Chemistry is a challenging subject. Many students resort to memorizing formulas and hoping to plug in a number to receive the answer - and do well on tests. Oftentimes the teacher will change the question - especially on application problems, where the student will get stuck, result in poor grades.
Memorizing steps and equations doesn’t work in chemistry. You need to start with the foundation (such as naming compounds and balancing equations). The next step is to understand the concept and know how to apply to specific problems. Then the next step is to go through a variety of application problems and learn important problem-solving skills. These are all situation-based questions that you will encounter on your chemistry tests and exams.
Chemistry Tutor, QEA
Dev is graduated with a science degree at York University, current enrolled in dental school. Dev had been tutoring students at QEA for over 4 years.
Graduate with Master Degree major in Chemistry, McMaster University Canada
4+ years of teaching experience at university level chemistry as a TA including experience in teaching QE students on IB HL and SL.
We build founation on chemistry knowledge for students attending Mississauga’s most competitive secondary schools, including John Fraser, Glenforest (IB), and St. Francis Xavier. Our 2026 curriculum is strictly aligned with PDSB and DPCDSB standards, ensuring mastery of the 'Thinking and Application' logic required for Grade 11 (SCH3U) and Grade 12 (SCH4U). We focus on concept understanding and tackling complex application test problems —the core skills needed for high-stakes Engineering and Health Science university admissions."
IB & SciTech: Specialized Chemistry prep for Glenforest, St. Francis Xavier, and Port Credit Secondary.
Mississauga Programs: Targeted enrichment for students at Cawthra Park, John Fraser, and Loyola Catholic.
Private Schools Tutoring: Advanced Grade 11-12 support for students from Mentor College and Holy Name of Mary.
admitted to
Queen's Commerce
admitted to
Waterloo Engineering
admitted to
Queen's Commerce
admitted to
Western Engineering
| Feature | Grade 11 Chemistry (SCH3U) | Grade 12 Chemistry (SCH4U) |
|---|---|---|
| Core Focus | Advanced Theory & Chemical Systems | Foundations & Quantitative Chemistry |
| Primary Math Skill | Algebra & The Mole Concept | Logarithms & Rates of Change |
| Key Units | Solutions, Solubility, & Stoichiometry | Organic Chem, Kinetics, & Equilibrium |
| Difficulty Level | Building Logic & Lab Techniques | High-Level Application & Analysis |
| University Path | Required for all Science/Nursing | Required for Engineering & Health Science |
| Mississauga Focus | Prep for Grade 12 success | Achieving 90%+ for Top-Tier Admissions |
We focus on understanding of chemistry concepts and not memorizing. We have a structured approach with lessons teaching to the students based on his school curriculum. We also teach concepts plus application problems, to help students to achieve in their tests and exams.
Learn chemistry concepts with QEA chemistry tutors in Mississauga
At Queen Elizabeth Academy, we don't just "tutor"—we provide an elite academic bridge for students attending Mississauga’s most competitive secondary programs. Our 2026 curriculum is meticulously aligned with the PDSB (Peel District School Board) and the DPCDSB standards, ensuring that our students are not just keeping up, but leading their classes.
Mississauga is home to some of the most rigorous STEM and enriched programs in Ontario. We provide tailored mentorship for students enrolled in:
SciTech & IBT Programs: Specialized support for the Science and Technology programs at Port Credit SS and Chinguacousy SS, as well as the International Business and Technology (IBT) tracks.
Admitted to Yale University
Graduated with Master Degree major in Science, University of Toronto
Major in chemistry
6 years of teaching experience including university level and IB
Major in chemistry
4 years of teaching experience including university level and IB
Queen's University, Canada
Major in chemistry
4 years of teaching experience including university level and IB
Queen's University, Canada
Major in chemistry
3+ years of teaching experience including university level and high school level chemistry
When it comes to chemistry 11, it is a challenging subject for a lot of students. It is a combination of calculation and theory. Many students either don’t understand the concept enough to apply it, or they aren’t good in math to carry through the calculation. This is why they find chemistry difficult.
Understand the foundation knowledge before you start chemistry 11. There are two major components you need to know in grade 10 carrying to grade 11. They are nomenclature (compound naming) and balancing equations. If you have gaps in those, you will lose marks throughout the course, because almost every test questions require you to name the compound, and balance the equation to start any calculation. At QEA, our first tutoring lesson is always going through these foundational skills.
When it comes to complex calculations in chemistry 11, like stoichiometry, draw a flow chart to show the steps. It is important for you to organize your steps, because there are lots of them. We are talking about the application questions. And sometimes they can change, depending on the question. So it is important to put a flow chart on the major step and understand why you perform this step, and what you are getting out of each step. In our tutoring lessons, we teach these, so you can understand and organize them. This tip is very effective for a lot of my students who score above 90%+.
