Sciences · Advanced

Organic Chemistry Instruction.

Organic chemistry is not a memorization course, no matter what a first exam suggests. It is a course in mechanistic reasoning — one that becomes almost enjoyable once the underlying logic clicks.

Mr. Sharma teaches organic chemistry as arrow-pushing before nomenclature — students learn to see reactions before they learn to name them, which is exactly how professional chemists actually think.

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Course Snapshot

Organic Chemistry at a glance.

The essentials every student and family should understand before beginning coursework or tutoring.

Course Level
College / MCAT preparation
Duration
Full year (two semesters)
Prerequisites
General chemistry
Standardized Alignment
MCAT · Medical school prerequisites
Format
One-on-one live online tutoring
Coverage
Organic I and II, MCAT organic chemistry

Section 01

Course Overview

Organic chemistry is the study of carbon-based molecules and the reactions that transform them. Nearly every drug, polymer, and biomolecule is an organic-chemistry story.

The first semester develops nomenclature, stereochemistry, and the fundamental reaction mechanisms — substitution, elimination, and addition — around alkanes, alkyl halides, alkenes, and alkynes.

The second semester extends into aromatic chemistry, carbonyl chemistry, and biological molecules. Every reaction is taught through curved-arrow mechanisms so students see reactivity as a coherent language rather than a list of transformations.

Section 02

Major Units

The core structure of the course — every student progresses through these units in a deliberate, connected sequence.

  1. Unit 01

    Structure & Bonding

    Hybridization, molecular geometry, and resonance.

  2. Unit 02

    Nomenclature & Functional Groups

    IUPAC naming, functional-group identification, and priority.

  3. Unit 03

    Stereochemistry

    Chirality, R/S nomenclature, and cis/trans isomerism.

  4. Unit 04

    Substitution & Elimination

    SN1, SN2, E1, and E2 mechanisms.

  5. Unit 05

    Alkenes & Alkynes

    Addition reactions, Markovnikov's rule, and stereospecificity.

  6. Unit 06

    Alcohols, Ethers & Epoxides

    Reactions and interconversions of oxygen-containing groups.

  7. Unit 07

    Aromatic Compounds

    Aromaticity, electrophilic aromatic substitution, and directing effects.

  8. Unit 08

    Carbonyl Chemistry

    Aldehydes, ketones, and their reactions with nucleophiles.

  9. Unit 09

    Carboxylic Acids & Derivatives

    Esters, amides, acyl chlorides, and their interconversions.

  10. Unit 10

    Amines & Bioorganic Chemistry

    Amines, amino acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.

Section 03

Complete Topic & Subtopic Tree

Every topic covered in the full course, broken down into the specific subtopics Mr. Sharma teaches one-on-one.

Foundations

Structure

  • Hybridization
  • VSEPR
  • Bond dipoles
  • Formal charge

Resonance

  • Rules for arrow pushing
  • Resonance stability
  • Major & minor contributors

Acidity

  • pKa reasoning
  • Conjugate base stability
  • Inductive & resonance effects

Stereochemistry

  • R/S
  • E/Z
  • Diastereomers
  • Meso compounds

Substitution, Elimination & Addition

SN2 & SN1

  • Nucleophilicity
  • Leaving groups
  • Stereochemistry
  • Solvent effects

E2 & E1

  • Zaitsev's rule
  • Hofmann's rule
  • Anti-periplanar geometry

Alkene Additions

  • Hydrohalogenation
  • Hydration
  • Halogenation
  • Hydroboration

Alkyne Reactions

  • Terminal alkyne acidity
  • Additions
  • Reductions to alkenes

Aromatic & Carbonyl

Aromaticity

  • Hückel's rule
  • Anti-aromaticity
  • Non-aromaticity

EAS

  • Halogenation
  • Nitration
  • Sulfonation
  • Friedel-Crafts

Aldehydes & Ketones

  • Nucleophilic addition
  • Wittig
  • Enolate chemistry

Acids & Derivatives

  • Ester hydrolysis
  • Amide formation
  • Interconversions

Special Topics & Biomolecules

Amines

  • Basicity
  • Reactions
  • Diazonium chemistry

Spectroscopy

  • IR
  • NMR (1H and 13C)
  • Mass spectrometry

Carbohydrates

  • Structure
  • Cyclic forms
  • Reactions

Amino Acids & Proteins

  • Structure
  • Peptide bond formation
  • Isoelectric point

Section 04

Skills Developed

The underlying skills every student builds in this course — the durable abilities that carry through to advanced coursework and standardized exams.

Skill

Conceptual Understanding

Learning why the mathematics or science works — not just which button to press.

Skill

Problem-Solving Fluency

Breaking multi-step problems into manageable, repeatable moves.

Skill

Precise Notation & Language

Writing arguments cleanly enough that another mathematician or scientist can follow them.

Skill

Quantitative Reasoning

Choosing the right structure and estimating whether an answer is plausible.

Skill

Independent Study Habits

Reading a textbook, working through examples, and self-checking without a teacher present.

Skill

Exam Readiness

Sustained accuracy under timed conditions, on both school exams and standardized tests.

