Novel suggestion for TJ admissions - just for fun

[Anonymous]

I was at the Virginia Science Olympiad Division B and C last Saturday and it was a joy to see soooo many great kids who are genuinely excited about all things science. You had to see the fire in their eyes!

As I sat through the awards ceremony, I thought - TJ admits decisions must be getting made right about now. They should send an officer to the event, and extend automatic offers of admission to all gold medalists in Division B (middle schoolers). That won't tip the scale by much - there's only 23 disciplines, and some kids medaled in more than one. So it's like 20 seats. What other proof of commitment and interest in STEM does one need? Sci Oly is free so there is no suggestion that affluence matters - all one needs to do is study. Why not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was at the Virginia Science Olympiad Division B and C last Saturday and it was a joy to see soooo many great kids who are genuinely excited about all things science. You had to see the fire in their eyes!

As I sat through the awards ceremony, I thought - TJ admits decisions must be getting made right about now. They should send an officer to the event, and extend automatic offers of admission to all gold medalists in Division B (middle schoolers). That won't tip the scale by much - there's only 23 disciplines, and some kids medaled in more than one. So it's like 20 seats. What other proof of commitment and interest in STEM does one need? Sci Oly is free so there is no suggestion that affluence matters - all one needs to do is study. Why not?

Not everyone can make it to Science Olympiad. Carson has a 30 person club that sends the kids to the Science Olympiad but there are around 130 kids who try out for the 30 person club. The same is true for Math Counts. I know that there are schools that are not as competitive but there are MSs were the kids who end up making their schools team are very much kids who have been attending enrichment in STEM for a while. I would bet that the the kids who are most competitive on Carson's teams are all kids who have been attending STEM enrichment since early ES. I would expect the same thing for Rocky Run, Longfellow, and Cooper MS. Possibly a few others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was at the Virginia Science Olympiad Division B and C last Saturday and it was a joy to see soooo many great kids who are genuinely excited about all things science. You had to see the fire in their eyes!

As I sat through the awards ceremony, I thought - TJ admits decisions must be getting made right about now. They should send an officer to the event, and extend automatic offers of admission to all gold medalists in Division B (middle schoolers). That won't tip the scale by much - there's only 23 disciplines, and some kids medaled in more than one. So it's like 20 seats. What other proof of commitment and interest in STEM does one need? Sci Oly is free so there is no suggestion that affluence matters - all one needs to do is study. Why not?

Not everyone can make it to Science Olympiad. Carson has a 30 person club that sends the kids to the Science Olympiad but there are around 130 kids who try out for the 30 person club. The same is true for Math Counts. I know that there are schools that are not as competitive but there are MSs were the kids who end up making their schools team are very much kids who have been attending enrichment in STEM for a while. I would bet that the the kids who are most competitive on Carson's teams are all kids who have been attending STEM enrichment since early ES. I would expect the same thing for Rocky Run, Longfellow, and Cooper MS. Possibly a few others.

And many would make the argument those kids are the ones that might do better staying at their base school.

[Anonymous]

I can pretty much guarantee my child a gold in at least two events if I am unethical. So this is an invitation to cheating.

Longfellow has a deep base of material that they reuse each year. Their coaches have years of expertise that is passed on to the next years cohort. A student at Longfellow is starting off with a huge lead compared to other schools. They have some of the best material available that is curated over decades of experience. It has a parent group that is fanatical about winning. Any student just by being at Longfellow has a good chance of winning the top 1-2 spots. Granted they do have to work hard, but students at other schools can work twice as hard and not get the same results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can pretty much guarantee my child a gold in at least two events if I am unethical. So this is an invitation to cheating.

Longfellow has a deep base of material that they reuse each year. Their coaches have years of expertise that is passed on to the next years cohort. A student at Longfellow is starting off with a huge lead compared to other schools. They have some of the best material available that is curated over decades of experience. It has a parent group that is fanatical about winning. Any student just by being at Longfellow has a good chance of winning the top 1-2 spots. Granted they do have to work hard, but students at other schools can work twice as hard and not get the same results.

Yet Longfellow didn’t take ALL gold medal slots.

[Anonymous]

Been following Science Olympiad for the last couple of years. It has genuinely impressed me with how it's set up, how it encourages teamwork and collaboration between students, and how it takes what is largely an individualist enterprise at the middle and high school levels (the study and execution of scientific principles) and turns it into a collective event.

If it ever became public knowledge that spaces at TJ were automatic prizes for success in Science Olympiad, that event would become a bloodthirsty mess of epic proportions. One imagines judges and scorers being bribed and threatened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was at the Virginia Science Olympiad Division B and C last Saturday and it was a joy to see soooo many great kids who are genuinely excited about all things science. You had to see the fire in their eyes!

As I sat through the awards ceremony, I thought - TJ admits decisions must be getting made right about now. They should send an officer to the event, and extend automatic offers of admission to all gold medalists in Division B (middle schoolers). That won't tip the scale by much - there's only 23 disciplines, and some kids medaled in more than one. So it's like 20 seats. What other proof of commitment and interest in STEM does one need? Sci Oly is free so there is no suggestion that affluence matters - all one needs to do is study. Why not?

Not everyone can make it to Science Olympiad. Carson has a 30 person club that sends the kids to the Science Olympiad but there are around 130 kids who try out for the 30 person club. The same is true for Math Counts. I know that there are schools that are not as competitive but there are MSs were the kids who end up making their schools team are very much kids who have been attending enrichment in STEM for a while. I would bet that the the kids who are most competitive on Carson's teams are all kids who have been attending STEM enrichment since early ES. I would expect the same thing for Rocky Run, Longfellow, and Cooper MS. Possibly a few others.

