Course Preparation
- AP Chemistry
- AP Biology
- IBET/Honor Biology
- Honor/TJ Summer Chemistry
Test Preparation
- AP Chemistry
- AP Biology
Olympiad Preparation
- US Biology Olympiad (USABO)
- US Medicine and Disease Olympiad (USMDO)
Our goal is simple: To create learning success stories, one student at a time.
I have BS/MS degrees in Chemistry and PhD degree in Biochemistry and currently working in a private company as a scientist.
For the last 20 years, I have committed to provide the highest quality tutoring for courses like AP Chem, AP Bio, AP Environmental Science, IBET, summer chem, and Olympiads for students at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST). My goal is to help students maximize the efficiency of their study time and to ensure that TJ students reach their academic potential. Many of my students have received ‘A’s in their classes, 5 on their AP exams, and 800s on their SAT II (when SAT II was there). Also successful in Olympiad exams.
For AP Exams, my recommendation is to start AP subjects preview from the summer and to continue taking lessons until the following May. This is because it is not as easy to recover GPA if students start lessons only after receiving low grades in the first semester. Many think that it is a good challenge to study by him/herself and receive high grades. This is a fine approach for some, but not for all. And even if a student can receive an ‘A’ by studying independently, they may waste time that could be better devoted to other academics/activities—or to sleep more. My students have unanimously say that my help has greatly increased their studying efficiency and managed their limited time for other activities.
Many students who were helped could get admission from Yale, Princeton, Harvard and MIT every year.
After COVID-19, my class is done by Skype internet only.
My class will be summarized very well and provide good practice problems. Problem solving is the best way to understand.
Picture of my class in 2019. Now, all by skype internet class
Biology Olympiad (USABO) tutoring: 2025-2026 class time for Feb 2026 exam
Class Time: Fri 830-1030 pm (EST) from Feb 14th Fri, 2025 to the end of Nov (2 hr class)
11 REVIEW Session: Fri Dec 5 to Fri Jan 30th. Also Sundays 430 pm
This class is for TJ students as well as students in all 50 states.
Current 8th, 9th, and 10th graders can start from Feb 14th, 2025. Even a few 6th graders attended and understood as much as high school students.
Recent year's result: (more data are in Bio and 7th/8th graders sections)
2018 exam results: Taught 4 TJ freshmen, 3 freshmen made it scored as high as 28. (The fourth student joined Nov and had one point below the cut-off, 21. more sophomores and juniors)
2019 exam results: a total of 9 students passed, 1 freshman, 4 sophomores, 4 junior/senior (can be more, 29 in VA, 25 in TJ, 592 in the nation)
2020 exam results: 2 Freshmen, 2 Sophomores, 5 Juniors. One freshman took Skype session in NJ and one sophomore in TX who got the highest score in the 2020 open exam.
2021 exam results: total 11 passed and 6 students got over 30 score including students in NJ, TX and CA. One student passed the second round and becomes the finalist and another student ranked in the top 50. They took both 1st and 2nd round classes.
2022 exam results: Total 8 passed. 4 students got 30 to 40. 40 is the 2nd best in the nation. Two students are selected for the finalists in NJ and VA.
2023 exam results: 9 students who attended 2022-2023 class took the exam and 8 passed. Class had prospective middle school students and unfortunately, some high school students could not take the exam due to registration mistakes at school. 6 previous students reported to pass. This year's exam used shorter sentences in the most of problems and so it looked easy but as hard as the previous one (24 is cutoff). Since students understood basic concepts well, they could solve confidently regardless of problem types.
2024 exam results: 7 students passed who attended 2023-2024 and 2022-2023 classes. 4 students won with over 30. Cutoff 23. The highest score was 39. Students with18-22 received Honorable Mention Certificate that is new from this year. Hope they can make it next year.
Will finish Campbell Biology book by Nov and review during Dec/2025 to Feb, 2026 (non-tj students in all 50 states can take via Skype)covers 1,300 page/56 chapter content. Session hours can be mostly more than 2 hours to cover all the details in Campbell Biology and some 2nd rd content and to solve released exam problems (so, actual total time is more than 90 hours). Teaching less than 72 hours of Campbell book cannot cover all the details. Review session will be done mainly with old exams and with content from 2nd round books because Biolympiad Open exam has problems beyond Campbell Biology book. Solve more than 500 past exams of 1st and 2nd rd exams.
