Older TJ kids: is there regret w/college app results

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know how people talk about fit being really important for colleges? That is basically how DC thinks about their choice to go to TJ. Would HS have been easier at our base school? Sure. Would DC have stuck out more vs been like top 25/30% at TJ? Probably (we are at a mid range base HS not Langley). But TJ was just “DC’s people” and precisely the right fit.

And while #WeCameForTheSports is used tongue in cheek DC did get to be varsity on their sports team that they almost certainly would not have made at our base school. DC was recruited to swim at a D3 SLAC and happily ED’d with merit there.

DC had understood since at least 10th that the college path is harder from TJ but always thought it was worth the trade off for the TJ experience. Our family was never one gunning for Ivy though - if you are then stay at the base unless your kid is that super driven too 10% at TJ kind of kid.

What kind of merit? How much?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The school tells people not to go there if you want to go to top schools, there is too much competition. If you really want 0ne of the top 25 schools, go to your base school. I have an 8th grader applying for TJ and we have discussed this with him. It will come up again if he is accepted at TJ.

+1 agree. Even after all the selection changes (including over years). The top 20% (~100 students) will be very competitive and they will be taking over the limited slots at the T20/T30's. If you are not in top 20% the chances of getting to top colleges are lower from TJ.

The 50th percentile at TJ might get into UVA. The same student will be top 5% or higher at their base school and will likely get into UVA

My fav TJ-parent belief: my kid would have been top x% had kid gone to the base school. Never change, please!! ❤️

And yet, it is true that for college admissions it is better to be top 20% at a base HS than bottom 50% at TJ. Some highly capable students stay at their base school for this reason.

The other reality is that many at TJ are really targeting Medical School, and are not targeting a STEM career.

Yes…but TJ parents truly believe had their kids gone to the base HS they absolutely would have been at the top there. I think being bottom 50% at any HS is a recipe for failure for a highly rejective school.

Because for the most part this is true. Exceptions sure but most TJ kids would rank higher at their base school than they do at TJ just given the nature of the magnet school and the harsh reality that there can only be half of any class in the top 50%.

Thank you!! Again, don’t stop!!! The only way you are right is if the nearly all the mid ranked TJ students are brilliant and the essentially all the base top students are dummies and/or only appear bright bc of grade inflation.

Only one of these (the former) needs to be true, and not even "brilliant" but just "very smart and hardworking".

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of things to consider when deciding to attend TJ. Time on a bus and college choices are two of the cons for my kid if they are accepted. Challenging classes and a cohort of strong, academically motivated students are pros that they have discussed. I suspect that comfort level in a new place plays a role for a lot of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The TJ name and network helps get college internships which helps you get your first full time job. It's very beneficial.

No question for first job things like that can be influential. That is not what is the topic of this discussion. It’s like going to a no name college or grad school absolutely can matter for a first job but after that, they are looking at your experience.

Fun fact: getting a decent internship or first job because of TJ then helps with the next job.

For example my sibling got a clerkship with a judge based on the TJ name (not even in the DC area!), and that clerkship was a resume bullet point for the firm after law school, which in turn got the next job, and the next, and so on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TJ kids frequently say that college felt easy for them compared to many peers there. In other words, they felt extremely well-prepared, less stressed in the weed-out engineering classes, etc. Met prerequisites for higher level college classes more easily. And the TJ networking thing is real; TJ alums definitely post on alumni sites about job opportunities, connections. Also, TJ students are not all socially awkward— what they have going for them is the ability to form connections with both awkward introverts and cool kids. (TJ kids become very tolerant of quirkiness even if not quirky themselves. This is a good skill to have in life and in many workplaces.
Yes, getting into UVA, UMich, UNC will be harder and some safeties will reject TJ kids to protect their yield. But many TJ kids will get into top 10, 20, Ivies, etc. I also think TJ gets more in through regular decision…once the dust settles most TJ kids have gotten into top schools.

This was so true when I was there. Not only that, but for the less socially adept kids their social skills became substantially better because they were in their element. I always assumed having a smaller peer group at the base school would have been harder for those of us who were less socially adept, and we would have learned fewer social skills.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why you’d want a “great” HS experience but a lower named/ranked school unless it was the kid’s choice (turned down an ivy for a full ride at uva).

Because a job might care about what college you attend, they won’t care about what HS you attend. Most people have no clue about TJ but they know Harvard or MIT.

Buahaha, that's what you think. TJ got me every job I ever had. I know lawyers who got clerkships based on TJ (yes, layered on top of whatever law school). Yeah maybe TJ's reach is more geographically limited, but lots of people know TJ.

It's really amazing how many people think coming here to trash TJ or going to the private school forum to trash specific top tier privates will make other kids turn these schools down and give their kids a better chance. People - not enough applicants read your DCUM post, then think, "Huh, maybe I won't go there after all" for your kid to get in.

Did you put TJ on your resume? Or was it just connections, like any other high school?

