TJ Admissions

[Anonymous]

Are prep courses still helpful? I know they used to be really popular, but the change in admissions process supposedly reduced their influence.

My 8th grader says he wants to apply. I'm seeing ads for test prep companies, and not sure if they'd actually be useful or not?

[Anonymous]

Not really, no. Take a practice exam with some practice essay questions. Done. Don't bother with a test prep class.

[Anonymous]

What is the TJ admission timeline?

[Anonymous]

Review the FCPS portrait of a graduate items and have your kid think about how they apply to themselves. That’s about all the prep to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are prep courses still helpful? I know they used to be really popular, but the change in admissions process supposedly reduced their influence.

My 8th grader says he wants to apply. I'm seeing ads for test prep companies, and not sure if they'd actually be useful or not?

Well yes and no.

If your kid goes into the test cold, they will not have a good feel for the timing and pace. A LOT of kids do not finish the test in the allotted time. Finishing the test improves your chances vs having a great answer on the first essay and then rushing through everything else. So yes practicing probably helps but it's not like you should practice a bunch of math so you can do the better on the math sections, there is one math essay and it is very easy.

[Anonymous]

There is no prep required for the admissions process which has a name sake problem essay and self portrait with room for sob stories. However, if a student is by chance granted admission, they will need to be prepped in middle school math, science, and English to survive at TJ and avoid being in the lower half of the class. RSM, Curie, AoPs, etc., are all prep companies that help in this middle school preparation to be successful at TJ, if and after student gets admitted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are prep courses still helpful? I know they used to be really popular, but the change in admissions process supposedly reduced their influence.

My 8th grader says he wants to apply. I'm seeing ads for test prep companies, and not sure if they'd actually be useful or not?

Well yes and no.

If your kid goes into the test cold, they will not have a good feel for the timing and pace. A LOT of kids do not finish the test in the allotted time. Finishing the test improves your chances vs having a great answer on the first essay and then rushing through everything else. So yes practicing probably helps but it's not like you should practice a bunch of math so you can do the better on the math sections, there is one math essay and it is very easy.

Some of the posters are still bitter since they can't buy access to the question banks the prep centers had compiled to give wealthy families an advantage and will just post half-truths. This is probably the best answer you're going to get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no prep required for the admissions process which has a name sake problem essay and self portrait with room for sob stories. However, if a student is by chance granted admission, they will need to be prepped in middle school math, science, and English to survive at TJ and avoid being in the lower half of the class. RSM, Curie, AoPs, etc., are all prep companies that help in this middle school preparation to be successful at TJ, if and after student gets admitted.

Depends on the kid. My kid didn’t do any of these prep activities in middle school and has gotten straight As at TJ. So it’s not necessarily true that your kid will need all of this—they may be fine without it.

As for the admissions test, kid didn’t use formal prep for that either. They did, however, review a few old problems, took one practice test at home, and thought about what they would say in response to the prompts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no prep required for the admissions process which has a name sake problem essay and self portrait with room for sob stories. However, if a student is by chance granted admission, they will need to be prepped in middle school math, science, and English to survive at TJ and avoid being in the lower half of the class. RSM, Curie, AoPs, etc., are all prep companies that help in this middle school preparation to be successful at TJ, if and after student gets admitted.

That's not what the test is. But if you follow the "wisdom" in this post, then you can join the other bitter posters of rejected students and complain on this forum for years afterwards.

[Anonymous]

I thought that test was gone and now just student profile/portrait? Is there still a math test?

[Anonymous]

I agree with the other posters. If you have access to past exams and your child is self-motivated enough to review the past exams on his/ her own, then she/ he will do fine on the TJ admissions exam. If you DO NOT have access to past exams, I would pay for them so that my child becomes familiar with the format and timing. Good luck, OP!

[Anonymous]

There is a long form math problem at the end after four personal essay questions. However, there's also about 300 tests before that in math from K-8, and if your kid doesn't leave middle school in an honors program having taken a year up in math and straight A's - it's an uphill battle. To say that kids are just writing sob stories on one morning is a fallacy. I'd rather have kids judged on 8 years of solid work and dedication supplemented by a brief test on their character and writing skills than just a cram session ahead of a one time test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a long form math problem at the end after four personal essay questions. However, there's also about 300 tests before that in math from K-8, and if your kid doesn't leave middle school in an honors program having taken a year up in math and straight A's - it's an uphill battle. To say that kids are just writing sob stories on one morning is a fallacy. I'd rather have kids judged on 8 years of solid work and dedication supplemented by a brief test on their character and writing skills than just a cram session ahead of a one time test.

The old system also had an entire resume/college application type section. It was what made the final cut, after the test made the initial cut. It was great practice for applying to college a few years later, in my experience. Trust me they were looking at the 8.5 years of prior work plus your extracurriculars before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are prep courses still helpful? I know they used to be really popular, but the change in admissions process supposedly reduced their influence.

My 8th grader says he wants to apply. I'm seeing ads for test prep companies, and not sure if they'd actually be useful or not?

Well yes and no.

If your kid goes into the test cold, they will not have a good feel for the timing and pace. A LOT of kids do not finish the test in the allotted time. Finishing the test improves your chances vs having a great answer on the first essay and then rushing through everything else. So yes practicing probably helps but it's not like you should practice a bunch of math so you can do the better on the math sections, there is one math essay and it is very easy.

Some of the posters are still bitter since they can't buy access to the question banks the prep centers had compiled to give wealthy families an advantage and will just post half-truths. This is probably the best answer you're going to get.

Well, at least you are no longer lying about students buying the actual test answers.

Before Quant Q was implemented to "eliminate" test prep, anyone with $20 and an amazon account could get access to prior test questions of the SHSAT. Without an actual test, you basically get a modified cross section of the applicant pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are prep courses still helpful? I know they used to be really popular, but the change in admissions process supposedly reduced their influence.

My 8th grader says he wants to apply. I'm seeing ads for test prep companies, and not sure if they'd actually be useful or not?

Well yes and no.

If your kid goes into the test cold, they will not have a good feel for the timing and pace. A LOT of kids do not finish the test in the allotted time. Finishing the test improves your chances vs having a great answer on the first essay and then rushing through everything else. So yes practicing probably helps but it's not like you should practice a bunch of math so you can do the better on the math sections, there is one math essay and it is very easy.

Some of the posters are still bitter since they can't buy access to the question banks the prep centers had compiled to give wealthy families an advantage and will just post half-truths. This is probably the best answer you're going to get.

Well, at least you are no longer lying about students buying the actual test answers.

Before Quant Q was implemented to "eliminate" test prep, anyone with $20 and an amazon account could get access to prior test questions of the SHSAT. Without an actual test, you basically get a modified cross section of the applicant pool.

S/o- I looked SHSAR up bc didn’t know what was and a rabbit hole later find one of the specialized NY schools can apply to if take that test is film and tv HS- too cool (at least on paper)!
https://myschools.nyc/en/schools/high-school/?dbn=30Q301