Current TJ Student answering questions
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Anonymous
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Thanks OP. Nice to see one positive post here, bravo ! Appreciate you time.
I have a similar question as PP. Looking forward to your response. My DC will be taking Algebra 1 in 8th grade. We are moving from NJ. Over here AAP /GT program is very different and only 20% of the kids in AAP are offered Algebra 1 in 7th grade. We aren’t in a rush. My son did AOPS program for Algebra 1 privately and he found out it ok. |
Anonymous
PP: referring to how you prepared for the entrance. |
Anonymous
No problem! 
I would tell incoming freshmen three main things: 1) to not hesitate to build relationships with those in their IBET, or any classes really. Even if you're more introverted, I promise there's at least one other person in your IBET rotation that's also an introvert like you. There are many driven and genuinely kind people that you'll be peers with and many friendships at TJ are strong and deep. The year and TJ grows exponentially more fun when you can panic study during lunch with a group of friends, trust me 
2) Don't be afraid to ask for help, even early on. Another thing that certainly struck me was the willingness of teachers and upperclassmen to help you succeed, if you only say that you might need help. If you do an extracurricular that helps you build friendships with upperclassmen, such as a sport or band, then they are also there for you. Freshman year is definitely not always easy and not everyone is always getting amazing grades as it might seem. There are incredible Peer Tutoring resources and 8th period time that you can spend building relationships with your teachers and clearing any confusion about a lesson or concept. Not everyone at TJ is naturally super smart. What arguably is more important to succeeding is hard work and dedication. Don't give up too soon! I got a 67 on my first stats test and thought I wasn't cut out for TJ, but there are years worth of study guides on Facebook and a lot of people that have taken the course and were willing to help me study and answer any questions I had. Teachers might also seem intimidating in class, but a lot of them are super approachable at lunch or 8th period or through email and can become some of your greatest mentors. 3) Do extracurriculars!! TJ has so many amazing clubs and opportunities to explore your interests. I know that when I was a rising freshman I was really nervous to step outside my comfort zone and attend 8th period clubs but I ended up meeting amazing people at some and working my way up to leadership positions. Most upperclassmen WANT freshmen to show interest in their clubs and attend meetings. Freshman year is certainly a time to figure out what you're interested in and what you might want to do at TJ. |
Anonymous
OP here! Socially, TJ attracts a certain type of person. People are very dedicated and driven to succeed, but I've found that there's also a very high level of empathy and emotional intelligence among my peers for each other. I might have been lucky in the friendships that I've formed through IBET or clubs, but people really do seem to care about each other and are understanding of different situations. It was very easy for me to make friends at the beginning of the year and even throughout my time at TJ, and even people that don't make friends as easily end up doing what they like and finding their people. I've heard that some people dislike TJ's social scene because it's very school-oriented (ie: people talk about studying all the time or grades) but TJ is also full of people passionate about many, many different things--even if the thing that unites most people is the general feel of TJ's workload. People do care about grades and are always willing to talk about teachers or classes if you're ever at a loss for conversation-starters, lol. There's also a really great dance culture at the school, and I think that more than half the school participates in Inite--which is a great way to get involved with TJ's community. Of course, like every school, there are some people that are just rude or cheaters--but it's definitely not everybody. Separately, my main EC is marching band. I have been part of marching band since my freshman year and do band during the school year. Band is stereotypically a very close community within TJ and though marching band is a huge (very huge) time commitment, I love how it pushes me to play as best I can. I also write for the literary magazine, go to health clubs, and volunteer at Weyanoke (the nearby elementary school). It wasn't very hard to get involved in these clubs, moreso show up and choose to participate and eventually you've made yourself a member. A lot of clubs at TJ need members. The clubs that are more selective, like Science Olympiad, MUN, or certain types of debate (TJ has many types of debate) might require you to do studying or work outside of the time--but these are all competition-based and I know of highly-successful people in each of these that didn't begin until high school, then found out they really liked it. Basically, at the beginning of the year, there's no reason not to try something new out. School spirit at TJ is pretty good, especially around homecoming. Homecoming is a really fun week of the year complete with pep rallies and spirit bombing and a well-attended football game on Friday. The school is really lively and if you've ever seen a picture of TJ's pep rally, it's really intense. There's also yearly events like JDay which is essentially a long festival and miscellaneous class-sponsored events that people enjoy going to. However, fall football games aren't usually very well attended since a lot of people live far from TJ. |
Anonymous
OP here! Yeah haha, I could try to take math skip tests--but I've never really been too interested in that. My main EC (marching band/indoor drumline) takes up a lot of time and I sometimes end up finishing homework pretty late, but it's never felt too overwhelming (yet...we'll see about junior year  )and if I wasn't able to finish something, I'd find some time (on the bus, JLC, lunch) to get it done before I had to hand it in. I find that most people that play a sport are also generally good students with a healthy social life, and most other kids that aren't in a super time-consuming EC find ways to fill their time with outside extracurriculars or working on personal projects. Alternatively, they just chill at home or with friends at the nearby Plaza or Ocha Tea. TJ kids tend to work hard/smartly to achieve their goals. It's all up to the student's own time management--which is a large part of why freshman year is so difficult for people while they're still figuring out how much or how to study.
