Dear Parents and Students,
A few structural changes have been implemented for the new year. These changes, pertaining to the manner in which tuition is delivered and charged, are detailed as follows:
English, ESL, English Language and Literature is strictly one-to-one barring exceptional circumstances. The fee is $75 per hour per student.
All other VCE subjects are offered on a one-to-one or group basis (3 maximum). Fees will be charged on the follow basis:
One-to-one tuition: $75 per hour per student
Group of two: $45 per hour per student ($90 per hour in aggregate)
Group of three: $40 per hour per student ($120 per hour in aggregate)
The range of VCE subjects taught now encompasses Biology and Psychology. As is the case with other subjects, notes and supplementary assessment material will be provided to augment the student's resources.
UMAT and GAMSAT services remain unchanged. MedEntry Standard Package ($430) is the recommended preparation resource.
The range of undergraduate and graduate subjects remain unchanged. Tertiary students are tutored on a strict one-to-one basis. The fee is $75 per hour per student.
Services for junior and middle high school students (years 7 to 10) are provided by other tutors through my network.
My contact details are as follows:
Email: focusedtuition@aol.com
Mobile: 0415940053
All questions and inquiries are welcome. We endeavour ourselves to provide a same day response. Best of luck for the new academic year.
Regards,
Jeffery Gao
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Saturday, March 10, 2012
UMAT and GAMSAT tuition.
UMAT:
The exam is entirely multiple choice. Each Section is separately timed and there are no rest breaks between Sections.
Section 1: Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving
Number of questions: 48
Time in minutes: 70
Focus of Tuition:
> Build familiarity with popular literary works and the interpretation of language/statements.
> Troubleshoot worded logic and reasoning passages which amalgamate multiple streams of ideas.
> Develop a cohesive set of interpretation methods to efficiently deconstruct embedded logic
Section 2: Understanding People
Number of questions: 44
Time in minutes: 55
Focus of Tuition:
> Improve the diplomacy and tactifulness of responses to empathy-related questions.
> Ensure that responses correspond with the underlying codes adopted by the AMA.
> Adopt expectations management and conflict/dispute resolution techniques in patient interactions.
Section 3: Non-verbal Reasoning
Number of questions: 42
Time in minutes: 55
Focus of Tuition:
> Develop insight into intrinsic rates of change and 'moments'.
> Effective and efficacious application of the 3/2 method in picking the middle.
> Using the concept of vectors to deduce direction and magnitude of spatial transitions.
This gives the candidate a general idea as to how much time they have to devote to each question. The manner of responses is designed such that a combination of process of elimination and logical induction/deduction is required to arrive at the most optimal solution. Our sessions are structured in a manner that teaches the candidate a diverse set of shorthands and shortcuts which can be applied to minimise the time and effort otherwise required to debug each type of question.
The following items are taken into consideration for candidates applying towards an undergraduate degree in medicine:
* ATAR Score (generally greater than 98.00 is quintessential if not higher)
* UMAT Score (At least the 90th percentile if not higher is preferred by most tertiary institutions)
* Interview (used to gauge personal qualities other than intellect eg. ethics, morals, belief systems, communication skills et al.)
* Extra-Curricular participation (volunteerism, pioneering, demonstration of initiative and leadership)
N.B: With regards to the UMAT score, some universities weigh this component more than others. For example, Flinders in townsville (QLD) does not take the UMAT into account at all and the all private Bond University under-weighs the UMAT relative to most other institutions that offer undergraduate medicine. As these requirements change over time and across different institutions, it is essential that candidates visit their respective websites on a regular basis in order to remain informed of their standing obligations with respect to their applications.
GAMSAT:
Section I Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences (100 mins)
75 questions which cover a diverse array of topics derived from history, sociology and the arts and humanities. This tests skills in the interpretation and understanding of ideas in social and cultural contexts. Different texts are used as stimulus, including passages of personal, imaginative and argumentative writing. Familiarity with classical works of art is not required though advantageous.
Section II Written Communication (60 mins)
Two essay pieces based on a combination of prescribed topic sentences to assess written communication. Written style is a combination of expository and persuasive with emphasis on the former. Consideration is given to both quantity and quality. Although examiners stress on the latter, typical essay length is 800 words (1600 for both pieces).
