Meet Valentin Kostov, PhD Tutoring
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Teaching and Tutoring Qualifications
- 6 years teaching College courses in General Education Math, Algebra, Calculus, Statistics and Physics at City Colleges of Chicago
- 6 years Math and Physics College Core Tutor at The University of Chicago
- 15 years tutoring Math and Physics from grade school to college level
- maximal scores on GRE quantitative (math) and GRE Physics
- Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics, 2010, University of Chicago
- represented Bulgaria at two International Physics Olympiads (1990 and 1991) with a Bronze medal at the second
My Story and Expertise
High School
I am Bulgarian. In my home town, I attended a mathematical high school where I met my Physics teacher, Teodosi Teodosiev, who is the person most responsible for my scientific orientation. He is well known in Bulgaria – his pupils often represent the country at International Physics Olympiads, as I did twice, in 1990 (in Groningen, Netherlands) and 1991 (in Havana, Cuba), with a bronze medal at the second. Training for these Olympiads involves solving of thousands of problems at college level and beyond which really contributes to my expertise as a Math and Physics tutor nowadays. It is like having a huge database in my head of solved problems and when a student asks me a question I can instantly see the most efficient path of solution.
Sofia University
After high school, I enrolled in Sofia University (Bulgaria) and graduated in 1996 with a Masters degree in Laser Physics. Consequently, I spent two years at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, three years at Ohio State University (I worked in a High Energy Particle Physics group, associated with Fermilab), and finally transferred to the University of Chicago in 2003.
GRE test scores
In 2002 I took with a maximal score the GRE Physics test, which mainly revolves around college level physics and a little graduate level. My result put me in the top 3% of all test takers all over the world. I also took the GRE General test with a maximal score on the Quantitative/Math section. My test scores are testaments of the quality of Math and Physics tutoring I can provide.
The University of Chicago
In 2010, I graduated from the University of Chicago with a Ph.D. degree in Theoretical Physics. My studies there involved application of the General Theory of Relativity (Einstein’s theory of gravity) to Dark Energy, which is the most important problem in contemporary Cosmology. The Einstein equations usually appear as an extremely convoluted system of nonlinear partial differential equations. The question how to approach such systems is at the cutting edge of contemporary mathematics – a general method of solution does not exist. Laborious guessing, trial and error is what works very rarely and I am proud to have derived my own particular solution of the Einstein equations. Unfortunately, it was deemed “too mathematical” and was not included in my Ph.D. dissertation.
Ph.D. Thesis on Dark Energy
My Ph.D. thesis investigated how the observed cosmological voids (vast spaces in the Universe devoid of galaxies) influence our conclusions about Dark Energy. According to the current dominating Cosmological theory, Dark Energy is a mysterious component of the Universe that comprises 75% of its mass/energy. We infer its presence by its gravitational influence on the Universe expansion. Identifying the physical source of Dark Energy remains the most important unsolved problem of contemporary Cosmology.
A dominating component that permeates space everywhere but cannot be directly explained or detected is as believable as a suspect without an alibi in a major crime. Explaining or refuting Dark Matter and Dark Energy is the most pertinent task of Cosmology nowadays and whoever succeeds in it would get the Nobel Prize in Physics, once or twice …
City Colleges of Chicago
From 2012 to 2017, I was a college instructor at City Colleges of Chicago, where I taught various math courses, such as General Education Math (Symbolic Logic, Combinatorics, Probability, Financial Math), Algebra, Statistics, Calculus, and Physics. My students appreciated my teaching style and mastery of the material. I enjoyed inspiring my students to overcome their fear of math and to explore more advanced math topics that they had previously avoided. I was proud to see many of them progress to higher level math classes and achieve their academic goals.
Why Choose Valentin kostov Ph.D. tutoring
Unique Benefits
01
Customized Approach
Tailored tutoring to address your specific learning needs and accelerate your academic growth.
02
Extensive Experience
Over 15 years of tutoring excellence, enhancing student performance and test scores significantly. Instructor level familiarity with all online course platforms.
03
Specialized Knowledge
PhD in Theoretical Physics and 6 years of College teaching experience in Math, Algebra, Calculus, Statistics, Physics and Standardized Tests.