Be that true as it may, it doesn’t negate the achievement of those who made it. There is a tremendous amount of studying and teamwork involved, and it’s one of the lowest barriers to entry since it’s free. All you need is time to study.

Sci Oly kids at our school had study sessions at local libraries or each others houses well into the evening for like four weeks leading into the event.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can pretty much guarantee my child a gold in at least two events if I am unethical. So this is an invitation to cheating.

Longfellow has a deep base of material that they reuse each year. Their coaches have years of expertise that is passed on to the next years cohort. A student at Longfellow is starting off with a huge lead compared to other schools. They have some of the best material available that is curated over decades of experience. It has a parent group that is fanatical about winning. Any student just by being at Longfellow has a good chance of winning the top 1-2 spots. Granted they do have to work hard, but students at other schools can work twice as hard and not get the same results.

Parent participation tips the scale only in build events.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can pretty much guarantee my child a gold in at least two events if I am unethical. So this is an invitation to cheating.

Longfellow has a deep base of material that they reuse each year. Their coaches have years of expertise that is passed on to the next years cohort. A student at Longfellow is starting off with a huge lead compared to other schools. They have some of the best material available that is curated over decades of experience. It has a parent group that is fanatical about winning. Any student just by being at Longfellow has a good chance of winning the top 1-2 spots. Granted they do have to work hard, but students at other schools can work twice as hard and not get the same results.

Out of curiosity, I looked up results by individual events. Here are your top three:

#1 Longfellow took gold in 5 events out of 25.

#2 Cooper took gold in 5 events out of 25.

#3 Kilmer took gold in 4 events out of 25.

No individual team swept golds across all disciplines.

Cooper is becoming as strong a favorite as Longfellow, and Kilmer is really coming into its own as a strong contender.

As an aside, I spoke to the team coach about next year's possible cuts for afterschool programs, and what it will do to Sci Oly.

He told us the contingency plan is that the school/FCPS will find a way to pay for the coaches' time, parents may be asked to pay a participation fee, and there will be no transportation (late bus). If so, that will take away the argument that Sci Oly participation is free...

[Anonymous]

I've had a similar argument as OP, but with math instead. If TJ heavily weighted or even guaranteed admission to any kids scoring in the top 10 at mathcounts state and the top 10 8th grade scorers in VA in the AMC 10A and AMC10B, that would only add maybe 10-15 TJ seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Been following Science Olympiad for the last couple of years. It has genuinely impressed me with how it's set up, how it encourages teamwork and collaboration between students, and how it takes what is largely an individualist enterprise at the middle and high school levels (the study and execution of scientific principles) and turns it into a collective event.

If it ever became public knowledge that spaces at TJ were automatic prizes for success in Science Olympiad, that event would become a bloodthirsty mess of epic proportions. One imagines judges and scorers being bribed and threatened.

Exactly. Unethical parents will game the system any way they can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can pretty much guarantee my child a gold in at least two events if I am unethical. So this is an invitation to cheating.

Longfellow has a deep base of material that they reuse each year. Their coaches have years of expertise that is passed on to the next years cohort. A student at Longfellow is starting off with a huge lead compared to other schools. They have some of the best material available that is curated over decades of experience. It has a parent group that is fanatical about winning. Any student just by being at Longfellow has a good chance of winning the top 1-2 spots. Granted they do have to work hard, but students at other schools can work twice as hard and not get the same results.

Out of curiosity, I looked up results by individual events. Here are your top three:

#1 Longfellow took gold in 5 events out of 25.

#2 Cooper took gold in 5 events out of 25.

#3 Kilmer took gold in 4 events out of 25.

No individual team swept golds across all disciplines.

Cooper is becoming as strong a favorite as Longfellow, and Kilmer is really coming into its own as a strong contender.

As an aside, I spoke to the team coach about next year's possible cuts for afterschool programs, and what it will do to Sci Oly.

He told us the contingency plan is that the school/FCPS will find a way to pay for the coaches' time, parents may be asked to pay a participation fee, and there will be no transportation (late bus). If so, that will take away the argument that Sci Oly participation is free...

Longfellow's overall margin of victory over Cooper this year was larger than it was in 2023, though not as great as it was in 2024.

[Anonymous]

Ooh, I have an idea. They could do an Olympad at every school, and also on centrally on a Saturday, in written form so everyone can take the same test, and use that for admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've had a similar argument as OP, but with math instead. If TJ heavily weighted or even guaranteed admission to any kids scoring in the top 10 at mathcounts state and the top 10 8th grade scorers in VA in the AMC 10A and AMC10B, that would only add maybe 10-15 TJ seats.

Or they could just give everyone a math problem solving test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can pretty much guarantee my child a gold in at least two events if I am unethical. So this is an invitation to cheating.

Longfellow has a deep base of material that they reuse each year. Their coaches have years of expertise that is passed on to the next years cohort. A student at Longfellow is starting off with a huge lead compared to other schools. They have some of the best material available that is curated over decades of experience. It has a parent group that is fanatical about winning. Any student just by being at Longfellow has a good chance of winning the top 1-2 spots. Granted they do have to work hard, but students at other schools can work twice as hard and not get the same results.

Why doesn't anyone give a copy of the material to Curie like the do with the TJ test?