Why is getting into TJ such a big deal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Outside of the top 1% of students, it seems like most kids that graduate from TJ end up working normal-ish corporate jobs.

This is true for Ivy League colleges as well. You can ask the same question about them, and the answers you come up with will likely apply to TJ as well, albeit perhaps to a lesser extent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Outside of the top 1% of students, it seems like most kids that graduate from TJ end up working normal-ish corporate jobs.

This is true for Ivy League colleges as well. You can ask the same question about them, and the answers you come up with will likely apply to TJ as well, albeit perhaps to a lesser extent

I swear every Ivy alum I know went in with dreams and passions, then came out working in one of tech, consulting, or finance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Outside of the top 1% of students, it seems like most kids that graduate from TJ end up working normal-ish corporate jobs. I grew up in an affluent neighborhood and a bunch of my friends ended up going to TJ and then to UVA/Tech/other state schools. Two went to ivies and they both burned out, barely graduated and one works as a preschool teacher now, the other works at a mathnasium part time while trying to figure out his next career move. The others that went to state schools were considered "average" at TJ and work in the same technical field as me now.

So what are the advantages of going to TJ?

The kids from non-affluent neighborhoods, who didn't buy their résumé, and still got into TJ, were more academically successful in colleges and beyond.

[Anonymous]

We went to the TJ open house science event 2 weeks ago. This time, they did not open the labs, but the student volunteers were from many science clubs and have passion for science and engineering.

If that is what your child want to do, and you want to be surrounded by kid with same interest it seems like good place. Much same for students who go to engineering school and first time surrounded by peers with all same interest.

[Anonymous]

Going to TJ would have been really special for my kid, who has a passion for math and science and would have really been fitted from the special lane. Being waitlisted has been a huge disappointment and though the base high school is good, there is just no excitement about it.

So I think for the math/science kids the curriculum is really what they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Outside of the top 1% of students, it seems like most kids that graduate from TJ end up working normal-ish corporate jobs.

This is true for Ivy League colleges as well. You can ask the same question about them, and the answers you come up with will likely apply to TJ as well, albeit perhaps to a lesser extent

I swear every Ivy alum I know went in with dreams and passions, then came out working in one of tech, consulting, or finance.

Because learning is more fun than working on what people will pay for, and or society trains people to expect an expensive lifestyle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Outside of the top 1% of students, it seems like most kids that graduate from TJ end up working normal-ish corporate jobs. I grew up in an affluent neighborhood and a bunch of my friends ended up going to TJ and then to UVA/Tech/other state schools. Two went to ivies and they both burned out, barely graduated and one works as a preschool teacher now, the other works at a mathnasium part time while trying to figure out his next career move. The others that went to state schools were considered "average" at TJ and work in the same technical field as me now.

So what are the advantages of going to TJ?

Some families view it as a badge or honor or prestige.

Not as many as before. Interest has been fading over the past decade. There was a short-lived spike in interest a couple of years ago immediately after the change in admissions policy but interest is declining again.

Untrue, I know some bitter parents say that because they're angry they can't game selection as easily, but the new process did eliminate a lot o the toxic cheaters and seems to be a big improvement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Going to TJ would have been really special for my kid, who has a passion for math and science and would have really been fitted from the special lane. Being waitlisted has been a huge disappointment and though the base high school is good, there is just no excitement about it.

So I think for the math/science kids the curriculum is really what they want.

There are many more talented and qualified kids than there are seats at TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:School choice. You don’t have to send your DC to a troubled-to-failing FCPS with all the associated disciplinary, attendance, academic issues that are huge distractions for an academically inclined, driven and successful student.

It's not much of a choice since that amounts to gutting public education. If you think PS is bad today, do this and you will learn what failing school really means while your tax dollars line the pockets of scamsters.

[Anonymous]

top schools provide higher possibilities to be successful for normal students.
if you do not go to colleges, you can still succeed if you work hard enough, but the possibility is slim.
that is the reason TJ is the top goal for most of top students.

[Anonymous]

TJ’s open house was a huge success with all the passionate and friendly student volunteers.

DC is from a Loudoun middle school. About a handful students from his school were admitted by TJ. All were in Loudoun’s GT program. Most of them also had offers from Academies of Loudoun.

Before TJ’s open house, only one of the admitted kids was committed to go to TJ. The rest wanted to go to Academies of Loudoun, or stay at home school due to the long distance from TJ to their homes.

After the open house, all of the kids decided to go to TJ. I was surprised because during the event, they were commenting on how run down TJ was compared to Academies of Loudoun’s modern and shiny campus. ACL’s open house had been hosted several weeks earlier. What ACL lacked in the orientation was the enthusiastic student volunteers. ACL had some students present as well, but much fewer, and they were mainly just handing out the building maps.

DC’s elementary school and middle school do not have a lot of academic opportunities. No Math Olympiad or Science Olympiad clubs were ever formed in their schools due to the low participation rates. They are excited that they can meet some like minded students in their future high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We went to the TJ open house science event 2 weeks ago. This time, they did not open the labs, but the student volunteers were from many science clubs and have passion for science and engineering.

If that is what your child want to do, and you want to be surrounded by kid with same interest it seems like good place. Much same for students who go to engineering school and first time surrounded by peers with all same interest.

Techstrav is a phenomenal event. Glad you were able to go!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TJ’s open house was a huge success with all the passionate and friendly student volunteers.

DC is from a Loudoun middle school. About a handful students from his school were admitted by TJ. All were in Loudoun’s GT program. Most of them also had offers from Academies of Loudoun.

Before TJ’s open house, only one of the admitted kids was committed to go to TJ. The rest wanted to go to Academies of Loudoun, or stay at home school due to the long distance from TJ to their homes.

After the open house, all of the kids decided to go to TJ. I was surprised because during the event, they were commenting on how run down TJ was compared to Academies of Loudoun’s modern and shiny campus. ACL’s open house had been hosted several weeks earlier. What ACL lacked in the orientation was the enthusiastic student volunteers. ACL had some students present as well, but much fewer, and they were mainly just handing out the building maps.

DC’s elementary school and middle school do not have a lot of academic opportunities. No Math Olympiad or Science Olympiad clubs were ever formed in their schools due to the low participation rates. They are excited that they can meet some like minded students in their future high school.

Run down lol. TJ just got renovated six years ago. It’s far from run down.

[Anonymous]

Advantage? For some it is the peak achievement of their kids before they disappear into the real world. That and they get their TJ magnet for their car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Outside of the top 1% of students, it seems like most kids that graduate from TJ end up working normal-ish corporate jobs. I grew up in an affluent neighborhood and a bunch of my friends ended up going to TJ and then to UVA/Tech/other state schools. Two went to ivies and they both burned out, barely graduated and one works as a preschool teacher now, the other works at a mathnasium part time while trying to figure out his next career move. The others that went to state schools were considered "average" at TJ and work in the same technical field as me now.

So what are the advantages of going to TJ?

The kids from non-affluent neighborhoods, who didn't buy their résumé, and still got into TJ, were more academically successful in colleges and beyond.

This is a narrative in search of facts.