Chemistry 12 is designed for students who are going into life science, nursing and engineering. It is a preparation course for first year chemistry and therefore, it is much more difficult than chemistry 11.
The toughest part of chemistry 12 is the application questions and the complexity of the concepts. also, the sections of chemistry 12 are interdependent and you may not learn a concept if you have already missed the previous chapters. Moreover, math plays a key role. Therefore, your math skills will determine your learning capacity in chemistry 12.
Chemistry 12 is difficult because of the calculations, they are very complicated and usually the solutions take 1-2 pages. It is very essential to have a strong math foundation. You have to master the math skills you need for some of the calculation heavy units like enthalpy and equilibrium. What math skills do you need? You will need Ratio, Fractions, Quadratics and Algebra, like rearranging equations. These may seem like grade 10 or 11 math, but missing this foundation will cause you to lose a lot of marks on your tests, like making an error on one step will propagate into the next one, and you end up getting the whole page of solution wrong. QEA chemistry tutors will help you avoid these pitfalls.
Chemistry 12 is different from chemistry 11, in that there is a huge variety of application problems. These are scenario based problems that you have to dissect the question and take many steps to derive your solution. In chemistry 12, it is harder, in that you need to first analyze the question to manipulate your equations before you enter any calculation.
How do you tackle application / thinking problems in chemistry 12?
Learn scenario based problem solving techniques in SCH4U
There is no short cut for this. There are just too much variety so the only way is to practice many different types of application questions, to the point that you can analyze them on the spot. QEA chemistry tutors will provide a huge amount of application thinking problems to our students. This is very essential to succeed in this course.
To inquire QE tutoring for chemistry: 905 257 9009
This course enables students to deepen their understanding of chemistry through the study of the properties of chemicals and chemical bonds; chemical reactions and quantitative relationships in those reactions; solutions and solubility; and an atmospheric chemistry and the behavior of gases. Students will further develop their analytical skills and investigate the qualitative and quantitative properties of matter, as well as the impact of some common chemical reactions on society and the environment.
In Grade 11, chemistry, students will be acquainted with both theoretical and technical knowledge. And they must be grounded in both areas to do well in the course. You`ll find that there are more calculations and equations in grade 11 chemistry. This means that you need a solid background in math to do well. However, chemistry in grade 11 chemistry isn`t so challenging. Besides, it's a good way to see if chemistry or sciences will be a great choice for you in the university.
In Grade 11 Chemistry, you will be presented with both theoretical and technical knowledge. And to do well in the course, you must be very good at both. There are lots of calculations to be done, but that doesn`t mean the course is particularly difficult. Perhaps, the biggest benefit here is that and the course allows you to weigh the possibility of pursuing chemistry, or science more generally, in the future.
Here`s a piece of good advice: make sure you have an understanding of Nomenclature as well as how to balance equations in grade 10 science before starting grade 11 chemistry. You really don't want to miss those two courses!
When you get to the calculations in the course, make sure to lay out all the steps one after the other. You may use a flow chart, with each box indicating your result for each step. Examples, in this case, include the values for mass of a chemical, volume of a gas, or the number of particles in a substance. This is a good way to make problem-solving much easier.
SCH4U Chemistry Grade 12 is one of the most important Science courses in grade 12 for university admission
This course enables students to deepen their understanding of chemistry through the study of organic chemistry, the structure and properties of matter, energy changes and rates of reaction, equilibrium in chemical systems, and electrochemistry. Students will further develop their problem-solving and investigation skills as they investigate chemical processes, and will refine their ability to communicate scientific information. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of chemistry in everyday life and on evaluating the impact of chemical technology on the environment.
Grade 12 Chemistry is one of the most challenging courses in Ontario high schools, and it's the same with Physics. As with typical chemistry problems, many of the questions are based on possible outcomes since Chemistry deals with so many diverse elements (e.g., what is the product of reacting chemical X with Y).
Many students are not familiar with this type of problem-solving strategy, so they prefer step-based or formulaic-based problems. But science students cannot escape this in the university, so they'll have to learn the skills.
The complexity of the concepts in Grade 12 Chemistry is high and may sometimes be frustrating. They include enthalpy, orbitals, equilibrium, and organic nomenclature, which most chemistry students usually find tasking.
A vital tip to remember when studying chemistry is not to allow yourself to become lost in details. There's always a ‘big picture’ concept in any given unit, so keep an eye out for that. To help you visualize these concepts, it's a good idea to organize your work into a flow chart. This strategy displays the essential concepts and how they're connected one to another. As a result, you'll be able to handle tests much better.
Always try to understand the “why” behind every concept you encounter or the reason a concept is essential instead of merely memorizing things. For example, the boiling point of an organic compound reflects the strength of the intermolecular force of attraction holding its molecules together. A good grasp of these concepts will help you adapt to situational problems in chemistry.