DP

I went to stuyvesant so it's a bi6t of a different animal because it's been around longer so the older folks have heard of it. A lot of managing directors have never heard of TJ but I assume that TJ is better kbnown these days.
Early in my career, I put my high school on my resume. By early I mean until I was 30. It was down near the bottom near the "adept at excel and powerpoint" line but it was there and it almost always came up at some point in the interview process.
They didn't necessarily go to Stuy but they understood what it meant.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why you’d want a “great” HS experience but a lower named/ranked school unless it was the kid’s choice (turned down an ivy for a full ride at uva).

Because a job might care about what college you attend, they won’t care about what HS you attend. Most people have no clue about TJ but they know Harvard or MIT.

Buahaha, that's what you think. TJ got me every job I ever had. I know lawyers who got clerkships based on TJ (yes, layered on top of whatever law school). Yeah maybe TJ's reach is more geographically limited, but lots of people know TJ.

It's really amazing how many people think coming here to trash TJ or going to the private school forum to trash specific top tier privates will make other kids turn these schools down and give their kids a better chance. People - not enough applicants read your DCUM post, then think, "Huh, maybe I won't go there after all" for your kid to get in.

How would an adult (after college) job know about your HS (name, gpa, ap scores etc)?

People who went to nationally renowned high schools often leave it on their LinkedIn "education" section.

This is irrelevant for adults. What employer is going to be impressed with a high school that someone graduated from years before? No one is looking at a Penn State grad and saying but he went to TJ nor is someone looking at a Harvard grad thinking wow he also went to TJ. They are looking at your last school/last accomplishments/last job, etc. If those kids go off to college and do amazing things there, that is what gets jobs OR connections get jobs.

Trust me, I didn't believe it either. But I was making fun of my colleague for keeping Exeter in his LinkedIn profile. He insists he's made many connections through Exeter and specifically from Exeter connections on LinkedIn messaging him. I think for high schools with a national or international reputation, it might make a difference. Schools like Andover, Exeter, TJ, Stuyvesant, Lowell. All others, I agree with you.

It makes zero difference for TJ.

LOL then why does the managing partner at a big law firm unsolicitedly talk about her TJ experience? Presumably because it's something she actually cares about. And she has a lot of influence over a lot of highly desirable jobs.

Look, I have no dog in this fight. I went to a crappy high school.

And another partner could value Oakton grads or Yorktown grads bc he/she went there. Impressive would be countless employers who did NOT go to TJ seeking out TJ grads.

Slightly different scenario but I was interviewing while attending NYU law school and the question "where are you from" invariably comes up and then if they are familiar with the locality they ask where did you go to high school because your interviewer is also trying to make a connection. When I said Stuyvesant, they called in another partner and we talked for a bit and we all went to lunch together. I'm not saying i wouldn't have gotten the job without the high school connection but the high school came up and it reflected positively on me that I went to Stuyvesant.

But again, note that it's a "you went to the same high school as me" thing, not a "you went to a high school that I am impressed by despite never having gone there myself" thing.

Confusing the former for the latter is how end up thinking TAMU is a top tier university.

This is not true. I am not sure what TJ can do for you but I know that stuyvesant carries a significant signalling effect that can move the needle for people that didn't go to stuy. I suspect TJ has a similar signalling effect. Some high schools matter enough to keep on your resume for most of your young adult life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why you’d want a “great” HS experience but a lower named/ranked school unless it was the kid’s choice (turned down an ivy for a full ride at uva).

Because a job might care about what college you attend, they won’t care about what HS you attend. Most people have no clue about TJ but they know Harvard or MIT.

Buahaha, that's what you think. TJ got me every job I ever had. I know lawyers who got clerkships based on TJ (yes, layered on top of whatever law school). Yeah maybe TJ's reach is more geographically limited, but lots of people know TJ.

It's really amazing how many people think coming here to trash TJ or going to the private school forum to trash specific top tier privates will make other kids turn these schools down and give their kids a better chance. People - not enough applicants read your DCUM post, then think, "Huh, maybe I won't go there after all" for your kid to get in.

Did you put TJ on your resume? Or was it just connections, like any other high school?

DP

I went to stuyvesant so it's a bi6t of a different animal because it's been around longer so the older folks have heard of it. A lot of managing directors have never heard of TJ but I assume that TJ is better kbnown these days.
Early in my career, I put my high school on my resume. By early I mean until I was 30. It was down near the bottom near the "adept at excel and powerpoint" line but it was there and it almost always came up at some point in the interview process.
They didn't necessarily go to Stuy but they understood what it meant.

First quoted PP here, and yes I did. But then again, I haven't job hunted since I was just a few years out of college. Were I to hit the job market again now, it would be pretty weird to have TJ on the resume. At the time it was a topic of conversation in interviews, but there wasn't much else to talk about. My college was utterly no-name in my field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of things to consider when deciding to attend TJ. Time on a bus and college choices are two of the cons for my kid if they are accepted. Challenging classes and a cohort of strong, academically motivated students are pros that they have discussed. I suspect that comfort level in a new place plays a role for a lot of kids.

This is an often overlooked component of going to a place like TJ.

TJ shuffles the deck. Everyone is new.

Your ability to navigate new environments is developed in these ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The TJ name and network helps get college internships which helps you get your first full time job. It's very beneficial.

