and see you around!

Best,

J. W.
-Harvard University student summer 2015



via text message:

I got a solid B!!! Couldn't have done it without you - thank you so so much for all of your help!

A. W.
-Boston University student summer 2015



If someone were to tell me six weeks ago that Summer Ochem at Harvard will be my best learning experience I would not have believed it given the amount of material to learn and the short amount of time to learn them in. But now this is my unequivocal best learning experience ever. Thank you for teaching me the ins and outs of Ochem and giving me this cherished human experience ๐Ÿ™‚

I feel so fortunate to have found you as a mentor/guide/tutor for this challenging course. The fact you work so hard means I'm actually working with someone whose service is OChem centric and nothing else. I couldn't have asked for a better environment to learn OChem in, and most importantly, going through it with your support.

Thank you, Eddie. Your biggest fan ๐Ÿ™‚

Xibin Wu
-Harvard University student summer 2015



Subject: Final Grade!

Hi Eddie,

I just wanted to say thank you and let you know that I got an A- in orgo! (I got a B on the final for an A- overall).

Thanks again,

V. T.
-Tufts University student summer 2015



Handwritten letter mailed to me during summer 2015:

Hi Eddie,

Thanks for all your help with orgo. I was well prepared for the school year thanks to you and I got more out of the course. Your dedication as a tutor really shows, and I try to put the same emphasis on understanding when I tutor others. It's been a real pleasure. I'll be sure to recommend you to others in the future.

Sincerely,

Charles W.
-California Institute of Technology student I did intensives with in September 2014 and during winter break 2015



This email was sent by my former MIT student to other MIT students about to start their first semester.

Relevant to people taking 5.12 this semester (I know there are a couple of you...and feel free to forward on to friends).

To give context, I'm now a senior and the whole 5.12 experience was initially real rough for me - it took me a good while to figure out what was even going on and how to approach everything, all while it seemed like many people in class had seen the material before. Ultimately I got through both 5.12 and 5.13 (even picked up the occasional A), but looking back, I wish I had wasted less time confused and consequently demoralized about it all.

When I took 5.13 last semester, I got in touch with Eddie, who's a top-notch orgo tutor. He is not MIT affiliated and does charge a fee, but in my case I found him and his resources very worthwhile. He knows orgo cold, is an extremely dedicated teacher, pleasant and professional. Everyone's background is different, but if you're anxious about first exposure, I definitely recommend checking him out.

Happy arrow pushing,

S. C.
-MIT student fall 2014



Subject: Re: Check this out

. . .

Thanks a lot Eddie - I'm very fortunate to work with someone that not only goes above and beyond for his students, but cares, and is willing to work with the student to help them do the best they possibly can. Really means a lot.

Best,

S. P.
-Harvard Extension student 2014-2015



Subject: Thank you

Hi Eddie!

I just wanted to email to thank you once again for all your help in Organic Chemistry. I came out with an A- in orgo (which I was a little bummed about, but you had warned me they didn't give out many As!). I really appreciate all the time you gave me, I would have had a much shakier understanding of Orgo without you!

Thank you again!

Best,

A. M.
-Harvard Extension student fall 2014


Spring 2014 - Fall 2010


Summer 2010 - Fall 2007


Summer 2007 - Summer 2006


Spring 2006 and earlier