Court: TJ's New Admission Policy Does Not Discriminate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was sheer idiocy to encourage high achieving kids to attend AAP centers and then have the same 1.5% quota for Carson and a bottom-feeder like Poe or Whitman. Even if it wasn’t illegal it was sure as hell stupid.

Why? The kids at Carson, Rocky Run, and Longfellow had plenty of other spaces to compete for after the quotas were filled and ended up doing very well. They're still getting 30-50 kids into TJ every year while the Whitmans of the world are getting 5. Is that really so awful in exchange for every student in the catchment area feeling like they have a shot at TJ?

If your answer is yes, you're engaging in a behavior called "resource hoarding".

If you’re concerned about resource hoarding, you should be more concerned about TJ not serving its community. Kids handed an increasingly arbitrary golden ticket attend a state of the art school while kids living within walking distance to TJ attend run down Annandale or have to cross 395 and 495 to get to Edison. You have no problem with resource hoarding or elitism as long as the seats are doled out under the spoils system you prefer.

Terrible point you tried to make there. First of all, TJ wouldn't be an elite, state of the art school if it were NOT supported by Governor's School funds and private capital to do exactly what it is doing...

and second, the new system has greatly INCREASED the number of students from the area surrounding TJ who actually get to attend it instead of going to Annandale or Edison.

It's also the opposite of resource hoarding when the students benefiting from a system that you refer to as "increasingly arbitrary" don't have resources to begin with.

Just failed embarrassingly on all fronts here.

I don’t see any thoughtful response there. You are iso enamored of the geographical tokenism promoted under the new policy that you’re blind to the ongoing second-class experience afforded the vast majority of kids who live in the areas closest to TJ.

1) Edison and Annandale both got renovated maybe 8-12 years ago. Their physical plant is no more "second-class" than TJ's is, and calling their experience "second-class" is a needless insult to two hard-working administrations and staffs.

Compare course offerings with the rich schools. They are second class

Edison has an Academy (one of six in FCPS). You're correct that the rich schools don't have those.

FCPS expects their students to go to college and be successful in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was sheer idiocy to encourage high achieving kids to attend AAP centers and then have the same 1.5% quota for Carson and a bottom-feeder like Poe or Whitman. Even if it wasn’t illegal it was sure as hell stupid.

Why? The kids at Carson, Rocky Run, and Longfellow had plenty of other spaces to compete for after the quotas were filled and ended up doing very well. They're still getting 30-50 kids into TJ every year while the Whitmans of the world are getting 5. Is that really so awful in exchange for every student in the catchment area feeling like they have a shot at TJ?

If your answer is yes, you're engaging in a behavior called "resource hoarding".

If you’re concerned about resource hoarding, you should be more concerned about TJ not serving its community. Kids handed an increasingly arbitrary golden ticket attend a state of the art school while kids living within walking distance to TJ attend run down Annandale or have to cross 395 and 495 to get to Edison. You have no problem with resource hoarding or elitism as long as the seats are doled out under the spoils system you prefer.

Terrible point you tried to make there. First of all, TJ wouldn't be an elite, state of the art school if it were NOT supported by Governor's School funds and private capital to do exactly what it is doing...

and second, the new system has greatly INCREASED the number of students from the area surrounding TJ who actually get to attend it instead of going to Annandale or Edison.

It's also the opposite of resource hoarding when the students benefiting from a system that you refer to as "increasingly arbitrary" don't have resources to begin with.

Just failed embarrassingly on all fronts here.

I don’t see any thoughtful response there. You are iso enamored of the geographical tokenism promoted under the new policy that you’re blind to the ongoing second-class experience afforded the vast majority of kids who live in the areas closest to TJ.

1) Edison and Annandale both got renovated maybe 8-12 years ago. Their physical plant is no more "second-class" than TJ's is, and calling their experience "second-class" is a needless insult to two hard-working administrations and staffs.

Compare course offerings with the rich schools. They are second class

Edison has an Academy (one of six in FCPS). You're correct that the rich schools don't have those.

