Just now noticed font size can be increased as well, and color can be altered. |
Sending your child to TJ reduces their chances to go to a top university. |
Student can graduate with just Algebra 2 from base school, without being forced to take calculus. |
TJ culture is very toxic. Lots of cheating activities inside the school. |
Hmm. As a parent member of a student related group . This is not true esp in the current healthy environment. Is your kid currently in TJ? Thanks |
This is mostly false. Sending your child to TJ only reduces their chances to go to a top university if they follow the same path followed by the traditional typical TJ student. That path consists of: - spending your summers either taking TJ summer courses or doing STEM-exclusive internships; - arranging your course schedule to maximize advanced STEM offerings; - limiting your non-iNite 8th period activities to obvious resume-building STEM clubs or the Model UN/Debate track; - participating either in no sports or in individual, low-commitment sports like cross country, track, and swim; - excelling in none of these things relative to the rest of the TJ population. These students will end up competing with 200+ kids from TJ and the rest of Northern Virginia who are all trying to get to the same place in the same way. The kids who end up with the strongest college outcomes from TJ tend to be: - athletes in team sports; - students who invest significantly in a performance or visual art; - students who do something with their summers and extracurriculars that actually helps people; - students who engage themselves in activities for which they have a deep passion, and thus can write about in a compelling manner. Colleges are looking for students who are either going to invest in the school or inspire others to do the same. It's that simple. Students who behave in a transactional manner while they're at TJ are not going to be attractive to an elite school unless they are next-level elite themselves. |
This was the case for most of the 2010s but is getting under control rather quickly through the new admissions process. The old admissions process favored a cutthroat attitude and students/parents who were willing to do whatever it took to get in - and once they got to TJ, would do whatever it took to ensure that their student didn't appear to be struggling. |
Putting things in bold doesn't make them true. They give bonus points for FARMS status, and a very high amount. |
DP. The FCPS website spells it out explicitly: TJ admissions considers “experience factors” in admissions: “ A holistic review will be done of students whose applications demonstrate enhanced merit; 550 seats will then be offered to the highest-evaluated students. Students will be evaluated on their grade point average (GPA); a student portrait sheet where they will be asked to demonstrate Portrait of a Graduate attributes and 21st century skills; a problem-solving essay; and experience factors, including students who are economically disadvantaged, English language learners, or special education students.” Source: https://www.fcps.edu/registration/thomas-jefferson-high-school-science-and-technology-admissions/tjhsst-freshman Further down the page it explains Experience Factors Economically Disadvantaged English Language Learners Special Education 40% of the admissions weight is counted if students have “experience factors.” Stop trying to gaslight people when the data is right on an FCPS page |
Different Equity minion here. good post. but avoid starting your replies with DP, PP,...nonsense. makes us look like wimps. |
+1. I don’t understand why people believe it helps. TJ kids with a 4.3 and 1600 struggle to get into UVA. At your base school, it would be a safety school for your kid. |
My kid is at TJ - new admissions process. He says cheating is rampant. Kids take pictures of exam problems and share with others who have not yet taken the exam. A whole group of kids have As just based on cheating. Its common knowledge to all - even the administration - but they just turn a blind eye |
Of course, admit lower math students and leave them no choice but to cheat. This was happening before admissions change and after change it grew exponentially. |
Yet, an envious base school parent cant stop talking about TJ. |
PP was right about the admissions struggle. If you have a kid at TJ, feel free to look at the stats for yourself in Naviance. |