I feel that there are way more requirements for TJ graduation than at base school, but I'm not actually sure what the requirements for a normal diploma at base school would be. However, sometimes the course requirements for TJ are tricky and prohibit kids from taking more of the specialized electives than they would want to take. This would include having to take Design and Tech freshman year, Foundations CS before junior year, and a non-AP history credit at some point before graduation. Also the senior research lab. While these classes are all actually really interesting and I understand the appeal of having it as a requirement, I know that some people not have been interested in CS at all were annoyed that they would have to use up one of their elective spots/summer classes for a class for the TJ diploma. We're also required to take HUM (combined History and English) sophomore and junior year, which might be annoying for some kids in specific weird course scenarios (ie: my friend wanting to take Physics sophomore year couldn't make the schedule work). I would agree that most of the kids who manage their time well end up thriving. While it will depend on IBET, the workload freshman year is doable without having to stay up too late--if the kid doesn't waste time procrastinating on the Internet or talking to friends while there's a big project due tomorrow or something. It can be done. There's lot of time in the day and as I've gotten older I've learned to work more efficiently and waste less time. There are a lot of procrastinators at TJ though and it's definitely not easy to stop putting off work. It's definitely a habit a lot of us share, and learn to combat. The kids that are not doing as well or having a harder time are usually taking classes that are stereotypically already difficult (AP Chem after summer chem, Math 4 freshman year, Calc BC before junior year) and are also younger and not as used to TJ's rigor. It is likely a combination of still learning to build good study habits, while also slightly being over their heads if they're taking really advanced courses while still an underclassmen. The kids struggling in "easier" freshman classes (still definitely a wake-up call freshman year) like Stats or Spanish 2 might just need to do practice or extra studying on their own. Still, it is doable. While it is possible that some struggling kids were simply underprepared and should not have been admitted, being underprepared in middle school doesn't necessarily mean that you can't catch up. No freshman courses at TJ (besides math and level 2/3 language) rely on previous knowledge--in Bio and Stats the material can be found in a textbook that you're given, Foundation CS you're given info found in packets, etc. I had barely any science background from my Catholic school through a series of unfortunate events (teacher passed away, no textbooks, constant subs) and still studied a lot and did well in both Biology and Chemistry alongside my peers from public school who had a more rigorous background. Sometimes, people feel inadequate and unable to cope with the work because of parental pressure, or personal pressure on themselves to get straight As or take really hard classes to apply to college with a 4.5 GPA. Even if they don't do as well as they hoped in these classes--TJ's academics are not always easy to do well in. They are still good students, and while putting pressure can help drive you/the child to success, coming a little short does not always mean failure. |
Anonymous
OP here: Thank you so much anon
I attended a very small Catholic middle school and through 7th grade I was planning on applying to only Catholic high schools in the area (Bishop O'Connell, Bishop Ireton, St. Johns, and Georgetown Visitation). I decided to apply to TJ in June before my 8th grade year because one of the girls I worked with attended TJ at the time, and she spoke positively of her experience. I didn't know much about the school, only that it was about STEM and a public school, but I realized that I was lucky enough to happen to live within the 5 districts of admission and thought that it would be a waste if I didn't apply. It was strange to juggle the application deadlines of TJ and private school--I ended up registering for a different high school before receiving my TJ acceptance then cancelling the deposit and deciding to attend TJ. I did a little preparation for the test--less than others I've talked to at TJ, but more than people who did 0 prep. I worked a little (maybe 1/3?) through an ACT book by myself (I didn't know any of the math), and did an entire SHSAT prep book. I also was prepping for the HSPT at the same time (Catholic school admissions test) so that probably helped a little too, though the HSPT's difficulty was not comparable to the TJ admissions test. For the essay round, I simply thought beforehand of things I wanted to highlight (Student Council president, band, love to read, want STEM opportunities) and just made sure to work them into my essay responses. |