FCPS expects their students to go to college and be successful in life.

DP. What point were you trying to make here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was sheer idiocy to encourage high achieving kids to attend AAP centers and then have the same 1.5% quota for Carson and a bottom-feeder like Poe or Whitman. Even if it wasn’t illegal it was sure as hell stupid.

Why? The kids at Carson, Rocky Run, and Longfellow had plenty of other spaces to compete for after the quotas were filled and ended up doing very well. They're still getting 30-50 kids into TJ every year while the Whitmans of the world are getting 5. Is that really so awful in exchange for every student in the catchment area feeling like they have a shot at TJ?

If your answer is yes, you're engaging in a behavior called "resource hoarding".

If you’re concerned about resource hoarding, you should be more concerned about TJ not serving its community. Kids handed an increasingly arbitrary golden ticket attend a state of the art school while kids living within walking distance to TJ attend run down Annandale or have to cross 395 and 495 to get to Edison. You have no problem with resource hoarding or elitism as long as the seats are doled out under the spoils system you prefer.

Terrible point you tried to make there. First of all, TJ wouldn't be an elite, state of the art school if it were NOT supported by Governor's School funds and private capital to do exactly what it is doing...

and second, the new system has greatly INCREASED the number of students from the area surrounding TJ who actually get to attend it instead of going to Annandale or Edison.

It's also the opposite of resource hoarding when the students benefiting from a system that you refer to as "increasingly arbitrary" don't have resources to begin with.

Just failed embarrassingly on all fronts here.

I don’t see any thoughtful response there. You are iso enamored of the geographical tokenism promoted under the new policy that you’re blind to the ongoing second-class experience afforded the vast majority of kids who live in the areas closest to TJ.

1) Edison and Annandale both got renovated maybe 8-12 years ago. Their physical plant is no more "second-class" than TJ's is, and calling their experience "second-class" is a needless insult to two hard-working administrations and staffs.

Compare course offerings with the rich schools. They are second class

Edison has an Academy (one of six in FCPS). You're correct that the rich schools don't have those.

FCPS expects their students to go to college and be successful in life.

DP. What point were you trying to make here?

That, unlike what pp posted, Edison is clearly second class when compared to the wealthy schools in FCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was sheer idiocy to encourage high achieving kids to attend AAP centers and then have the same 1.5% quota for Carson and a bottom-feeder like Poe or Whitman. Even if it wasn’t illegal it was sure as hell stupid.

Why? The kids at Carson, Rocky Run, and Longfellow had plenty of other spaces to compete for after the quotas were filled and ended up doing very well. They're still getting 30-50 kids into TJ every year while the Whitmans of the world are getting 5. Is that really so awful in exchange for every student in the catchment area feeling like they have a shot at TJ?

If your answer is yes, you're engaging in a behavior called "resource hoarding".

If you’re concerned about resource hoarding, you should be more concerned about TJ not serving its community. Kids handed an increasingly arbitrary golden ticket attend a state of the art school while kids living within walking distance to TJ attend run down Annandale or have to cross 395 and 495 to get to Edison. You have no problem with resource hoarding or elitism as long as the seats are doled out under the spoils system you prefer.

Terrible point you tried to make there. First of all, TJ wouldn't be an elite, state of the art school if it were NOT supported by Governor's School funds and private capital to do exactly what it is doing...

and second, the new system has greatly INCREASED the number of students from the area surrounding TJ who actually get to attend it instead of going to Annandale or Edison.

It's also the opposite of resource hoarding when the students benefiting from a system that you refer to as "increasingly arbitrary" don't have resources to begin with.

Just failed embarrassingly on all fronts here.

I don’t see any thoughtful response there. You are iso enamored of the geographical tokenism promoted under the new policy that you’re blind to the ongoing second-class experience afforded the vast majority of kids who live in the areas closest to TJ.

1) Edison and Annandale both got renovated maybe 8-12 years ago. Their physical plant is no more "second-class" than TJ's is, and calling their experience "second-class" is a needless insult to two hard-working administrations and staffs.

