TJ experience if coming from an AAP center middle school

[Anonymous]

DC has 4.0 at a AAP center middle school. DC is in Geometry honors with a 100 GPA.
I would assume most kids getting into TJ fall into the same category.
If your kid did well in middle school are they likely to do well at TJ? Is it the workload and time that is the big difference? DC was already lining up to take 9-12 AP classes at base HS. It all seems crazy intense for high school, but DC was accepted into TJ and wants to give it a go.

Any words of advice for the decision process and/or ways to be successful at TJ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC has 4.0 at a AAP center middle school. DC is in Geometry honors with a 100 GPA.
I would assume most kids getting into TJ fall into the same category.
If your kid did well in middle school are they likely to do well at TJ? Is it the workload and time that is the big difference? DC was already lining up to take 9-12 AP classes at base HS. It all seems crazy intense for high school, but DC was accepted into TJ and wants to give it a go.

Any words of advice for the decision process and/or ways to be successful at TJ?

No one knows if you child will thrive or suffer with poor grades at TJ, since like everyone else's your student's offer is a lottery selection. Though the previous year's average applicant GPA was 3.9417, and admitted GPA was 3.9077, GPA is clearly a non-factor as after entering TJ, only a quater of TJ class manages to attain an A, and a quarter suffers with a C, with rest performing in-between. There is no certain way for admissions selection team to determine which applicant would thrive or fail at TJ, as evidenced by the broad range of academic performance of a TJ class.

The parent along with their student is left to decide whether they would thrive or suffer at TJ. You know your child well and unfortunately the admissions offer doesn't help your predict their performance. Attend the open house, speak to other TJ students and their parents, gather as much information as possible, and make a family decision whether TJ experience is worthwhile for your student.

Despite the concerns with GPA and college admissions, TJ offers the most enriching High School experience for a student to explore.

[Anonymous]

What is enriching about it? Do they take an extra class each year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is enriching about it? Do they take an extra class each year?

Yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is enriching about it? Do they take an extra class each year?

For academics, there is an impressive selection of advanced post AP DE classes to choose from, modern lab facilities for conducting research, and national level competitive teams to be part of. For sports, there is strong participation in wide variety of fall, winter, and spring sports. For extracurricular, there are over 100+ clubs ranging from dance to debate, art to neuroscience, math to magic, etc. For world cultures and diversity, major world festivals and cultures are celebrated on campus in a spirited manner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is enriching about it? Do they take an extra class each year?

For academics, there is an impressive selection of advanced post AP DE classes to choose from, modern lab facilities for conducting research, and national level competitive teams to be part of. For sports, there is strong participation in wide variety of fall, winter, and spring sports. For extracurricular, there are over 100+ clubs ranging from dance to debate, art to neuroscience, math to magic, etc. For world cultures and diversity, major world festivals and cultures are celebrated on campus in a spirited manner.

8th period for clubs helps a lot too, because more people get involved in clubs and other non-sport extracurriculars than they might otherwise. You have to be there, after all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC has 4.0 at a AAP center middle school. DC is in Geometry honors with a 100 GPA.
I would assume most kids getting into TJ fall into the same category.
If your kid did well in middle school are they likely to do well at TJ? Is it the workload and time that is the big difference? DC was already lining up to take 9-12 AP classes at base HS. It all seems crazy intense for high school, but DC was accepted into TJ and wants to give it a go.

Any words of advice for the decision process and/or ways to be successful at TJ?

100 GPA?

[Anonymous]

yep - DC is actually sitting at a 99 or so.
Report cards are on a 4.0 scale, but that's a wide range. The overall grade by class is also listed on a 100 pt scale on SIS. DC is doing well, but this page scare the heck out of me. TJ practically sounds like a place where they are trying to break these kids. Having said that, my kid says they have to give it a shot or they will always wonder.

[Anonymous]

Which middle school ?

[Anonymous]

If student is not from AAP, what is the TJ experience like? What academic support resources exist there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:yep - DC is actually sitting at a 99 or so.
Report cards are on a 4.0 scale, but that's a wide range. The overall grade by class is also listed on a 100 pt scale on SIS. DC is doing well, but this page scare the heck out of me. TJ practically sounds like a place where they are trying to break these kids. Having said that, my kid says they have to give it a shot or they will always wonder.

I don’t think they are trying to break you - at least not first two years which is all we know so far in my family. It is a supportive environment actually not cut throat feeling. But teachers do set a high bar and expect a lot from the kids. Let you kid try. They can always go back to base.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:yep - DC is actually sitting at a 99 or so.
Report cards are on a 4.0 scale, but that's a wide range. The overall grade by class is also listed on a 100 pt scale on SIS. DC is doing well, but this page scare the heck out of me. TJ practically sounds like a place where they are trying to break these kids. Having said that, my kid says they have to give it a shot or they will always wonder.

I don’t think they are trying to break you - at least not first two years which is all we know so far in my family. It is a supportive environment actually not cut throat feeling. But teachers do set a high bar and expect a lot from the kids. Let you kid try. They can always go back to base.

I have heard that 15-20 kids do this every year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is enriching about it? Do they take an extra class each year?

Yes

I don't see that. I see that they take more semester classes and have time for a club during the school day. Do they get a grade on the club? They really still have 7 classes per semester plus this club period for 8th period. It sounded like the club time though was just for enrichment.