My Honest Review of Tim Gan Math as a Former Student

Before JC, I was in the OP stream in secondary school, where learning was very structured. Our teachers practically held our hands through every topic — answers and tutorials were spoon-fed to us, and we never really had to figure things out on our own.

Then I entered Hwa Chong Institution, and everything changed.

JC math was a completely different beast. The pace was fast, the content was dense, and the learning style was highly disciplined and self-directed. Nobody was going to chase you for homework or walk you through every question. You were expected to keep up — and I wasn't keeping up.

My H2 Math grade dropped to an E. I knew I needed help.

I didn't find TGM through an ad or a flashy Instagram post. My friends recommended it to me — and honestly, that word-of-mouth recommendation meant more to me than any marketing ever could.

From my very first lesson, I could tell this was different. Mr Gan was extremely friendly and genuinely happy to help me with my questions. There was no judgement, no "you should already know this" attitude. Just patience and a real willingness to teach.

The biggest surprise? The website and online portal.

Mr Gan has an entire website dedicated to math, with easy access to solutions and video tutorials for practically every topic. I could revisit concepts after class, rewatch explanations, and work through problems at my own pace.

This was something I did not expect. Even top JC tuition centres don't do this. Most tuition is just the weekly lesson and that's it — you're on your own in between. TGM gave me resources I could actually use throughout the week, and that made a huge difference in how quickly I improved.

If I had to describe Mr Gan's teaching style in one word, it would be comfortable.

The classes are relaxed but focused. Mr Gan checks in on his students every five minutes or so — not in a pressuring way, but genuinely making sure everyone is following along. If you're stuck, he'll come over and help. If you're doing fine, he'll let you work.

What I appreciated most was that there was no shame in not knowing an answer. The class environment is jovial and encouraging. Everyone is free to speak up and clarify their doubts without feeling stupid. For someone like me who was struggling and already felt behind, that safe learning environment was everything.

I went from an E to an A in H2 Math.

That's not a typo. And it wasn't magic — it was consistent effort, the right resources, and a tutor who actually cared about whether I understood the material, not just whether I could memorise formulas.

Absolutely. I'd recommend TGM to:

• Any JC student struggling with H2 Math — especially if you're feeling lost and behind your peers
• Students transitioning from a more structured secondary school environment — the JC jump is real, and having the right support makes all the difference
• Anyone who wants to actually enjoy learning math — it sounds unlikely, but the class vibe at TGM genuinely makes it fun

If you're on the fence about whether tuition is worth it, I can only speak from my experience: without TGM, I don't think I would have gotten that A. The combination of Mr Gan's teaching, the online resources, and the supportive class environment gave me exactly what I needed to turn things around.