Section 05

Common Student Challenges

The patterns Mr. Sharma sees most often — and exactly how each is addressed during tutoring.

Section 06

Why Organic Chemistry Matters

Why this course is one of the highest-leverage academic investments a family can make.

Why It Matters

MCAT Content Area

Organic chemistry is a major content area on the MCAT's Chem/Phys section and appears throughout Bio/Biochem.

Why It Matters

Medical School Prerequisite

Nearly every medical school requires two semesters of organic chemistry.

Why It Matters

Foundation for Biochemistry

Every biochemical reaction is an organic reaction. Weak organic makes biochemistry twice as hard.

Why It Matters

Pharmaceutical & Chemical Careers

Every pharmaceutical, materials, and chemical-industry role uses organic chemistry vocabulary.

Why It Matters

Mechanistic Reasoning Habit

The arrow-pushing habit taught here transfers to every other reasoning-heavy scientific subject.

Why It Matters

GPA Preservation

Organic is famous for wrecking pre-med GPAs — strong preparation preserves academic trajectory.

Section 07

Connections to Other STEM Subjects

How Organic Chemistry connects to the rest of the Mr. Sharma curriculum — the courses it prepares students for, and the exams it supports.

Connection

General Chemistry

Every organic mechanism uses acid-base and thermodynamic reasoning from general chemistry.

Connection

Biochemistry

Enzyme mechanisms are organic mechanisms in a protein active site.

Connection

Molecular Biology

DNA replication and transcription are organic-chemistry stories.

Connection

Pharmacology

Drug design and mechanism of action rest on organic chemistry.

Connection

MCAT

Organic chemistry appears across both science sections of the MCAT.

Connection

Materials Chemistry

Polymer chemistry and modern materials science extend directly from organic chemistry.

Advanced STEM Library

Comprehensive Organic Chemistry Formula Sheet.

A single premium reference covering every formula, definition, and result the course expects — organized by unit, written by Mr. Sharma. The full sheet is being authored and will be published in the Advanced STEM Library.

Visit the Advanced STEM Library
Coming Soon

Organic Chemistry Formula & Reference Sheet

Every key formula, definition, theorem, and reference students need — organized by unit and cross-referenced to the topic tree above.

  • Structure & Bonding
  • Nomenclature & Functional Groups
  • Stereochemistry
  • Substitution & Elimination
  • Alkenes & Alkynes
  • Alcohols, Ethers & Epoxides

Free Resources

A growing library of premium references.

Curated reference material for every Organic Chemistry student. Full guides are being written by Mr. Sharma and will appear in the Advanced STEM Library as they are published.

Coming Soon
Resource

Organic Chemistry · Reaction Sheet

Every major reaction from Organic I and II in one organized reference.

Coming Soon
Resource

Organic Chemistry · Mechanism Playbook

The core mechanisms — SN1, SN2, E1, E2, EAS, nucleophilic addition — with worked examples.

Coming Soon
Resource

Organic Chemistry · Stereochemistry Guide

R/S, E/Z, and stereospecific reactions with practice problems.

Coming Soon
Resource

Organic Chemistry · Spectroscopy Guide

IR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR with a fixed problem-solving order.

Coming Soon
Resource

Organic Chemistry · Reagent Guide

Every important reagent and what it does — organized by transformation type.

Coming Soon
Resource

Organic Chemistry · MCAT Organic Study Guide

A calibrated review plan for the organic-chemistry content on the MCAT.

How Mr. Sharma Teaches

A six-step path from first call to full mastery.

Every student follows the same disciplined arc — from an honest starting point to sustained fluency in the material.

  1. Step 01

    Initial Consultation

    A no-pressure conversation about goals, timeline, and current coursework.

  2. Step 02

    Diagnostic Assessment

    A focused diagnostic identifies exactly where each unit of the course stands.

  3. Step 03

    Personalized Learning Plan

    A written plan mapped to the student's timeline, coursework, and academic goals.

  4. Step 04

    Concept Mastery

    Underlying concepts are rebuilt where needed — every skill stands on real understanding.

  5. Step 05

    Guided Problem Solving

    One-on-one whiteboard instruction on every difficult problem type in the course.

  6. Step 06

    Assessment Preparation

    Targeted preparation for school assessments, standardized exams, and course finals.

Study Plans

Four premium tutoring timelines.

Each plan is a starting framework. Every student's actual schedule is customized after the diagnostic assessment.

4-Week

Intensive

Focused refinement for students already at a strong baseline heading into a major assessment.

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8-Week

Standard

Targeted work on the highest-impact units of the course plus consistent problem practice.

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12-Week

Comprehensive

Full concept review, unit-by-unit mastery, and periodic assessment checkpoints.

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Full Year

Mastery

The deepest preparation — foundations rebuilt, every unit mastered, ready for the next course in the sequence.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions families most often ask before beginning tutoring in this subject.

Ready to Begin

One-on-one organic chemistry instruction with Mr. Sharma.

Book a free consultation to discuss your student's current coursework, goals, and timeline. Every plan is built from an honest starting point.

Begin

Start with a focused strategy conversation.

The strategy session is the first step of working together — a focused academic planning and diagnostic conversation used to understand the student before any ongoing academic support begins.

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