Bret H.

Bret's research career spans multiple disciplines and institutions. As an undergraduate research fellow at Bucknell, he spent four years optimizing climate change models. In recognition of his promise as a researcher in the natural sciences, he was awarded a Goldwater Scholarship, one of the most prestigious national undergraduate scholarships in the sciences. He was also inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and the Phi Sigma Biological Honors Society and received the Bucknell Presidential Fellowship, the most prestigious scholarship offered by the university, awarded to the top 1% of applicants. After graduating, Bret served as Epigenetics Program Coordinator at the Steadman Philippon Research Institute. 

With an interest in medicine, he transitioned to researching potential therapeutics for rare forms of retinal degeneration at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Subsequently, he was awarded a Fulbright Grant to New Zealand, where he investigated the mechanisms underlying a rare genetic disease, Meckel Syndrome, at the University of Otago. Bret’s research has been published in JSES Reviews, Reports and Techniques, The Spine Journal, the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, and other publications. 

Bret's path into tutoring began during his undergraduate years, when he led study groups and tutored pre-med coursework across the sciences. That experience gave him a strong sense of how to meet students where they are and adapt explanations to different learning styles. As an MCAT tutor, Bret draws on his scientific training, knowledge of MCAT study materials, and experience with the exam to provide relevant, up-to-date guidance.

Bret’s approach to tutoring has students undergo a detailed strategy of content review, incremental repetition to retain new information, and guided practice to highlight weak points. He allows students to drive tutoring sessions and provides in-depth but approachable explanations to help them progress toward their goal score. Bret is skilled at breaking down the study-style passages the MCAT favors, highlighting the critical information, and clarifying the logic underlying the correct answer. Bret is excited to guide students through the MCAT prep process.