Section III Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences (170 mins)
Covers undergraduate biology, chemistry and physics. Although chemistry and physics is foundation level only, biology will carry more extensive coverage: cells and micro-organisms, flora and fauna, viruses, ecology, evolution.
The GAMSAT (conducted by ACER) is held annually in late March for Australian graduates holding a permissible bachelor's degree. It is not a knowledge based test; rather, the focus is on the student's ability to apply reason and logic to reach a definitive conclusion for a given set of stimuli. Needless to say, the GAMSAT is an incredibly challenging set of exams that is designed to cull the body of applicants so as to minimise the number of successful candidates down to the utmost cream of the crop. Marking criteria is rigid and failure to meet the benchmark requirement in any one of the sections will result in automatic failure.
The nature of our preparatory material and tutelage is designed to enable students to gain confidence with their approach towards analysing and deducing conclusions from written material given the context of both the question and the stimulus. In relation to essay writing skills, we focus on depth and breadth of original thought. Although easier said than done, we pride ourselves in teaching potential candidates the techniques which lead towards (1) quality of thought and content and (2) succinctness of organisation and expression. Key skills taught include: differentiating between fact and opinion, evidence-based argument, identifying logical fallacies, eloquence of written expression, use of sophisticated persuasive techniques and concept nodes.
The third portion of the GAMSAT past papers which deals with the biological and physical sciences are very hard to study due to the wide range of topics involved. Exams taken as early as 2005 are available for discussion and debugging. Most of the topics involving biology are usually taken from a certain area which could either be cell biology, genetics, zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology or botany. Since the items included in the actual exam is limited, the examiner would only take questions from three to four subject areas. We will discuss and demonstrate the range of topics which have been included in the past papers to develop familiarity.
The exam is entirely multiple choice. Each Section is separately timed and there are no rest breaks between Sections.
Section 1: Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving
Number of questions: 48
Time in minutes: 70
Focus of Tuition:
> Build familiarity with popular literary works and the interpretation of language/statements.
> Troubleshoot worded logic and reasoning passages which amalgamate multiple streams of ideas.
> Develop a cohesive set of interpretation methods to efficiently deconstruct embedded logic
Section 2: Understanding People
Number of questions: 44
Time in minutes: 55
Focus of Tuition:
> Improve the diplomacy and tactifulness of responses to empathy-related questions.
> Ensure that responses correspond with the underlying codes adopted by the AMA.
> Adopt expectations management and conflict/dispute resolution techniques in patient interactions.
Section 3: Non-verbal Reasoning
Number of questions: 42
Time in minutes: 55
Focus of Tuition:
> Develop insight into intrinsic rates of change and 'moments'.
> Effective and efficacious application of the 3/2 method in picking the middle.
> Using the concept of vectors to deduce direction and magnitude of spatial transitions.
This gives the candidate a general idea as to how much time they have to devote to each question. The manner of responses is designed such that a combination of process of elimination and logical induction/deduction is required to arrive at the most optimal solution. Our sessions are structured in a manner that teaches the candidate a diverse set of shorthands and shortcuts which can be applied to minimise the time and effort otherwise required to debug each type of question.
The following items are taken into consideration for candidates applying towards an undergraduate degree in medicine:
* ATAR Score (generally greater than 98.00 is quintessential if not higher)
* UMAT Score (At least the 90th percentile if not higher is preferred by most tertiary institutions)
* Interview (used to gauge personal qualities other than intellect eg. ethics, morals, belief systems, communication skills et al.)
* Extra-Curricular participation (volunteerism, pioneering, demonstration of initiative and leadership)
N.B: With regards to the UMAT score, some universities weigh this component more than others. For example, Flinders in townsville (QLD) does not take the UMAT into account at all and the all private Bond University under-weighs the UMAT relative to most other institutions that offer undergraduate medicine. As these requirements change over time and across different institutions, it is essential that candidates visit their respective websites on a regular basis in order to remain informed of their standing obligations with respect to their applications.
GAMSAT:
Section I Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences (100 mins)
75 questions which cover a diverse array of topics derived from history, sociology and the arts and humanities. This tests skills in the interpretation and understanding of ideas in social and cultural contexts. Different texts are used as stimulus, including passages of personal, imaginative and argumentative writing. Familiarity with classical works of art is not required though advantageous.
