What changes in the TJ admissions procedure do you predict this year ?

[Anonymous]

Good point - I will be very interested to see how many kids accepted to Harvard this year have no standardized tests scores... will be a really interesting shift in admissions if schools like Harvard really mean it when they say "optional". A good trend for equity for sure.... at Harvard and at TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Harvard can go test optional, I’m pretty sure a high school can

If Harvard doesn't use test results it will just demonstrate what a complete academic joke it has become.

[Anonymous]

You must be out of the loop. . .

400 universities have gone test-optional for 2021. Yale, UPenn, Brown, etc etc

https://www.nacacnet.org/news--publications/newsroom/test-optional-means-test-optional/

There is a snowballs chance in he!l that FCPS will administer the TJ test this year.

[Anonymous]

The operative word was "use.". Without any standard evaluation technique, how will anyone judge academic competence? Well, they will making choices using bullshit inflated grades, bullshit LORs, bullshit essays, and bullshit ECs. It's not as if those other things can't also be influenced by corruption.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The operative word was "use.". Without any standard evaluation technique, how will anyone judge academic competence? Well, they will making choices using bullshit inflated grades, bullshit LORs, bullshit essays, and bullshit ECs. It's not as if those other things can't also be influenced by corruption.

+ 1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The operative word was "use.". Without any standard evaluation technique, how will anyone judge academic competence? Well, they will making choices using bullshit inflated grades, bullshit LORs, bullshit essays, and bullshit ECs. It's not as if those other things can't also be influenced by corruption.

Admissions committee members in all areas have long been trained to use context to sniff out "bullshit". It's really not that hard. It's a big part of why TJ kids don't have more success in the college admissions process.

With no exam to fall back on, FCPS will be forced to train its TJ Admissions Committee members to do the same thing - because they clearly haven't to this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The operative word was "use.". Without any standard evaluation technique, how will anyone judge academic competence? Well, they will making choices using bullshit inflated grades, bullshit LORs, bullshit essays, and bullshit ECs. It's not as if those other things can't also be influenced by corruption.

Admissions committee members in all areas have long been trained to use context to sniff out "bullshit". It's really not that hard. It's a big part of why TJ kids don't have more success in the college admissions process.

With no exam to fall back on, FCPS will be forced to train its TJ Admissions Committee members to do the same thing - because they clearly haven't to this point.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools...over-magnet-school-admissions/ BY CAITLYNN PEETZ FOLLOW @CAITLYNNPEETZ14| Published: 2020-09-03 17:00

A Montgomery County nonprofit this week filed a federal lawsuit against the local school district, alleging it discriminates against Asian students when making admissions decisions for middle school magnet programs.

In the 83-page complaint, the Association for Education Fairness — a local organization of mostly Asian parents — argues that recent changes to the admissions process for MCPS’ four middle school magnet programs were “targeted to reduce the percentage of Asian-American students who enroll … with the ultimate goal of racially balancing these schools according to the racial demographics of Montgomery County.”

The group argues that the changes violate the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause, which requires jurisdictions to treat all individuals in similar circumstances equally.

MCPS had not provided a comment in response to the lawsuit as of 5 p.m. Thursday.

A report to the school board in 2016 found disparities in enrollment and acceptance rates at the four magnet (gifted and talented) programs, with white and Asian students admitted at greater rates than their peers.

In the 2013-14 school year, the programs’ enrollment was 47% white, 34% Asian, 8% Black and 4% Hispanic, according to the report.

In response, the consultants who conducted the report recommended a slate of changes to the admissions process, including implementing a new consideration: how many students from their home schools are admitted to special programs.

Students are considered less favorably for a seat if they have 20 or more gifted classmates at their home schools. District officials have said students at a school with a large population of advanced students are better suited to work together there, whereas advanced students who don’t have similarly skilled classmates at their school have a greater need for a magnet program.

The report also recommended considering non-cognitive measures in admissions decisions, including “motivation and persistence.” Also, rather than having parents initiate the selection process, MCPS began universal screening for admission.

The Association for Education Fairness wrote in its lawsuit that, while Black and Hispanic students have “benefited from the changes,” Asian students have lost “more than a fifth of the seats at each program” since the changes took effect in 2017.

The group asks the federal court to issue a permanent injunction, prohibiting MCPS from continuing to use the changed admissions processes.

In March 2019, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into allegations similar to the ones raised in this week’s lawsuit.

The Washington Post reported at the time that federal officials received 10 complaints raising concerns about the magnet program.

The Office of Civil Rights website lists the investigation as still open. A spokesperson declined to comment on Thursday afternoon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The operative word was "use.". Without any standard evaluation technique, how will anyone judge academic competence? Well, they will making choices using bullshit inflated grades, bullshit LORs, bullshit essays, and bullshit ECs. It's not as if those other things can't also be influenced by corruption.

