TJ 1.5% accepted?

[Anonymous]

Does TJ automatically accept the top 1.5% of each middle school? When you have many more than 1.5% taking the same classes and getting all A’s, what happens next?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does TJ automatically accept the top 1.5% of each middle school? When you have many more than 1.5% taking the same classes and getting all A’s, what happens next?

Essays and experience factors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does TJ automatically accept the top 1.5% of each middle school? When you have many more than 1.5% taking the same classes and getting all A’s, what happens next?

The top 1.5% doesn't refer to GPA or courses taken.
All kids applying to TJ write a bunch of personal essays and a problem solving essay. The essays are graded, and the kids' scores are based on the essay scores, unweighted GPA, and experience factors (FARMS, IEP, ESOL). The unweighted GPA is not a huge factor, and they don't even look at courses taken or math level.

If a school has 600 8th graders, then it is guaranteed 1.5% of 600 = 9 TJ spots. The 9 kids with the highest scores are offered admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does TJ automatically accept the top 1.5% of each middle school? When you have many more than 1.5% taking the same classes and getting all A’s, what happens next?

Essays and experience factors.

?? There is an entrance exam, which they currently call, "SPS/Essay Writing Administration." The students sit for it on a Saturday morning in February. Anyone can take the entrance exam if they meet certain basic criteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does TJ automatically accept the top 1.5% of each middle school? When you have many more than 1.5% taking the same classes and getting all A’s, what happens next?

Essays and experience factors.

?? There is an entrance exam, which they currently call, "SPS/Essay Writing Administration." The students sit for it on a Saturday morning in February. Anyone can take the entrance exam if they meet certain basic criteria.

Yes. Anyone can take the exam. But not everyone will pass the exam. So, the admissions office will look at the results and rank the participants, along with all other factors.

[Anonymous]

There is one essay students have to write to solve either a math or science problem.

The other four essays are about Portrait of a Graduate skills.

This is how they determine who should be admitted to TJ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does TJ automatically accept the top 1.5% of each middle school? When you have many more than 1.5% taking the same classes and getting all A’s, what happens next?

The top 1.5% doesn't refer to GPA or courses taken.
All kids applying to TJ write a bunch of personal essays and a problem solving essay. The essays are graded, and the kids' scores are based on the essay scores, unweighted GPA, and experience factors (FARMS, IEP, ESOL). The unweighted GPA is not a huge factor, and they don't even look at courses taken or math level.

If a school has 600 8th graders, then it is guaranteed 1.5% of 600 = 9 TJ spots. The 9 kids with the highest scores are offered admissions.

The poster asked: Does TJ automatically accept the top 1.5% of each middle school? The answer is NO...it is the top kids WHO APPLY get guaranteed spots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does TJ automatically accept the top 1.5% of each middle school? When you have many more than 1.5% taking the same classes and getting all A’s, what happens next?

The top 1.5% doesn't refer to GPA or courses taken.
All kids applying to TJ write a bunch of personal essays and a problem solving essay. The essays are graded, and the kids' scores are based on the essay scores, unweighted GPA, and experience factors (FARMS, IEP, ESOL). The unweighted GPA is not a huge factor, and they don't even look at courses taken or math level.

If a school has 600 8th graders, then it is guaranteed 1.5% of 600 = 9 TJ spots. The 9 kids with the highest scores are offered admissions.

The poster asked: Does TJ automatically accept the top 1.5% of each middle school? The answer is NO...it is the top kids WHO APPLY get guaranteed spots.

But it's more nuanced than that. The OP seemed to think the top 1.5% was from weighted GPA. It isn't. It's the top kids based on the scores for the essays, unweighted GPA, and experience factors. A 3.8 GPA kid taking Algebra I honors in 8th could be the "top kid" at Longfellow or Carson if the kid had excellent essays and an experience factor or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does TJ automatically accept the top 1.5% of each middle school? When you have many more than 1.5% taking the same classes and getting all A’s, what happens next?

The top 1.5% doesn't refer to GPA or courses taken.
All kids applying to TJ write a bunch of personal essays and a problem solving essay. The essays are graded, and the kids' scores are based on the essay scores, unweighted GPA, and experience factors (FARMS, IEP, ESOL). The unweighted GPA is not a huge factor, and they don't even look at courses taken or math level.

If a school has 600 8th graders, then it is guaranteed 1.5% of 600 = 9 TJ spots. The 9 kids with the highest scores are offered admissions.

Only the very best and brightest are selected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does TJ automatically accept the top 1.5% of each middle school? When you have many more than 1.5% taking the same classes and getting all A’s, what happens next?

The top 1.5% doesn't refer to GPA or courses taken.
All kids applying to TJ write a bunch of personal essays and a problem solving essay. The essays are graded, and the kids' scores are based on the essay scores, unweighted GPA, and experience factors (FARMS, IEP, ESOL). The unweighted GPA is not a huge factor, and they don't even look at courses taken or math level.

If a school has 600 8th graders, then it is guaranteed 1.5% of 600 = 9 TJ spots. The 9 kids with the highest scores are offered admissions.

Only the very best and brightest are selected.

Not true

[Anonymous]

Why don’t they have the kids take the SAT? That would be quicker and easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does TJ automatically accept the top 1.5% of each middle school? When you have many more than 1.5% taking the same classes and getting all A’s, what happens next?

The top 1.5% doesn't refer to GPA or courses taken.
All kids applying to TJ write a bunch of personal essays and a problem solving essay. The essays are graded, and the kids' scores are based on the essay scores, unweighted GPA, and experience factors (FARMS, IEP, ESOL). The unweighted GPA is not a huge factor, and they don't even look at courses taken or math level.

If a school has 600 8th graders, then it is guaranteed 1.5% of 600 = 9 TJ spots. The 9 kids with the highest scores are offered admissions.

Only the very best and brightest are selected.

Not true

It's true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don’t they have the kids take the SAT? That would be quicker and easier.

scared of an all-out Asian American takeover

Now that makes me wonder if there are cram schools that sell advanced copies of the SAT...

[Anonymous]

The demographic gaps in standardized testing are well documented. Add in FARMs rates and single parent households, the results are predictable.

Some don’t like the results of these choices and advocate for fixing symptoms rather than causes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don’t they have the kids take the SAT? That would be quicker and easier.

scared of an all-out Asian American takeover

It wouldn't all be asian.

There would be slightly more boys than girls .

The school would be:
~1-3% Black
~1-3% Hispanic
~35% White
~60% Asian

This assumes that the local racial groups are representative of these racial groups at the national level and relatively (relative to each other) as well prepared as they would be in 11th grade.

Of course there is a bigger disparity in preparation in 8th grade than there is in 11th grade. So the numbers for some groups go up.

But yeah, these are the numbers that keep them away from using a standardized test.