Section II Written Communication (60 mins)
Two essay pieces based on a combination of prescribed topic sentences to assess written communication. Written style is a combination of expository and persuasive with emphasis on the former. Consideration is given to both quantity and quality. Although examiners stress on the latter, typical essay length is 800 words (1600 for both pieces).
Section III Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences (170 mins)
Covers undergraduate biology, chemistry and physics. Although chemistry and physics is foundation level only, biology will carry more extensive coverage: cells and micro-organisms, flora and fauna, viruses, ecology, evolution.
The GAMSAT (conducted by ACER) is held annually in late March for Australian graduates holding a permissible bachelor's degree. It is not a knowledge based test; rather, the focus is on the student's ability to apply reason and logic to reach a definitive conclusion for a given set of stimuli. Needless to say, the GAMSAT is an incredibly challenging set of exams that is designed to cull the body of applicants so as to minimise the number of successful candidates down to the utmost cream of the crop. Marking criteria is rigid and failure to meet the benchmark requirement in any one of the sections will result in automatic failure.
The nature of our preparatory material and tutelage is designed to enable students to gain confidence with their approach towards analysing and deducing conclusions from written material given the context of both the question and the stimulus. In relation to essay writing skills, we focus on depth and breadth of original thought. Although easier said than done, we pride ourselves in teaching potential candidates the techniques which lead towards (1) quality of thought and content and (2) succinctness of organisation and expression. Key skills taught include: differentiating between fact and opinion, evidence-based argument, identifying logical fallacies, eloquence of written expression, use of sophisticated persuasive techniques and concept nodes.
The third portion of the GAMSAT past papers which deals with the biological and physical sciences are very hard to study due to the wide range of topics involved. Exams taken as early as 2005 are available for discussion and debugging. Most of the topics involving biology are usually taken from a certain area which could either be cell biology, genetics, zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology or botany. Since the items included in the actual exam is limited, the examiner would only take questions from three to four subject areas. We will discuss and demonstrate the range of topics which have been included in the past papers to develop familiarity.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
2012 Intake Now Open
Enrolments for classes in 2012 are now open to applicants. The fee structure is as follows:
Pricing Schedule:
Tutors:
Years 7-8: Ashley Harrison
Years 9-10: Amélie Cochranella
VCE: Jeffery Gao
Tertiary: Jeffery Gao
Classes:
Focus Tuition operates within the Narre Warren area. All classes are held at the tutor's place of residence unless otherwise specified. Students are encouraged to bring their textbooks and writing apparatus along to classes. All other materials, including practice exam papers and revision notes, will be provided.
Timetable (Group Sessions Only):
NB: Private one-on-one sessions have no pre-designated timetable and conditions are usually more flexible. Appointment bookings are arranged between the tutor and the client.
Pricing Schedule:
Tutors:
Years 7-8: Ashley Harrison
Years 9-10: Amélie Cochranella
VCE: Jeffery Gao
Tertiary: Jeffery Gao
Classes:
Focus Tuition operates within the Narre Warren area. All classes are held at the tutor's place of residence unless otherwise specified. Students are encouraged to bring their textbooks and writing apparatus along to classes. All other materials, including practice exam papers and revision notes, will be provided.
Timetable (Group Sessions Only):
NB: Private one-on-one sessions have no pre-designated timetable and conditions are usually more flexible. Appointment bookings are arranged between the tutor and the client.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Service Guide
Primer:
I have been in the private tuition business since 2003. My service is personalised to suit the needs of the individual student and the nature of the coursework. I offer both one to one sessions as well group lessons (capped at 3 students). My experience as a private tutor is built around facilitating students with undertaking an accelerated learning program that seeks to familiarise them with the curriculum in advance and place them ahead of their cohort. In addition to VCE, my students include those who study the International Baccalaureate programme as well as those undertaking foundation studies as an alternative pathway into university.
