So torn about TJ advice to child

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Give it a try. If your child doesn’t like it, they can move to their base school sophomore year. It is a very unique educational experience and the peer group is great. Most are very active in clubs, sports and/or music.
- parent of two TJ alums who loved their time at TJ

Well, we thought the same way but then our kid refused to move back. I am just glad it will be over soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is OP a troll?

I have never heard anyone from MIT reference their GPA at MIT (other than as a line on their CV). Most MIT students (especially those that become "scientists") learn quickly that at MIT, GPA doesn't matter - passion does.

No, you're just not reading closely enough. The OP has described the situation quite well in both their original and follow up post about the research project posters. I completely understand how their child would be a bit overwhelmed by amazingness, but their response about most of those kids being juniors or seniors was spot on. The 5.0 reference was just trying to say that they didn't get perfect grades at MIT, that's all.

[Anonymous]

One of the best things about TJ is that they try to make it as easy as possible for kids to fit in extracurriculars. 8th period gives lots of cool opportunities, sports are doable, as are music opportunities. As you said in your OP, MIT structured things to not conflict too much. TJ tries to do the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give it a try. If your child doesn’t like it, they can move to their base school sophomore year. It is a very unique educational experience and the peer group is great. Most are very active in clubs, sports and/or music.
- parent of two TJ alums who loved their time at TJ

Well, we thought the same way but then our kid refused to move back. I am just glad it will be over soon.

That's what I'm afraid of. I'd prefer to try the base school and if it's not working consider it.

[Anonymous]

DC was active in sports and many other activities. Got a lot out of TJ

[Anonymous]

I guess mine already decided to attend TJ before we went to the open house yesterday. He didn't seem too concern about the academic aspects of the TJ. He spent extensive time talking with clubs and sports teams. I am little hesitant as he does get anxious about the grades etc.

He is more business oriented than STEM.
Maybe he never really had good stem classes to spark his interest? I don't want to encourage him as I know he can really do well at the base school

[Anonymous]

DC is currently sophomore at TJ. He is doing OK - but in all honesty, he is not really using the advanced classes and research groups.

Overall, I see nothing that he is getting incremental at TJ (based on his drive) - besides the pressure on grades.

If I had to do it again, I would keep him at base school ( which is what DC wanted to do in the first place )

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many TJ students do a sport, instrument, and get good grades. What did your child think of the open house?

To be honest, he got spooked at the end when he saw the research posters by some of the kids that won awards. I tried to explain that's not freshman-level kind of work but I don't know that he really bought what I was saying. He has a friend already attending, the kids were all very nice, and he liked the gym facilities.

TJ alumna here (an old one ). I did mentorship my senior year at NIH and produced one of those 'scary looking' projects. I never did formal lab research again after TJ and am now a management consultant. One of my good friends did a laughable senior project in the Prototyping Lab where he 'tested the durability of lacrosse sticks' (read: got free gear and messed around with it with friends). That friend is now an MD/PhD anesthesiologist and professor. At the end of the day, TJ is still high school and no more predictive of future trajectories than any other school.

I had a really great experience at TJ, but it was well before test prep and cheating scandals took hold over the student body. I did have to choose between sports and theater (had done both in MS), but was able to take choir 3 of my 4 years (2 full years and 2 spring semesters) and played 2 or 3 sports each year. I took CS in summer school after 9th. It sounds like you have healthy expectations for your child and their high school career (wanting them to be well-rounded versus solely academic focused), so my advice for your kid would be to take the TJ spot, enjoy the cohort of smart and motivated kids and access to cool/innovative subject matter, and play their own long game in terms of interests and ambitions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many TJ students do a sport, instrument, and get good grades. What did your child think of the open house?

To be honest, he got spooked at the end when he saw the research posters by some of the kids that won awards. I tried to explain that's not freshman-level kind of work but I don't know that he really bought what I was saying. He has a friend already attending, the kids were all very nice, and he liked the gym facilities.

TJ alumna here (an old one ). I did mentorship my senior year at NIH and produced one of those 'scary looking' projects. I never did formal lab research again after TJ and am now a management consultant. One of my good friends did a laughable senior project in the Prototyping Lab where he 'tested the durability of lacrosse sticks' (read: got free gear and messed around with it with friends). That friend is now an MD/PhD anesthesiologist and professor. At the end of the day, TJ is still high school and no more predictive of future trajectories than any other school.

I had a really great experience at TJ, but it was well before test prep and cheating scandals took hold over the student body. I did have to choose between sports and theater (had done both in MS), but was able to take choir 3 of my 4 years (2 full years and 2 spring semesters) and played 2 or 3 sports each year. I took CS in summer school after 9th. It sounds like you have healthy expectations for your child and their high school career (wanting them to be well-rounded versus solely academic focused), so my advice for your kid would be to take the TJ spot, enjoy the cohort of smart and motivated kids and access to cool/innovative subject matter, and play their own long game in terms of interests and ambitions.

Different TJ alumna here, and +1 to all of this, especially, even though it was not stated, that choir at TJ was an awesome experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is currently sophomore at TJ. He is doing OK - but in all honesty, he is not really using the advanced classes and research groups.

Overall, I see nothing that he is getting incremental at TJ (based on his drive) - besides the pressure on grades.

If I had to do it again, I would keep him at base school ( which is what DC wanted to do in the first place )

Our base school has gone downhill in terms of academic rigor and grading. There is little structure to the classes anymore. Do you still say that even knowing the base schools have changed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is currently sophomore at TJ. He is doing OK - but in all honesty, he is not really using the advanced classes and research groups.

Overall, I see nothing that he is getting incremental at TJ (based on his drive) - besides the pressure on grades.

If I had to do it again, I would keep him at base school ( which is what DC wanted to do in the first place )

The last part strikes me as the most important. Parents’ role should be to ensure their kids get well informed about what the school is like. But a kid’s willingness or not to go is ultimately the most important factor and should be the deciding one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give it a try. If your child doesn’t like it, they can move to their base school sophomore year. It is a very unique educational experience and the peer group is great. Most are very active in clubs, sports and/or music.
- parent of two TJ alums who loved their time at TJ

What clubs are offered at TJ, and is it very competitive to get into them?

Clubs examples
https://tjhsst.fcps.edu/student-life-and-activities/8th-period-activities

Some are competitive to get in - a few of the more academic ones - but not most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you went to a magnet like TJ?

No I did not, but I routinely had over 8 hours of homework a night. Back before schools stopped saddling kids with work

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is OP a troll?

I have never heard anyone from MIT reference their GPA at MIT (other than as a line on their CV). Most MIT students (especially those that become "scientists") learn quickly that at MIT, GPA doesn't matter - passion does.

Your GPA at MIT absolutely matters. Many of us struggled with med school and grad school admissions because our grades were lower than pretty much any other top college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you went to a magnet like TJ?

No I did not, but I routinely had over 8 hours of homework a night. Back before schools stopped saddling kids with work

When I was at TJ some kids did 8 hours of homework most nights. I skated by with mostly As and some Bs doing 2 hours a night. Didn't go to MIT, it's true, but I work with an awful lot of MIT grads these days.