Compare course offerings with the rich schools. They are second class

Edison has an Academy (one of six in FCPS). You're correct that the rich schools don't have those.

FCPS expects their students to go to college and be successful in life.

DP. What point were you trying to make here?

That, unlike what pp posted, Edison is clearly second class when compared to the wealthy schools in FCPS

Yeah, it's not, but carry on believing that it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was sheer idiocy to encourage high achieving kids to attend AAP centers and then have the same 1.5% quota for Carson and a bottom-feeder like Poe or Whitman. Even if it wasn’t illegal it was sure as hell stupid.

Why? The kids at Carson, Rocky Run, and Longfellow had plenty of other spaces to compete for after the quotas were filled and ended up doing very well. They're still getting 30-50 kids into TJ every year while the Whitmans of the world are getting 5. Is that really so awful in exchange for every student in the catchment area feeling like they have a shot at TJ?

If your answer is yes, you're engaging in a behavior called "resource hoarding".

If you’re concerned about resource hoarding, you should be more concerned about TJ not serving its community. Kids handed an increasingly arbitrary golden ticket attend a state of the art school while kids living within walking distance to TJ attend run down Annandale or have to cross 395 and 495 to get to Edison. You have no problem with resource hoarding or elitism as long as the seats are doled out under the spoils system you prefer.

Terrible point you tried to make there. First of all, TJ wouldn't be an elite, state of the art school if it were NOT supported by Governor's School funds and private capital to do exactly what it is doing...

and second, the new system has greatly INCREASED the number of students from the area surrounding TJ who actually get to attend it instead of going to Annandale or Edison.

It's also the opposite of resource hoarding when the students benefiting from a system that you refer to as "increasingly arbitrary" don't have resources to begin with.

Just failed embarrassingly on all fronts here.

I don’t see any thoughtful response there. You are iso enamored of the geographical tokenism promoted under the new policy that you’re blind to the ongoing second-class experience afforded the vast majority of kids who live in the areas closest to TJ.

1) Edison and Annandale both got renovated maybe 8-12 years ago. Their physical plant is no more "second-class" than TJ's is, and calling their experience "second-class" is a needless insult to two hard-working administrations and staffs.

Compare course offerings with the rich schools. They are second class

Edison has an Academy (one of six in FCPS). You're correct that the rich schools don't have those.

FCPS expects their students to go to college and be successful in life.

DP. What point were you trying to make here?

That, unlike what pp posted, Edison is clearly second class when compared to the wealthy schools in FCPS

From schooldigger
Edison High school: Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,156
Langley High school: Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,882
McLean High school: Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,768

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was sheer idiocy to encourage high achieving kids to attend AAP centers and then have the same 1.5% quota for Carson and a bottom-feeder like Poe or Whitman. Even if it wasn’t illegal it was sure as hell stupid.

Why? The kids at Carson, Rocky Run, and Longfellow had plenty of other spaces to compete for after the quotas were filled and ended up doing very well. They're still getting 30-50 kids into TJ every year while the Whitmans of the world are getting 5. Is that really so awful in exchange for every student in the catchment area feeling like they have a shot at TJ?

If your answer is yes, you're engaging in a behavior called "resource hoarding".

If you’re concerned about resource hoarding, you should be more concerned about TJ not serving its community. Kids handed an increasingly arbitrary golden ticket attend a state of the art school while kids living within walking distance to TJ attend run down Annandale or have to cross 395 and 495 to get to Edison. You have no problem with resource hoarding or elitism as long as the seats are doled out under the spoils system you prefer.

Terrible point you tried to make there. First of all, TJ wouldn't be an elite, state of the art school if it were NOT supported by Governor's School funds and private capital to do exactly what it is doing...

and second, the new system has greatly INCREASED the number of students from the area surrounding TJ who actually get to attend it instead of going to Annandale or Edison.

It's also the opposite of resource hoarding when the students benefiting from a system that you refer to as "increasingly arbitrary" don't have resources to begin with.