Admissions committee members in all areas have long been trained to use context to sniff out "bullshit". It's really not that hard. It's a big part of why TJ kids don't have more success in the college admissions process.

With no exam to fall back on, FCPS will be forced to train its TJ Admissions Committee members to do the same thing - because they clearly haven't to this point.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools...over-magnet-school-admissions/ BY CAITLYNN PEETZ FOLLOW @CAITLYNNPEETZ14| Published: 2020-09-03 17:00

A Montgomery County nonprofit this week filed a federal lawsuit against the local school district, alleging it discriminates against Asian students when making admissions decisions for middle school magnet programs.

In the 83-page complaint, the Association for Education Fairness — a local organization of mostly Asian parents — argues that recent changes to the admissions process for MCPS’ four middle school magnet programs were “targeted to reduce the percentage of Asian-American students who enroll … with the ultimate goal of racially balancing these schools according to the racial demographics of Montgomery County.”

The group argues that the changes violate the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause, which requires jurisdictions to treat all individuals in similar circumstances equally.

MCPS had not provided a comment in response to the lawsuit as of 5 p.m. Thursday.

A report to the school board in 2016 found disparities in enrollment and acceptance rates at the four magnet (gifted and talented) programs, with white and Asian students admitted at greater rates than their peers.

In the 2013-14 school year, the programs’ enrollment was 47% white, 34% Asian, 8% Black and 4% Hispanic, according to the report.

In response, the consultants who conducted the report recommended a slate of changes to the admissions process, including implementing a new consideration: how many students from their home schools are admitted to special programs.

Students are considered less favorably for a seat if they have 20 or more gifted classmates at their home schools. District officials have said students at a school with a large population of advanced students are better suited to work together there, whereas advanced students who don’t have similarly skilled classmates at their school have a greater need for a magnet program.

The report also recommended considering non-cognitive measures in admissions decisions, including “motivation and persistence.” Also, rather than having parents initiate the selection process, MCPS began universal screening for admission.

The Association for Education Fairness wrote in its lawsuit that, while Black and Hispanic students have “benefited from the changes,” Asian students have lost “more than a fifth of the seats at each program” since the changes took effect in 2017.

The group asks the federal court to issue a permanent injunction, prohibiting MCPS from continuing to use the changed admissions processes.

In March 2019, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into allegations similar to the ones raised in this week’s lawsuit.

The Washington Post reported at the time that federal officials received 10 complaints raising concerns about the magnet program.

The Office of Civil Rights website lists the investigation as still open. A spokesperson declined to comment on Thursday afternoon.

The very definition of a frivolous lawsuit.

The current TJ admissions process discriminates in favor of Asians by overemphasizing application elements that favor parental pre-determination of their child's ambitions and future from an early age. It is no more a feature of Asians as a monolithic entity that they score extremely highly on standardized tests than it is that their parents have an incredibly high level of influence on what their children do with their time, all the way up to and through college and beyond.

Want proof? Look at the current admissions statistics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The operative word was "use.". Without any standard evaluation technique, how will anyone judge academic competence? Well, they will making choices using bullshit inflated grades, bullshit LORs, bullshit essays, and bullshit ECs. It's not as if those other things can't also be influenced by corruption.

Admissions committee members in all areas have long been trained to use context to sniff out "bullshit". It's really not that hard. It's a big part of why TJ kids don't have more success in the college admissions process.

With no exam to fall back on, FCPS will be forced to train its TJ Admissions Committee members to do the same thing - because they clearly haven't to this point.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools...over-magnet-school-admissions/ BY CAITLYNN PEETZ FOLLOW @CAITLYNNPEETZ14| Published: 2020-09-03 17:00

A Montgomery County nonprofit this week filed a federal lawsuit against the local school district, alleging it discriminates against Asian students when making admissions decisions for middle school magnet programs.

In the 83-page complaint, the Association for Education Fairness — a local organization of mostly Asian parents — argues that recent changes to the admissions process for MCPS’ four middle school magnet programs were “targeted to reduce the percentage of Asian-American students who enroll … with the ultimate goal of racially balancing these schools according to the racial demographics of Montgomery County.”

The group argues that the changes violate the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause, which requires jurisdictions to treat all individuals in similar circumstances equally.

MCPS had not provided a comment in response to the lawsuit as of 5 p.m. Thursday.

A report to the school board in 2016 found disparities in enrollment and acceptance rates at the four magnet (gifted and talented) programs, with white and Asian students admitted at greater rates than their peers.

In the 2013-14 school year, the programs’ enrollment was 47% white, 34% Asian, 8% Black and 4% Hispanic, according to the report.