In taking high school chemistry course, here are the topics covered:
SCH3U Grade 11 Chemistry Curriculum at a glance
SCH4U Ministry Curriculum breakdown
Welcome to join us: Chemistry tutoring Mississauga
QE chemistry tutoring explains the concept in a way your child can understand, and build his or her foundation of understanding. This is the basis to achieve higher grades in chemistry.
QE chemistry tutoring is a lesson based tutoring. This means we actively teach the lesson and go through the problems step by step.
At QEA, our rates are very profitable for Chemistry Tutors and we provide a lot more values on the rate we charge. We bring out the best in our students with our well structured activities. Our tutors are their coach, acting as a model for academic success.
Chemistry is cumulative, which means if you fall behind, your problem will persist and drag further behind if you wait. It's better to have a professional tutor from QEA to clarify your misunderstanding, tackle the key application problems. This will save you time, drive your performance, and help you to achieve higher grade. It will reduce so much stress from you.
Contact QEA! Our team is expanding and we welcome talented people and top academic achievers to join us!
QE is Ministry accredited, which means we offer high school courses. We know the curriculum of each subject inside-out. We know what foundation building block is important leading to the next grade. As we have worked with 5,000+ students over the past 9 years, we are familiar with the common weakness and challenge they face on each subject. Therefore, we focus on what matters most to achieve success. Our students were admitted to top universities: Waterloo, Laurier, Queen's, Western, McGill with scholarship from $2,000 to $50,000.
Come to QEA! Our Chemistry tutoring team is very experienced, where their average tenure is 3 years. We don't switch tutors in and out, unlike our competitors, because they never have a stable team of good tutors.
Chemistry tutors in Mississauga are available throughout the week, including weekends, with flexible hours tailored to meet students' schedules.
Yes, tutors in Mississauga offer chemistry tutoring for all levels, including high school (including IB and AP courses) and college.
Many tutors in Mississauga hold advanced degrees in chemistry or related fields and have several years of teaching experience.
Yes, many tutors offer online as well as in-person tutoring sessions, giving flexibility to meet the needs of different students.
Tutors use a variety of teaching methods including hands-on experiments, problem-solving sessions, and detailed explanations of complex concepts to ensure understanding.
Yes, most tutoring services offer customized sessions that are tailored to the individual needs of the student to help them meet their specific academic goals.
Some tutors and tutoring centers offer group sessions which can be a cost-effective way of receiving tutoring while also interacting with peers.
You can find qualified tutors through tutoring websites, local tutoring centers, and educational institutions in Mississauga.
Look for tutors with strong educational backgrounds, experience, positive reviews from past students, and teaching methods that align with the student's learning style.
Many tutors offer the first lesson for free or at a reduced rate, allowing you and your tutor to determine if it’s the right fit.
Session lengths can vary but typically last from one to two hours, based on the student's needs and concentration ability.
The duration can vary widely depending on the student's goals, ranging from a few sessions for exam preparation to ongoing support throughout the school year.
Yes, many tutors can provide guidance on laboratory techniques and help with understanding experimental procedures and results.
Reputable tutors stay updated with the latest curriculum changes to ensure they are providing relevant and current information.
Billing policies can vary; however, most tutors charge on a per-session basis, with invoices typically issued weekly or monthly.
Yes, in many cases, tutoring services can be claimed as an educational expense on taxes, and some costs may also be covered by certain insurance plans.
Most tutoring services offer the flexibility to change tutors if you are not satisfied with your initial choice.
Yes, tutors can help students understand and complete their chemistry homework assignments effectively.
Many tutors have access to past test papers and practice tests which can be used to help students prepare for exams.
You can schedule sessions directly with the tutor or through the tutoring service they are affiliated with, often via online platforms or phone.
Yes, personalized tutoring is aimed at improving understanding and performance in chemistry, which can lead to better grades.
Many students see significant improvements in their understanding and grades as a result of personalized tutoring.
Yes, many tutors and tutoring centers offer intensive review sessions or boot camps specifically designed to prepare students for upcoming exams.
The frequency of sessions should be based on your academic needs and goals, with more frequent sessions often recommended leading up to exams.
Yes, specialized chemistry tutors can help prepare students for the chemistry sections of standardized tests.
Many tutors offer flexible scheduling to accommodate last-minute study sessions before exams.
Progress is typically tracked through regular assessments and feedback sessions with the tutor.
One-on-one tutoring provides personalized attention and tailored instruction, which can lead to more effective learning, while group sessions can facilitate discussion and provide different perspectives on the material.
Yes, experienced tutors can help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical applications, enhancing overall comprehension and skill in chemistry.
The tutoring landscape in Mississauga is continually evolving with more focus on interactive and technology-enhanced learning environments to meet the diverse needs of students.