Just failed embarrassingly on all fronts here.

I don’t see any thoughtful response there. You are iso enamored of the geographical tokenism promoted under the new policy that you’re blind to the ongoing second-class experience afforded the vast majority of kids who live in the areas closest to TJ.

1) Edison and Annandale both got renovated maybe 8-12 years ago. Their physical plant is no more "second-class" than TJ's is, and calling their experience "second-class" is a needless insult to two hard-working administrations and staffs.

Compare course offerings with the rich schools. They are second class

Edison has an Academy (one of six in FCPS). You're correct that the rich schools don't have those.

FCPS expects their students to go to college and be successful in life.

DP. What point were you trying to make here?

That, unlike what pp posted, Edison is clearly second class when compared to the wealthy schools in FCPS

From schooldigger
Edison High school: Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,156
Langley High school: Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,882
McLean High school: Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,768

Duh. Edison has a far needier student body (FARMs, ESOL, special needs) than those schools.

BTW you left out McLean and Langley’s PTA funding & spending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh boy, this is really going to piss off all the Annandale Asians.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/05/23/thomas-jefferson-admissions-policy-upheld/

You don’t know much about Asian Americans in the DMV. The Asians living in Annandale are lower SES/economically diverse and lower SES Asians do much better under the new policy than they did. If it upsets anyone, it might be some Langley/McLean and Centreville Asians.

[Anonymous]

(Than they did under the old policy. Only one low income Asian admitted under the previous policy, over 50 with the new one. So the new one does help Asians, just not the type who want to sue over stuff,)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was sheer idiocy to encourage high achieving kids to attend AAP centers and then have the same 1.5% quota for Carson and a bottom-feeder like Poe or Whitman. Even if it wasn’t illegal it was sure as hell stupid.

Why? The kids at Carson, Rocky Run, and Longfellow had plenty of other spaces to compete for after the quotas were filled and ended up doing very well. They're still getting 30-50 kids into TJ every year while the Whitmans of the world are getting 5. Is that really so awful in exchange for every student in the catchment area feeling like they have a shot at TJ?

If your answer is yes, you're engaging in a behavior called "resource hoarding".

If you’re concerned about resource hoarding, you should be more concerned about TJ not serving its community. Kids handed an increasingly arbitrary golden ticket attend a state of the art school while kids living within walking distance to TJ attend run down Annandale or have to cross 395 and 495 to get to Edison. You have no problem with resource hoarding or elitism as long as the seats are doled out under the spoils system you prefer.

Terrible point you tried to make there. First of all, TJ wouldn't be an elite, state of the art school if it were NOT supported by Governor's School funds and private capital to do exactly what it is doing...

and second, the new system has greatly INCREASED the number of students from the area surrounding TJ who actually get to attend it instead of going to Annandale or Edison.

It's also the opposite of resource hoarding when the students benefiting from a system that you refer to as "increasingly arbitrary" don't have resources to begin with.

Just failed embarrassingly on all fronts here.

I don’t see any thoughtful response there. You are iso enamored of the geographical tokenism promoted under the new policy that you’re blind to the ongoing second-class experience afforded the vast majority of kids who live in the areas closest to TJ.

1) Edison and Annandale both got renovated maybe 8-12 years ago. Their physical plant is no more "second-class" than TJ's is, and calling their experience "second-class" is a needless insult to two hard-working administrations and staffs.

2) What makes the TJ experience different is the priorities of the students who attend and the unique facilities afforded by TJ's status as a Governor's School and the private investment that's been inspired by its existence in this form. That goes away if TJ becomes a neighborhood school - something its physical plant is unprepared to handle.

Annandale’s last renovation was cheap and more than a dozen years ago and the students in parts of North Springfield required to cross both 395 and 495 to get to Edison. The Edison renovation was more recent but nothing like TJ’s.

