02-05

We’re real. And we know the world takes greater notice of those with degrees, masters and doctorates.

Our purpose is to get you there. To learn, experience and see the world of different cultures, languages and values. Everything useful that you may bring home to contribute, influence and lead an industry or community, on your own terms.

We’ve been doing this since 2010. We remain a small, niche and relatively modest outfit, driven to contribute to a more progressive, open-minded and kind generations to come.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Benjamin Eqbal

THE OTHER DIRECTOR Efi Eqbal

MATH WIZARD Carl Wong

OUR GURU Dr Yunus Yasin

Ben developed the foundation of Benefit Prep programs through years of experience. He’s taught in three continents of the world over 29 years; and the last 14 were spent in Southeast Asia. Cambridge-trained and well-travelled, his start in life was actually not that easy. He grew up with learning difficulties and it wasn’t until he was 47 that he was diagnosed having Aspergers, but of the high functioning kind. He’s sometimes funny when he doesn’t mean to be, and he’ll speak plainly. But you’ll know the brutal truth is what will set you in the right path towards fulfilling your life aspirations. His teaching styles and materials continually evolve, as does his sense of humour. Ben is the go-to guy on deconstructing test-taking strategies, methods and techniques. Besides being a husband and father to seven furbabies, he’s also a closet deejay and salsa aficionado.

Efi’s essentially a writer although she’s qualified in Fine Arts. Somewhere along the way, she realised painting and writing weren’t enough to pay bills. Her first order of business was to gain experience in what happens behind-the-scenes of successful businesses. She went into marketing research which helped develop her analytical and creative thinking skills. She moved on to becoming a consulting generalist in creatives & content development, marketing & public relations, strategic communications, among other stuff. She guides our panel of editors worldwide to help our test prep community members craft authentic admissions essays. Efi is also a member of the International Federation of Practicing Aromatherapists (IFPA); designs jewellery; and continues to paint when she’s not concocting yet another pet-safe serum.

Carl graduated from Nottingham-Trent University in the UK, with a double major in math and electronic engineering. Yes, that’s where Robinhood is from. And yes, Carl is quite the genius. Besides counting and crushing and cracking formulas, his greatest hobby is collecting fountain pens. His current favourite writing instrument is a gold-plated Jin Hao luxury pen. Just like Amex, he never leaves home without it. More recently, he developed a passion for growing beansprouts. We must say, it looks and tastes crunchily fantastic.

Dr Yunus has a PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Cambridge, UK. That’s where Sir Richard Attenborough was born. Yunus returned to Malaysia and worked as a researcher with SIRIM Berhad and then became a VP at Khazanah Nasional. Unable to shake off his passion in education, he moved on to set up the Association of Science, Technology & Innovation (ASTI). Now, 18 years on, the NGO that has been promoting math and sciences among Malaysian school children through its science, innovation and entrepreneurship projects and events, has reached international recognition. The founding president is an award-winning scientist, whose team was honoured by the British Biological Science Research Council for Entrepreneurship. He’s also an active think-tanker in sustainable development, community advancement, a trainer, writer and consultant. But truthfully, he’s a poet at heart.

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