What's benefit of going to TJ if the student can't rank very high in TJ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Access to a wide variety of post-AP math and science courses

which are also available at most FCPS schools

Calc AB is available at most base schools, no need to attend TJ and struggle to meet that minimum requirement.

So is CalcBC, linear algebra, and mv

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Access to a wide variety of post-AP math and science courses

which are also available at most FCPS schools

Not true. TJ offers many courses like, Electrodynamics (post AP Physics C), Organic Chemistry (post AP Chem), Neurobiology (post AP Biology), Differential Equations (post Multivariable Calc), etc... that are not available at base schools.

TJ was established for providing such challenging courses. If students expect to take basic minimum graduation satisfying courses that are at the low end of TJ rigor scale, then staying back at base school might be a better option for workload management and accommodating extracurriculars.

Those seem kind of niche so not a strong selling point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Access to a wide variety of post-AP math and science courses

which are also available at most FCPS schools

Not true. TJ offers many courses like, Electrodynamics (post AP Physics C), Organic Chemistry (post AP Chem), Neurobiology (post AP Biology), Differential Equations (post Multivariable Calc), etc... that are not available at base schools.

TJ was established for providing such challenging courses. If students expect to take basic minimum graduation satisfying courses that are at the low end of TJ rigor scale, then staying back at base school might be a better option for workload management and accommodating extracurriculars.

Those seem kind of niche so not a strong selling point.

Those are the selling point. If they don't appeal to you, then don't go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Access to a wide variety of post-AP math and science courses

which are also available at most FCPS schools

Not true. TJ offers many courses like, Electrodynamics (post AP Physics C), Organic Chemistry (post AP Chem), Neurobiology (post AP Biology), Differential Equations (post Multivariable Calc), etc... that are not available at base schools.

TJ was established for providing such challenging courses. If students expect to take basic minimum graduation satisfying courses that are at the low end of TJ rigor scale, then staying back at base school might be a better option for workload management and accommodating extracurriculars.

Those seem kind of niche so not a strong selling point.

Then I'm not sure why you would want the extra commute time to get to and from high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Access to a wide variety of post-AP math and science courses

which are also available at most FCPS schools

Not true. TJ offers many courses like, Electrodynamics (post AP Physics C), Organic Chemistry (post AP Chem), Neurobiology (post AP Biology), Differential Equations (post Multivariable Calc), etc... that are not available at base schools.

TJ was established for providing such challenging courses. If students expect to take basic minimum graduation satisfying courses that are at the low end of TJ rigor scale, then staying back at base school might be a better option for workload management and accommodating extracurriculars.

Those seem kind of niche so not a strong selling point.

I agree, but it's also not really the draw for TJ. In fact, many of those classes are rarely taught or have low enrollment.

[Anonymous]

Student body. Rigor. Prep for college. But it is not going to get you an admissions boost. That’s just how it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They will have better teachers and peers.

Anonymous wrote:but will likely have a tough time getting into a state flagship like UVA since they are competing with their classmates for limited spots

These both depend on your base school. TJ in recent years has had roughly 33% of the class matriculate to UVA or similar (UMich, UCLA, Cal) or better (top-15 privates, etc.). That rate at McLean HS is more like 15%. I haven't tracked Langley but would expect it is similar. But for many HS FCPS, that local HS % is much lower. So you have to ask which bar you think is more likely to be achievable for your student if college admissions is a priority. Do you want to be a "bigger fish in a smaller pond"? But then you also are going to be faced with a smaller cohort of similar caliber students at most schools than you would at TJ or the high-SES HS, and likely significantly less advanced course offerings, extracurricular opportunities, etc. that have value in their own right and help prepare for college success. There's no one right answer here. But the delta between say TJ and McLean is probably smaller in both these regards than between say McLean and Lewis, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They will have better teachers and peers.

Anonymous wrote:but will likely have a tough time getting into a state flagship like UVA since they are competing with their classmates for limited spots

These both depend on your base school. TJ in recent years has had roughly 33% of the class matriculate to UVA or similar (UMich, UCLA, Cal) or better (top-15 privates, etc.). That rate at McLean HS is more like 15%. I haven't tracked Langley but would expect it is similar. But for many HS FCPS, that local HS % is much lower. So you have to ask which bar you think is more likely to be achievable for your student if college admissions is a priority. Do you want to be a "bigger fish in a smaller pond"? But then you also are going to be faced with a smaller cohort of similar caliber students at most schools than you would at TJ or the high-SES HS, and likely significantly less advanced course offerings, extracurricular opportunities, etc. that have value in their own right and help prepare for college success. There's no one right answer here. But the delta between say TJ and McLean is probably smaller in both these regards than between say McLean and Lewis, etc.

The lowest ranked private college I saw on TJ's college admissions page has a 25% acceptance rate so even in the realm of private colleges, they clean up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fit in with other nerds. That's why it's my dream school for DS! (It's his dream school for that and many other reasons)

They want more non-nerds. But those new kids are not able to do the work. Many teachers are leaving.