Anonymous
| Do you have any suggestions for this summer for rising Sophomores or in general any advice for them based on your experience? |
Anonymous
OP here: I can't speak to the experience of black and hispanic (underrepresented) students at TJ, as I am not one of them. While I personally don't believe that many people judge others based on race at TJ, it would be irresponsible to pretend like the non-Asian and non-white students do not notice and feel this racial disparity. I don't know if the black or hispanic students are uncomfortable being around people that don't really look like them, but certainly there are times where these students are the only one of their race in a classroom. There are diversity initiatives at TJ that seek to offer students a space to speak out about these concerns, but one of TJ's largest controversies is the racial profile of the admitted students--the admissions office is separate from the school itself. |
Anonymous
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To anon saying I'm narcissistic:
I'm very very sorry if I came across that way--I am in no way a perfect student and I don't believe that my words are a perfect example of the school. I don't believe that I am better or smarter than any other student/parent who might disagree with what I write here. I simply base what I say off of what I can, which is what I've gone through and what I think of the school--I cannot assume things about other's experiences or thoughts. I am very lucky to be happy with who I am and where I am. |
Anonymous
| What do you like most about attending TJ? |
Anonymous
OP here: If you take Algebra 1 in 8th grade, the math portion of the TJ admission test (Quant Q) might be a little more difficult since it concerns some Algebra topics. I know that when I took it, many of the questions flew over my head. It doesn't really concern specific topics in Algebra and Geometry, but it's more concept-based problem solving that uses math? I remember thinking that the ACT prep book I looked into didn't really help me very much. I'm sorry that I don't remember much about it, but I am sure that there are resources available on the internet about what the problems are like if you search "Quant Q". If your child is accepted and decides to attend to TJ, they can take Geometry Honors online over the summer before freshman year and enter Stats and Math 3 (Algebra 2) in the fall, or they can enter Stats and Math 1 (1st sem Geometry). |
Anonymous
OP here: I would encourage rising sophomores to just continue doing what they love. Keep following your passions and enjoy your time at TJ. If you show a lot of commitment this year, it will likely lead to leadership junior year (if that's something you'd like to go for). Sophomore year is honestly a really fun year at TJ. You're able to take more classes you like and continue to do clubs you enjoy. If you're taking any APs, make sure to not fall behind--but don't be too stressed about it. You shouldn't be sacrificing your health for grades. Sometimes people feel the "sophomore slump" where we lose motivation for school, but as upperclassmen promise--it will get better. Also, go to events and have fun
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Anonymous
OP here: The people here are amazing. I've made really close friends and met people here who are truly passionate for learning and are genuinely kind. Most of the teachers will help you outside of class and are very intelligent. Some still--and some counselors--are people you can truly confide in and trust, knowing they genuinely care about you. The people at TJ make the studying and tests all worth it. Also, I like JLC and lunchtime, haha. Having this free time with the entire school is pretty cool. You can use it to finish last minute homework, last minute cram, play Nintendo Switch in Davinci Commons, go into the courtyard with friends, practice, or nap... the list goes on. I'm not really sure what the school day will look like after COVID though. |
Anonymous
Thanks OP. Wish you good luck 👍 |
Anonymous
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OP - thanks for doing this!
My DD is getting ready to come to TJ in the fall. We are a little apprehensive and ignorant of how TJ works. We don't know anyone who has attended. Can you tell me about the classes you'd consider "really hard." By this I mean, a class that will likely crush you if you don't work really hard and/or if you load it up with 1 or 2 other such classes. In particular, I'm interested in the math program. My DD will want to take multivariable, linear algebra, and then other classes like RS2, RS3, concrete math etc. Would you consider these to be particularly brutal? Thanks for your advice! |