Private Chemistry Tutoring — NYC, San Diego & Online
Expert one-on-one chemistry instruction from Dr. Stuart Donnelly, Oxford Ph.D. General chemistry, organic chemistry, AP, and beyond.
Chemistry Tutoring with Dr. Stuart Donnelly
Chemistry is one of the most challenging subjects students encounter at the high school and college level. Whether you are struggling with stoichiometry in general chemistry, navigating reaction mechanisms in organic chemistry, or preparing for the AP Chemistry exam, the right tutor can make the difference between confusion and clarity.
Dr. Stuart Donnelly holds a Ph.D. from the University of Oxford in the natural sciences and brings more than 20 years of private tutoring experience to every chemistry session. His deep understanding of chemical principles — from atomic structure to complex organic synthesis — allows him to explain difficult concepts in ways that genuinely make sense.
Every session is private and one-on-one, tailored to your specific course, textbook, and goals. Available in person in New York City and San Diego, or online via Zoom from anywhere.
Chemistry Topics We Cover
Dr. Donnelly provides expert instruction across every major area of chemistry.
General Chemistry
Atomic structure, periodic trends, chemical bonding, stoichiometry, thermochemistry, gases, solutions, acids and bases, equilibrium, and electrochemistry. Suitable for high school and college-level general chemistry courses.
Organic Chemistry
Functional groups, stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms (substitution, elimination, addition, oxidation-reduction), synthesis strategies, spectroscopy (NMR, IR, mass spec), and carbonyl chemistry. Covering Orgo I and II at the college level.
Biochemistry
Amino acids and protein structure, enzyme kinetics, metabolic pathways (glycolysis, TCA cycle, oxidative phosphorylation), lipid chemistry, and nucleic acid biochemistry. Ideal for pre-med students and MCAT preparation.
AP Chemistry
Comprehensive preparation covering all nine units of the AP Chemistry curriculum. Content review, lab-based question strategies, and free-response practice designed to help students score a 4 or 5 on the AP exam.
SAT / ACT Chemistry
Focused preparation for the chemistry content that appears on the SAT and ACT science sections. Includes data interpretation, experimental design, and the core chemistry concepts tested on these exams.
MCAT Chemistry
In-depth preparation for the Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems section of the MCAT. Covers general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry in the passage-based, application-focused format of the exam.
Our Chemistry Tutoring Approach
Dr. Donnelly’s teaching methodology breaks chemistry down into clear, logical steps.
Diagnostic & Custom Plan
Every engagement begins with an assessment of your current level, course requirements, and goals. Dr. Donnelly identifies specific gaps in your understanding and builds a targeted study plan that addresses them efficiently — no wasted time reviewing material you already know.
Conceptual Clarity
Chemistry is built on interconnected concepts. Dr. Donnelly focuses on deep understanding rather than rote memorisation, using real-world analogies, visual models, and step-by-step problem walkthroughs to make abstract ideas concrete and memorable.
Exam-Ready Practice
Once concepts are solid, students move to intensive problem solving. Dr. Donnelly uses past exam questions, textbook problems, and custom practice sets to build speed and accuracy under timed conditions — the key to performing well on exams.
What Our Chemistry Students Say
I was failing organic chemistry and felt completely lost. Dr. Donnelly broke down every reaction mechanism into clear, logical steps that I could actually follow. After working with him for two months I went from a D to a B+ on my final. He genuinely understands the subject at a deep level and knows how to teach it.
Dr. Donnelly helped my daughter prepare for AP Chemistry. His explanations were incredibly clear and he made difficult topics like thermodynamics and equilibrium feel manageable. She scored a 5 on the AP exam and felt confident going in. We could not recommend him more highly.
Chemistry Tutoring FAQs
Dr. Donnelly tutors all levels of chemistry, including high school general chemistry, honors chemistry, AP Chemistry, college-level general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and the chemistry sections of standardised tests such as the SAT, ACT, and MCAT.
Yes. Organic chemistry is one of Dr. Donnelly’s core areas of expertise. As an Oxford-trained scientist, he brings a deep understanding of reaction mechanisms, stereochemistry, spectroscopy, and synthesis. He works with college students taking Orgo I and II as well as pre-med students preparing for the MCAT’s chemistry sections.
The number of sessions depends on your goals. Students preparing for a specific exam or final typically need 6 to 12 sessions. Those working through an entire course or preparing for the MCAT chemistry sections may need 15 to 25 sessions spread over several months. Dr. Donnelly will recommend a plan during your free consultation.
Yes. All chemistry tutoring is available online via Zoom. Online sessions use screen sharing, a digital whiteboard, and molecular visualisation tools for real-time problem solving. Many students find online sessions equally effective to in-person meetings.
Absolutely. Dr. Donnelly provides comprehensive AP Chemistry preparation covering all nine units of the AP curriculum, including atomic structure, bonding, thermodynamics, equilibrium, kinetics, and electrochemistry. He teaches both the content and the exam-specific strategies needed to score a 4 or 5.