This.
Sorry but the school board is very determined to destroy this one safe-space for high school environment for brainiac high-achieving children who are typically ostracized in most fcps high schools—in the name of equity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Student body. Rigor. Prep for college. But it is not going to get you an admissions boost. That’s just how it is.

No, but if you go to a middling college but still have TJ on your resume, it does give you a job market boost. Ask any alumn. And there's nothing wrong with middling colleges and a decent UMC level job. Not everyone has to gun for HYP or MIT and then McKinsey.

[Anonymous]

One additional reason to go to TJ is if you are very academically inclined. In many FCPS HS, kids in sports are the cool kids and the academically inclined are looked down. At TJ, the academically inclined kids are not looked down - they might even be the cool kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They will have better teachers and peers.

Anonymous wrote:but will likely have a tough time getting into a state flagship like UVA since they are competing with their classmates for limited spots

These both depend on your base school. TJ in recent years has had roughly 33% of the class matriculate to UVA or similar (UMich, UCLA, Cal) or better (top-15 privates, etc.). That rate at McLean HS is more like 15%. I haven't tracked Langley but would expect it is similar. But for many HS FCPS, that local HS % is much lower. So you have to ask which bar you think is more likely to be achievable for your student if college admissions is a priority. Do you want to be a "bigger fish in a smaller pond"? But then you also are going to be faced with a smaller cohort of similar caliber students at most schools than you would at TJ or the high-SES HS, and likely significantly less advanced course offerings, extracurricular opportunities, etc. that have value in their own right and help prepare for college success. There's no one right answer here. But the delta between say TJ and McLean is probably smaller in both these regards than between say McLean and Lewis, etc.

The lowest ranked private college I saw on TJ's college admissions page has a 25% acceptance rate so even in the realm of private colleges, they clean up.

Can you please post the link to the page you reference above. Thanks,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They will have better teachers and peers.

Anonymous wrote:but will likely have a tough time getting into a state flagship like UVA since they are competing with their classmates for limited spots

These both depend on your base school. TJ in recent years has had roughly 33% of the class matriculate to UVA or similar (UMich, UCLA, Cal) or better (top-15 privates, etc.). That rate at McLean HS is more like 15%. I haven't tracked Langley but would expect it is similar. But for many HS FCPS, that local HS % is much lower. So you have to ask which bar you think is more likely to be achievable for your student if college admissions is a priority. Do you want to be a "bigger fish in a smaller pond"? But then you also are going to be faced with a smaller cohort of similar caliber students at most schools than you would at TJ or the high-SES HS, and likely significantly less advanced course offerings, extracurricular opportunities, etc. that have value in their own right and help prepare for college success. There's no one right answer here. But the delta between say TJ and McLean is probably smaller in both these regards than between say McLean and Lewis, etc.

The lowest ranked private college I saw on TJ's college admissions page has a 25% acceptance rate so even in the realm of private colleges, they clean up.

Can you please post the link to the page you reference above. Thanks,

Maybe true for privates. But plenty of TJ kids go to W&M, GMU, VCU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They will have better teachers and peers.

Anonymous wrote:but will likely have a tough time getting into a state flagship like UVA since they are competing with their classmates for limited spots

These both depend on your base school. TJ in recent years has had roughly 33% of the class matriculate to UVA or similar (UMich, UCLA, Cal) or better (top-15 privates, etc.). That rate at McLean HS is more like 15%. I haven't tracked Langley but would expect it is similar. But for many HS FCPS, that local HS % is much lower. So you have to ask which bar you think is more likely to be achievable for your student if college admissions is a priority. Do you want to be a "bigger fish in a smaller pond"? But then you also are going to be faced with a smaller cohort of similar caliber students at most schools than you would at TJ or the high-SES HS, and likely significantly less advanced course offerings, extracurricular opportunities, etc. that have value in their own right and help prepare for college success. There's no one right answer here. But the delta between say TJ and McLean is probably smaller in both these regards than between say McLean and Lewis, etc.

The lowest ranked private college I saw on TJ's college admissions page has a 25% acceptance rate so even in the realm of private colleges, they clean up.

Can you please post the link to the page you reference above. Thanks,

Maybe true for privates. But plenty of TJ kids go to W&M, GMU, VCU.

Many families can not afford private or out of state schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Access to a wide variety of post-AP math and science courses

which are also available at most FCPS schools

Not true. TJ offers many courses like, Electrodynamics (post AP Physics C), Organic Chemistry (post AP Chem), Neurobiology (post AP Biology), Differential Equations (post Multivariable Calc), etc... that are not available at base schools.

TJ was established for providing such challenging courses. If students expect to take basic minimum graduation satisfying courses that are at the low end of TJ rigor scale, then staying back at base school might be a better option for workload management and accommodating extracurriculars.

DNA science too. There are a lot of courses at TJ that are not available in other schools including Langley.

TJ is very competitive in everything. Getting all As is not easy like other schools. Going to TJ you learn a lot, much deeper, work much harder and that level of education at a young age helps in their future.

Whether TJ is ranked 1st or 14th or whatever, people all over US and Ivys know the quality of kids coming from TJ