In response, the consultants who conducted the report recommended a slate of changes to the admissions process, including implementing a new consideration: how many students from their home schools are admitted to special programs.

Students are considered less favorably for a seat if they have 20 or more gifted classmates at their home schools. District officials have said students at a school with a large population of advanced students are better suited to work together there, whereas advanced students who don’t have similarly skilled classmates at their school have a greater need for a magnet program.

The report also recommended considering non-cognitive measures in admissions decisions, including “motivation and persistence.” Also, rather than having parents initiate the selection process, MCPS began universal screening for admission.

The Association for Education Fairness wrote in its lawsuit that, while Black and Hispanic students have “benefited from the changes,” Asian students have lost “more than a fifth of the seats at each program” since the changes took effect in 2017.

The group asks the federal court to issue a permanent injunction, prohibiting MCPS from continuing to use the changed admissions processes.

In March 2019, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into allegations similar to the ones raised in this week’s lawsuit.

The Washington Post reported at the time that federal officials received 10 complaints raising concerns about the magnet program.

The Office of Civil Rights website lists the investigation as still open. A spokesperson declined to comment on Thursday afternoon.

The very definition of a frivolous lawsuit.

The current TJ admissions process discriminates in favor of Asians by overemphasizing application elements that favor parental pre-determination of their child's ambitions and future from an early age. It is no more a feature of Asians as a monolithic entity that they score extremely highly on standardized tests than it is that their parents have an incredibly high level of influence on what their children do with their time, all the way up to and through college and beyond.

Want proof? Look at the current admissions statistics.

It's open for argument whether the "tiger mom" attitude is a good thing or a bad thing for children, but it should not have an impact on TJ admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The operative word was "use.". Without any standard evaluation technique, how will anyone judge academic competence? Well, they will making choices using bullshit inflated grades, bullshit LORs, bullshit essays, and bullshit ECs. It's not as if those other things can't also be influenced by corruption.

Admissions committee members in all areas have long been trained to use context to sniff out "bullshit". It's really not that hard. It's a big part of why TJ kids don't have more success in the college admissions process.

With no exam to fall back on, FCPS will be forced to train its TJ Admissions Committee members to do the same thing - because they clearly haven't to this point.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools...over-magnet-school-admissions/ BY CAITLYNN PEETZ FOLLOW @CAITLYNNPEETZ14| Published: 2020-09-03 17:00

A Montgomery County nonprofit this week filed a federal lawsuit against the local school district, alleging it discriminates against Asian students when making admissions decisions for middle school magnet programs.

In the 83-page complaint, the Association for Education Fairness — a local organization of mostly Asian parents — argues that recent changes to the admissions process for MCPS’ four middle school magnet programs were “targeted to reduce the percentage of Asian-American students who enroll … with the ultimate goal of racially balancing these schools according to the racial demographics of Montgomery County.”

The group argues that the changes violate the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause, which requires jurisdictions to treat all individuals in similar circumstances equally.

MCPS had not provided a comment in response to the lawsuit as of 5 p.m. Thursday.

A report to the school board in 2016 found disparities in enrollment and acceptance rates at the four magnet (gifted and talented) programs, with white and Asian students admitted at greater rates than their peers.

In the 2013-14 school year, the programs’ enrollment was 47% white, 34% Asian, 8% Black and 4% Hispanic, according to the report.

In response, the consultants who conducted the report recommended a slate of changes to the admissions process, including implementing a new consideration: how many students from their home schools are admitted to special programs.

Students are considered less favorably for a seat if they have 20 or more gifted classmates at their home schools. District officials have said students at a school with a large population of advanced students are better suited to work together there, whereas advanced students who don’t have similarly skilled classmates at their school have a greater need for a magnet program.

The report also recommended considering non-cognitive measures in admissions decisions, including “motivation and persistence.” Also, rather than having parents initiate the selection process, MCPS began universal screening for admission.

The Association for Education Fairness wrote in its lawsuit that, while Black and Hispanic students have “benefited from the changes,” Asian students have lost “more than a fifth of the seats at each program” since the changes took effect in 2017.

The group asks the federal court to issue a permanent injunction, prohibiting MCPS from continuing to use the changed admissions processes.

In March 2019, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into allegations similar to the ones raised in this week’s lawsuit.

The Washington Post reported at the time that federal officials received 10 complaints raising concerns about the magnet program.

The Office of Civil Rights website lists the investigation as still open. A spokesperson declined to comment on Thursday afternoon.

The very definition of a frivolous lawsuit.

The current TJ admissions process discriminates in favor of Asians by overemphasizing application elements that favor parental pre-determination of their child's ambitions and future from an early age. It is no more a feature of Asians as a monolithic entity that they score extremely highly on standardized tests than it is that their parents have an incredibly high level of influence on what their children do with their time, all the way up to and through college and beyond.