TJ absolutely could become a community school again. You just don’t want that to ever happen because you enjoy privileges for a small number of kids at the expense of others, so long as it’s on your terms. You certainly have no basis to imply others are “privilege hoarders.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
This. There were always kids at the "wrong schools" who didn't have the same parental resources or PTA support who could have thrived at TJ but were not getting in.
Also the idea that all potential is determined by the time a kid is 13 or 14 just seems short sighted and really cruel when it's talked about on these boards. "Oh my God some child got in who was only in Algebra 2 Honors in 8th grade, they're dumbing down the school and all is lost." "Those kids can't handle the pressure and will drop out" "What if the school drops to second best in the country because of them?"
I think the idea that TJ could help a passionate kid who didn't have the same opportunities reach their full potential is much more impressive than missing out on a kid who will have all the opportunities or support at Mclean or Langley.
No policy will make everyone happy or is perfect, but honestly I think these new changes could actually make TJ useful to the County beyond a press release saying they are the number one school in the country or a parent being able to brag at a cocktail party.
Signed a TJ grad from seemingly a saner time

You are talking about kids at a weaker school vs a stronger school like McLean. I am saying they are not doing a good job of selecting students within the same school. It's not even about algebra 2 vs algebra 1, but students who would be on the TJ math team are getting rejected.

be happy they have math team. My kids go to an FCPS middle school that doesn't have math counts, science bowl, quiz bowl, or any other academic competition clubs. The closest we have is math club which is focused on helping kids who are behind. Why should kids be punished because FCPS offers more to some schools than other?

Sounds like something the PTA should probably pursue with the staff there.

Hopefully, you understand that PTAs at the poorest middle schools have no money. Parents at such schools have work schedules that aren’t conducive to volunteering & aren’t culturally tuned into that.

So you want the county to provide for extra curriculars that are generally funded by parents at other schools?

We want the county to disregard benefits provided by public schools not available at all public schools for competitive admissions purposes

I think you want to disassociate parental and familial influence from a student's performance. As indicated, many of these school opportunities are parental and community based, as are prep courses, and enrichment.

Correct, many kids aren’t hardworking or talented on their own and are being propped up by prep courses & parental money. Glad you’ve stated that so clearly.

Strong parents and families produce good children in many measurable categories. Money helps, but usually isnt required. This has been known forever.

Correct. And now, those under-resourced Asian families who have the exact same priorities as those of the kids who used to get into TJ have a fair shot. One of them got an offer in 2024, and 51 of them got an offer in 2025.

Why is that a good thing? They were giving out bonus points based on low income level.

No, they were giving each middle school equal representation. Sorry, you don’t get rewarded for crowding into the same three schools anymore. Time to branch out.

They were doing that, minimum quote not equal representation. They were also giving bonus for people getting free lunch. It was worth 90 points. GPA 3.5 vs 4.0 was a 37.5 point difference, and the essay and problem solving were 300 points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
This. There were always kids at the "wrong schools" who didn't have the same parental resources or PTA support who could have thrived at TJ but were not getting in.
Also the idea that all potential is determined by the time a kid is 13 or 14 just seems short sighted and really cruel when it's talked about on these boards. "Oh my God some child got in who was only in Algebra 2 Honors in 8th grade, they're dumbing down the school and all is lost." "Those kids can't handle the pressure and will drop out" "What if the school drops to second best in the country because of them?"
I think the idea that TJ could help a passionate kid who didn't have the same opportunities reach their full potential is much more impressive than missing out on a kid who will have all the opportunities or support at Mclean or Langley.
No policy will make everyone happy or is perfect, but honestly I think these new changes could actually make TJ useful to the County beyond a press release saying they are the number one school in the country or a parent being able to brag at a cocktail party.
Signed a TJ grad from seemingly a saner time

You are talking about kids at a weaker school vs a stronger school like McLean. I am saying they are not doing a good job of selecting students within the same school. It's not even about algebra 2 vs algebra 1, but students who would be on the TJ math team are getting rejected.

be happy they have math team. My kids go to an FCPS middle school that doesn't have math counts, science bowl, quiz bowl, or any other academic competition clubs. The closest we have is math club which is focused on helping kids who are behind. Why should kids be punished because FCPS offers more to some schools than other?

