TJ teachers

[Anonymous]

My kid got into both TJ and AOS and we are at a decision point. My main concern is that I have heard from more than a few TJ parents that the teachers at TJ are not really that great. They don’t teach much and just let the students study by themselves. To certain extent, they are “spoiled” by the smart students, and all they need to do is to prepare hard quizzes. The TJ experience is mainly an experience of fierce competition among a bunch of very competitive kids.

1. Are TJ teachers really that bad?

2. Now with the quality of TJ admissions been watered down for 2 years, will this class of 2027 suffer from the deteriorating reputation from class of 2025 and 2026?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid got into both TJ and AOS and we are at a decision point. My main concern is that I have heard from more than a few TJ parents that the teachers at TJ are not really that great. They don’t teach much and just let the students study by themselves. To certain extent, they are “spoiled” by the smart students, and all they need to do is to prepare hard quizzes. The TJ experience is mainly an experience of fierce competition among a bunch of very competitive kids.

1. Are TJ teachers really that bad?

2. Now with the quality of TJ admissions been watered down for 2 years, will this class of 2027 suffer from the deteriorating reputation from class of 2025 and 2026?

The class of 2027 will suffer from its own deteriorating quality, not anything done by 2025 and 2026.
Unless you mean acceptances will go down because of reputation of 2025 and 2026; that is possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid got into both TJ and AOS and we are at a decision point. My main concern is that I have heard from more than a few TJ parents that the teachers at TJ are not really that great. They don’t teach much and just let the students study by themselves. To certain extent, they are “spoiled” by the smart students, and all they need to do is to prepare hard quizzes. The TJ experience is mainly an experience of fierce competition among a bunch of very competitive kids.

1. Are TJ teachers really that bad?

2. Now with the quality of TJ admissions been watered down for 2 years, will this class of 2027 suffer from the deteriorating reputation from class of 2025 and 2026?

The class of 2027 will suffer from its own deteriorating quality, not anything done by 2025 and 2026.
Unless you mean acceptances will go down because of reputation of 2025 and 2026; that is possible.

NP. So you're saying the answer to #1 is yes.

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand why anyone from Loudoun would schlep to TJ now if they can attend AOS, especially given the declining rigor of TJ. It will take a few years to be documented but it’s not fiercely committed to excellence any longer. It’s just kind of…there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why anyone from Loudoun would schlep to TJ now if they can attend AOS, especially given the declining rigor of TJ. It will take a few years to be documented but it’s not fiercely committed to excellence any longer. It’s just kind of…there.

Sigh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why anyone from Loudoun would schlep to TJ now if they can attend AOS, especially given the declining rigor of TJ. It will take a few years to be documented but it’s not fiercely committed to excellence any longer. It’s just kind of…there.

Why does it have to be so rigorous? It offers stem opportunities for kids that live stem.

[Anonymous]

TJ teachers vary in quality like at every school. There are some amazing ones and others who phone it in. I would not make a decision based on hearsay. 2027 will stand on its own, good or bad. In the new admissions era, you still see very top students so don't think the school is a cakewalk or the students are not competitive. You just have an extra bottom 100 there.

[Anonymous]

Kid at TJ. Senior. Most have been very very good. Some departments are better than others. Math suffers a bit from what you describe. I’m sending second kid so I’m not very worried about “declining reputation” or whatever. Too many great classes and opportunities to waste time worrying about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kid at TJ. Senior. Most have been very very good. Some departments are better than others. Math suffers a bit from what you describe. I’m sending second kid so I’m not very worried about “declining reputation” or whatever. Too many great classes and opportunities to waste time worrying about that.

Thank you for this info. Not the OP but my kid also got into both TJ and the Academies of Loudoun and we are evaluating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid got into both TJ and AOS and we are at a decision point. My main concern is that I have heard from more than a few TJ parents that the teachers at TJ are not really that great. They don’t teach much and just let the students study by themselves. To certain extent, they are “spoiled” by the smart students, and all they need to do is to prepare hard quizzes. The TJ experience is mainly an experience of fierce competition among a bunch of very competitive kids.

1. Are TJ teachers really that bad?

2. Now with the quality of TJ admissions been watered down for 2 years, will this class of 2027 suffer from the deteriorating reputation from class of 2025 and 2026?

The class of 2027 will be the strongest admitted to date. Especially since the new process emphasizes natural ability over prep and test buying.

TJ is also a more collegial and less toxic environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why anyone from Loudoun would schlep to TJ now if they can attend AOS, especially given the declining rigor of TJ. It will take a few years to be documented but it’s not fiercely committed to excellence any longer. It’s just kind of…there.

The lengths some will go to try and get off the TJ waitlist by encouraging others to drop out are astonishing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid got into both TJ and AOS and we are at a decision point. My main concern is that I have heard from more than a few TJ parents that the teachers at TJ are not really that great. They don’t teach much and just let the students study by themselves. To certain extent, they are “spoiled” by the smart students, and all they need to do is to prepare hard quizzes. The TJ experience is mainly an experience of fierce competition among a bunch of very competitive kids.

1. Are TJ teachers really that bad?

2. Now with the quality of TJ admissions been watered down for 2 years, will this class of 2027 suffer from the deteriorating reputation from class of 2025 and 2026?

The class of 2027 will be the strongest admitted to date. Especially since the new process emphasizes natural ability over prep and test buying.

TJ is also a more collegial and less toxic environment.

With the lowering standards and math admits, Chantilly will probably end up being the better STEM bet. The Math profiles are now similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why anyone from Loudoun would schlep to TJ now if they can attend AOS, especially given the declining rigor of TJ. It will take a few years to be documented but it’s not fiercely committed to excellence any longer. It’s just kind of…there.

The lengths some will go to try and get off the TJ waitlist by encouraging others to drop out are astonishing.

This is 100% what is going on here. Every single false narrative in the book is being pushed here to try to get more spaces open - and these are the same parents who, if their kids get in, will rail against people here for claiming TJ is anything other than the Almighty.

It’s disgusting and obvious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid got into both TJ and AOS and we are at a decision point. My main concern is that I have heard from more than a few TJ parents that the teachers at TJ are not really that great. They don’t teach much and just let the students study by themselves. To certain extent, they are “spoiled” by the smart students, and all they need to do is to prepare hard quizzes. The TJ experience is mainly an experience of fierce competition among a bunch of very competitive kids.

1. Are TJ teachers really that bad?

2. Now with the quality of TJ admissions been watered down for 2 years, will this class of 2027 suffer from the deteriorating reputation from class of 2025 and 2026?

The class of 2027 will be the strongest admitted to date. Especially since the new process emphasizes natural ability over prep and test buying.

TJ is also a more collegial and less toxic environment.

With the lowering standards and math admits, Chantilly will probably end up being the better STEM bet. The Math profiles are now similar.

You got that backwards. They raised the standards by eliminating the preppers and test buyers and replacing them with the best and brightest from the whole county, not just the wealthiest schools where parents invested heavily in prep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why anyone from Loudoun would schlep to TJ now if they can attend AOS, especially given the declining rigor of TJ. It will take a few years to be documented but it’s not fiercely committed to excellence any longer. It’s just kind of…there.

The lengths some will go to try and get off the TJ waitlist by encouraging others to drop out are astonishing.

This is 100% what is going on here. Every single false narrative in the book is being pushed here to try to get more spaces open - and these are the same parents who, if their kids get in, will rail against people here for claiming TJ is anything other than the Almighty.

It’s disgusting and obvious.

BINGO! Like clockwork, this happens every year.

"The lengths some will go to try and get off the TJ waitlist by encouraging others to drop out are astonishing."