Want proof? Look at the current admissions statistics.

It's open for argument whether the "tiger mom" attitude is a good thing or a bad thing for children, but it should not have an impact on TJ admissions.

I wonder to what level the amount of "tiger moming" in NOVA will change when TJ fixes its admissions process in the same way that many of the Ivy League schools are continuing to.

[Anonymous]

There is no change for this year and the test date is still Nov.7. The on-going discussion is for next year’s change, not for this year.

Anonymous wrote:The admission test will be pushed to early next year when students will be back in their physical classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no change for this year and the test date is still Nov.7. The on-going discussion is for next year’s change, not for this year.

Anonymous wrote:The admission test will be pushed to early next year when students will be back in their physical classes.

There is no way that they can safely administer the TJ exam in-person this year under current COVID guidelines and to do so will force families into an unthinkable choice regarding their students' safety when FCPS isn't even willing to have students on campus for school.

There is also no way they can securely administer the exam online without unbelievable amounts of cheating.

In addition, it's well-established that the "math" component of the exam, which is supposed to be unpreppable, has been compromised by CurieGate - see other threads for details on how a single prep company gained illegitimate access to an exam that is advertised by FCPS as having no prep available.

Expect changes for this year. They haven't been announced yet, but things aren't going to get better between now and then, and the FCPS School Board has already expressed openness to change guidelines for this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no change for this year and the test date is still Nov.7. The on-going discussion is for next year’s change, not for this year.

Anonymous wrote:The admission test will be pushed to early next year when students will be back in their physical classes.

There is no way that they can safely administer the TJ exam in-person this year under current COVID guidelines and to do so will force families into an unthinkable choice regarding their students' safety when FCPS isn't even willing to have students on campus for school.

There is also no way they can securely administer the exam online without unbelievable amounts of cheating.

In addition, it's well-established that the "math" component of the exam, which is supposed to be unpreppable, has been compromised by CurieGate - see other threads for details on how a single prep company gained illegitimate access to an exam that is advertised by FCPS as having no prep available.

We have no experience with Curie but this post is definetly done by a competitor who is trying to put Curie out of business ..the only mistake they made was put up the names of the kids who got in on their facebook page. There are many other prep places who get a lot of kids in every year but no one knows about it.

There is a good percentage chance that those kids got in because they were taking prep classes for the last 2 years and were over prepared for the test and hence aced it. Lets not forget the essy/sis part can not be cheated on and the students have to come up with answers at the time of the test and I belive there is a question or two where they have to explain why they chose a certain approach to solving the question. Cheating can clear the first round but the Essay part is built in to show critical analysis skills. It is okay to be suspicious about a prpe place but accuisng them of cheating based on a few kids facebook comments is unfair.


Expect changes for this year. They haven't been announced yet, but things aren't going to get better between now and then, and the FCPS School Board has already expressed openness to change guidelines for this year.

"I am guessing this is owner of a non Asian/ Indian prep place "

[Anonymous]

FCPS already hosted SAT tests in August and will also host it in Sep. TJ test in Nov. will just follow the same guideline as SAT.

Anonymous wrote:The admission test will be pushed to early next year when students will be back in their physical classes.

There is no way that they can safely administer the TJ exam in-person this year under current COVID guidelines and to do so will force families into an unthinkable choice regarding their students' safety when FCPS isn't even willing to have students on campus for school.

There is also no way they can securely administer the exam online without unbelievable amounts of cheating.

In addition, it's well-established that the "math" component of the exam, which is supposed to be unpreppable, has been compromised by CurieGate - see other threads for details on how a single prep company gained illegitimate access to an exam that is advertised by FCPS as having no prep available.

Expect changes for this year. They haven't been announced yet, but things aren't going to get better between now and then, and the FCPS School Board has already expressed openness to change guidelines for this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our Middle School just confirmed that the TJ is changing its admissions procedure this year and parents are advised to monitor the TJ admissions website to keep up with updates about the changes. The application dates have been changed but it does not say anything about changes to the admissions process. Any thoughts ?

I think they’ll go test optional for the first part of admissions, and maybe not have a semi finalist cut off like they normally do. They can’t safely **insist** that people take the test this fall. If they wait until January or February, they still can’t **insist** that people take it in person. On the other hand, they can’t dismiss the test outright because they haven’t finish the process of testimony etc before they make decisions for next year.

School members are surely thinking that Covid gives them an excellent opportunity to see what the application process is like if there’s no first part to it. Will the kids who get in fare similarly, independent of the test? If they make it test optional, they have the kids who took the test and those who didn’t, side by side. (I’m imagining they say, if you take the test, we’ll consider it part of your application, and if you don’t we won’t.)