The 1st round class will be recorded and so can be given if start late. Classes are recorded. Late attendees can watch the previous videos and catch up with the current class.
For 2nd round exam study essential parts of Plant Biology book, Biochemistry book, Cell Biology book, Genetics, Animal Physiology, Evolution, Systematics, and Ecology book which are all college books. (if there are enough students, this class opens)
2026 2nd round exam prep: Students who passed the second round exam were all accepted by MIT. Seniors (2023) who won the finalist could go MIT and Harvard. It inspired me to continue the second round class. It started from July and paused Dec/Jan because they needs to concentrate on the 1st round exam. Pass this year's 1st/2nd round exam does not guarantee next year's exams. Please, conatct about this class. Feb/Mar 2026, we will continue the second round class by solving old 2nd round exams.
* A 6th grader student took USABO and AP Chem classes. In his 7th and 8th grade, he won the 2023/2024 National Science Bee Champion and also got the 1st place on multiple National competitions. The student answered all chemistry/biology questions before other students answered.
USMDO: US Medicine and Disease Olympiad
This is a new bio-Olympiad. My USABO class covers USMDO contents. USABO class of units of I II III and VII covers USMDO. So, I do these units before the exam. In addition, human physiology in my USABO second round class can boost USMDO exam. Many students won in USMDO (10 students) this year after taking 6-month USABO lectures.
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TJ Summer Chem for 2025: (All school students for Honor/pre AP can attend)
Start from Jan, 2025, to June/2025 online session. Every Sunday from 12 to 2 pm EST
Due to the mid-term exams, students may not start from this date. Late-joining students can take the recorded class videos.
Usually, TJ school summer chem covers >85% of AP chem within 6 weeks and so this summer teaching is very difficult without proper preparation. TJ summer chem used publisher's AP PowerPoint slides and another company's on-line exam problems. Once they understood my teaching well, the exam was easier. My students who took this course could study well in ap chem. (Langley/McLean HS in VA students could pass Chem Olympiad after taking my summer chem course and ap chem). Even 7th/8th graders took this, understood well, and could prepare USNCO early.
IBET (TJ 9th grade honor biology) and pre-USABO class
for rising 6, 7, 8, 9th graders in 2025-2026
This course covers IBET biology textbook and ~85% of Campbell AP biology book. Many smart students are not satisfied with middle school science and there are not great teaching places for them. This class helps smart young students understand biology earlier and them prepare for the science Olympiad and USA Biology Olympiad. The teaching covers about ~85% of each chapter in AP biology book and is connected to USA Biology Olympiad in high school. Since no honor biology book is good for smart students, I use Campbell Biology In Focus book and cover TJ honor biology-level parts. This way, students get used to Campbell book, understand biology systematically and feel easy to study AP Campbell biology book for Biology Olympiad. After this course, students join USABO class that starts Feb 2026. USABO class covers 100% of the USABO book and a lot of extra topics for USABO exam because USABO exam content is more than Campbell AP bio book.
If there are enough students, the class will start from April/May 2025, and ends Nov 2025. Every Sun, 430-630 pm EST. If join late, students can review the recorded videos.
AP Bio/AP Chem for May/2025 exam
If there are enough students, the class will start from mid-Feb.
Total ~22 hours.
AP Bio/AP Chem During Summer
If there are enough students, the class will start from mid-June to mid Aug.
Total ~50 hours (25 sessions). 2-3 classes a week
Contact:
Bio & Chem Preparation Academy
Charles Lee
10617 Jones St Fairfax VA 22030
(Near the Fairfax Court House)
E-mail: Charles22033@yahoo.com and one of the following emails
Summer chem: summerchemfortj@gmail.com
pre-USABO/IBET: ibetfortj@gmail.com
USABO: usaboexam@gmail.com
(Please, send to both address, just in case it is delivered to a spam)
I am working at a pharmaceutical company. Due to heavy amount of work, I stopped servicing AP environmental Science, AP BIO, AP chem and honor chem. I will come back for these classes later.
For AP chem/Honor chem, TJ summer chem can cover them.
For AP Bio, students can take some part of USABO class.
When you email, please fill out followings. These are optional, not mandatory. Please, give me some info.
Student name:
Grade.
State.
School.
Parent name/email
Phone number.
skype ID:
Have read Campbell biology book?
Any prior class(es) for chem and bio?
Class is done via skype.
1) Go to skype.com
2) make ID.
3) invite me. My ID is APCHEMBIO.
4) I will reply. Then we can communicate.