Principle:
Learning is an organic and dynamic process. In my experience as a private tutor, I have guided and nurtured my students in developing their own unique style of analytical thinking and comprehension. My approach involves teaching specific short cuts and techniques which enable students to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of their ability to undertake applied learning. My methods stand out in that they seek to build on the student's aptitude with respect to problem solving as opposed to mechanical rote learning. A fundamental focus towards building a solid set of core competencies provide students with the confidence they need to excel and achieve their aspirations.
Methodology:
The inaugural session is usually a 60 to 120 minute session that is designed to assess the student's legacy skills and abilities. This entails an in-depth evaluation of the student's knowledge base, comprehension and lateral thinking capabilities through a set of problem solving tasks. Follow-up sessions are structured around school-based assessments with an overall emphasis on exam revision. I use assessment guidelines that operate in concordance with study design prescriptions to help meeting learning objectives. At the conclusion of each lesson, students are assigned question sets to reinforce learned concepts and applied problem solving skills. Tuition occurs around an accelerated timetable which fast-tracks the syllabus outlined under VCAA subject guides. Strictly speaking, an entire unit can be covered within 4-5 weeks, the purpose of which is to leave ample time and opportunity for practice exams.
Marking:
I have been in the private tuition business since 2003. My service is personalised to suit the needs of the individual student and the nature of the coursework. I offer both one to one sessions as well group lessons (capped at 3 students). My experience as a private tutor is built around facilitating students with undertaking an accelerated learning program that seeks to familiarise them with the curriculum in advance and place them ahead of their cohort. In addition to VCE, my students include those who study the International Baccalaureate programme as well as those undertaking foundation studies as an alternative pathway into university.
Learning is an organic and dynamic process. In my experience as a private tutor, I have guided and nurtured my students in developing their own unique style of analytical thinking and comprehension. My approach involves teaching specific short cuts and techniques which enable students to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of their ability to undertake applied learning. My methods stand out in that they seek to build on the student's aptitude with respect to problem solving as opposed to mechanical rote learning. A fundamental focus towards building a solid set of core competencies provide students with the confidence they need to excel and achieve their aspirations.
The inaugural session is usually a 60 to 120 minute session that is designed to assess the student's legacy skills and abilities. This entails an in-depth evaluation of the student's knowledge base, comprehension and lateral thinking capabilities through a set of problem solving tasks. Follow-up sessions are structured around school-based assessments with an overall emphasis on exam revision. I use assessment guidelines that operate in concordance with study design prescriptions to help meeting learning objectives. At the conclusion of each lesson, students are assigned question sets to reinforce learned concepts and applied problem solving skills. Tuition occurs around an accelerated timetable which fast-tracks the syllabus outlined under VCAA subject guides. Strictly speaking, an entire unit can be covered within 4-5 weeks, the purpose of which is to leave ample time and opportunity for practice exams.
Marking:
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) publishes a study guide for every subject within its administrative jurisdiction. These documents are available for download from its website. The study guide is a contract between VCAA, educators, parents and students that outlines, among other things, the assessable items in the unit and the marking scheme used to grade the coursework. I use this document extensively with students and part of my job is to make the language with the study guide accessible to parents and students. For educators and students alike, an intimate understanding of the study guide is a prerequisite for achieving a 40+ study score.
VCE Subjects:
English/ESL
Literature
Specialist Maths
Maths Methods
Chemistry
Physics
Accounting
Economics
Legal Studies
Business Management
Tertiary Subjects:
Literature
Specialist Maths
Maths Methods
Chemistry
Physics
Accounting
Economics
Legal Studies
Business Management
Tertiary Subjects:
Corporate Finance
International Finance
Investments / Portfolio Mgt
Derivative Securities
Financial Accounting
Audit Assurance
Enterprise Management
Economics - Micro & Macro
Econometrics / Quantitative
Corporations Law
Taxation Law
International Finance
Investments / Portfolio Mgt
Derivative Securities
Financial Accounting
Audit Assurance
Enterprise Management
Economics - Micro & Macro
Econometrics / Quantitative
Corporations Law
Taxation Law
Credentials and Qualifications:
VCE ENTER Score: 99.50 (2002)
BCom/BIS (Actuarial) - University of Melbourne (2007)
Master of Finance - University of Melbourne (2010)
CFA (III)
BCom/BIS (Actuarial) - University of Melbourne (2007)
Master of Finance - University of Melbourne (2010)
CFA (III)
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