No question for first job things like that can be influential. That is not what is the topic of this discussion. It’s like going to a no name college or grad school absolutely can matter for a first job but after that, they are looking at your experience.

Fun fact: getting a decent internship or first job because of TJ then helps with the next job.

For example my sibling got a clerkship with a judge based on the TJ name (not even in the DC area!), and that clerkship was a resume bullet point for the firm after law school, which in turn got the next job, and the next, and so on.

Fun Fact: That’s entirely different from the second job and third and fourth being bc the non TJ grad hiring individual is impressed with the fact that a kid went to TJ 5+ years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why you’d want a “great” HS experience but a lower named/ranked school unless it was the kid’s choice (turned down an ivy for a full ride at uva).

Because a job might care about what college you attend, they won’t care about what HS you attend. Most people have no clue about TJ but they know Harvard or MIT.

Buahaha, that's what you think. TJ got me every job I ever had. I know lawyers who got clerkships based on TJ (yes, layered on top of whatever law school). Yeah maybe TJ's reach is more geographically limited, but lots of people know TJ.

It's really amazing how many people think coming here to trash TJ or going to the private school forum to trash specific top tier privates will make other kids turn these schools down and give their kids a better chance. People - not enough applicants read your DCUM post, then think, "Huh, maybe I won't go there after all" for your kid to get in.

Did you put TJ on your resume? Or was it just connections, like any other high school?

DP

I went to stuyvesant so it's a bi6t of a different animal because it's been around longer so the older folks have heard of it. A lot of managing directors have never heard of TJ but I assume that TJ is better kbnown these days.
Early in my career, I put my high school on my resume. By early I mean until I was 30. It was down near the bottom near the "adept at excel and powerpoint" line but it was there and it almost always came up at some point in the interview process.
They didn't necessarily go to Stuy but they understood what it meant.

First quoted PP here, and yes I did. But then again, I haven't job hunted since I was just a few years out of college. Were I to hit the job market again now, it would be pretty weird to have TJ on the resume. At the time it was a topic of conversation in interviews, but there wasn't much else to talk about. My college was utterly no-name in my field.

This is exactly normal and what one would suspect to be true. Saying anything different makes me think the TJ grads continue to live in the past and without humility.

TJ -> let’s say Penn State - > 26 years old would be odd that TJ is discussed except maybe “oh what was THAT like?” Not wow, TJ????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The TJ name and network helps get college internships which helps you get your first full time job. It's very beneficial.

No question for first job things like that can be influential. That is not what is the topic of this discussion. It’s like going to a no name college or grad school absolutely can matter for a first job but after that, they are looking at your experience.

Fun fact: getting a decent internship or first job because of TJ then helps with the next job.

For example my sibling got a clerkship with a judge based on the TJ name (not even in the DC area!), and that clerkship was a resume bullet point for the firm after law school, which in turn got the next job, and the next, and so on.

Fun Fact: That’s entirely different from the second job and third and fourth being bc the non TJ grad hiring individual is impressed with the fact that a kid went to TJ 5+ years ago.

Sure, TJ is no Harvard (nor is it Andover/Exeter). However people on here are acting like TJ has no impact on career and that's not demonstrably not true.

[Anonymous]

"the less socially adept kids their social skills became substantially better because they were in their element"

This was my kid's experience. And she was able to do some things I don't think she would have w/o that greater comfort level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The TJ name and network helps get college internships which helps you get your first full time job. It's very beneficial.

No question for first job things like that can be influential. That is not what is the topic of this discussion. It’s like going to a no name college or grad school absolutely can matter for a first job but after that, they are looking at your experience.

Fun fact: getting a decent internship or first job because of TJ then helps with the next job.

For example my sibling got a clerkship with a judge based on the TJ name (not even in the DC area!), and that clerkship was a resume bullet point for the firm after law school, which in turn got the next job, and the next, and so on.

Fun Fact: That’s entirely different from the second job and third and fourth being bc the non TJ grad hiring individual is impressed with the fact that a kid went to TJ 5+ years ago.

Sure, TJ is no Harvard (nor is it Andover/Exeter). However people on here are acting like TJ has no impact on career and that's not demonstrably not true.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The TJ name and network helps get college internships which helps you get your first full time job. It's very beneficial.

No question for first job things like that can be influential. That is not what is the topic of this discussion. It’s like going to a no name college or grad school absolutely can matter for a first job but after that, they are looking at your experience.

Fun fact: getting a decent internship or first job because of TJ then helps with the next job.

For example my sibling got a clerkship with a judge based on the TJ name (not even in the DC area!), and that clerkship was a resume bullet point for the firm after law school, which in turn got the next job, and the next, and so on.

Fun Fact: That’s entirely different from the second job and third and fourth being bc the non TJ grad hiring individual is impressed with the fact that a kid went to TJ 5+ years ago.

Sure, TJ is no Harvard (nor is it Andover/Exeter). However people on here are acting like TJ has no impact on career and that's not demonstrably not true.

I don’t recall anyone saying this. I recall people saying going to TJ freshman thru senior year of HS is not helpful for your career as an adult after your first job unless it is someone related to TJ, in which case replace the TJ with any connection to the hiring person and it’s the same advantage.