Say your school had these things, and the students who are dominating those contests at your school, some winning at state level, were not selected to TJ and instead they gave the spots to kids who couldn't even make it to these teams. That is what is happening at some middle schools with TJ admissions.

But they don’t. And until every middle school does, it’s not fair to base selection on that.

It is about who are they picking within a school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh boy, this is really going to piss off all the Annandale Asians.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/05/23/thomas-jefferson-admissions-policy-upheld/

You don’t know much about Asian Americans in the DMV. The Asians living in Annandale are lower SES/economically diverse and lower SES Asians do much better under the new policy than they did. If it upsets anyone, it might be some Langley/McLean and Centreville Asians.

Centreville pyramid did not send many kids to TJ under the old policy. Maybe you meant Chantilly and Oakton Asians, if you knew what you were talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
This. There were always kids at the "wrong schools" who didn't have the same parental resources or PTA support who could have thrived at TJ but were not getting in.
Also the idea that all potential is determined by the time a kid is 13 or 14 just seems short sighted and really cruel when it's talked about on these boards. "Oh my God some child got in who was only in Algebra 2 Honors in 8th grade, they're dumbing down the school and all is lost." "Those kids can't handle the pressure and will drop out" "What if the school drops to second best in the country because of them?"
I think the idea that TJ could help a passionate kid who didn't have the same opportunities reach their full potential is much more impressive than missing out on a kid who will have all the opportunities or support at Mclean or Langley.
No policy will make everyone happy or is perfect, but honestly I think these new changes could actually make TJ useful to the County beyond a press release saying they are the number one school in the country or a parent being able to brag at a cocktail party.
Signed a TJ grad from seemingly a saner time

You are talking about kids at a weaker school vs a stronger school like McLean. I am saying they are not doing a good job of selecting students within the same school. It's not even about algebra 2 vs algebra 1, but students who would be on the TJ math team are getting rejected.

be happy they have math team. My kids go to an FCPS middle school that doesn't have math counts, science bowl, quiz bowl, or any other academic competition clubs. The closest we have is math club which is focused on helping kids who are behind. Why should kids be punished because FCPS offers more to some schools than other?

Say your school had these things, and the students who are dominating those contests at your school, some winning at state level, were not selected to TJ and instead they gave the spots to kids who couldn't even make it to these teams. That is what is happening at some middle schools with TJ admissions.

Again. So… the… hell… what?

Many middle school competition teams are “coached” by volunteer parents who, granted, work very hard, but also ensure that their child and frequently their child’s friends are on the team.

Oddly enough, “merit” frequently goes by the wayside in these situations.

There are also plenty of kids at each school who are very bright and just have no interest in academic competitions for whatever reason.

If there are volunteer parents picking friends' kids to the team, these kids are likely not going to be state champs. TJ is turning down the top performers. No one is really bothered by what happens to the random kids who made it onto a team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
This. There were always kids at the "wrong schools" who didn't have the same parental resources or PTA support who could have thrived at TJ but were not getting in.
Also the idea that all potential is determined by the time a kid is 13 or 14 just seems short sighted and really cruel when it's talked about on these boards. "Oh my God some child got in who was only in Algebra 2 Honors in 8th grade, they're dumbing down the school and all is lost." "Those kids can't handle the pressure and will drop out" "What if the school drops to second best in the country because of them?"
I think the idea that TJ could help a passionate kid who didn't have the same opportunities reach their full potential is much more impressive than missing out on a kid who will have all the opportunities or support at Mclean or Langley.
No policy will make everyone happy or is perfect, but honestly I think these new changes could actually make TJ useful to the County beyond a press release saying they are the number one school in the country or a parent being able to brag at a cocktail party.
Signed a TJ grad from seemingly a saner time

You are talking about kids at a weaker school vs a stronger school like McLean. I am saying they are not doing a good job of selecting students within the same school. It's not even about algebra 2 vs algebra 1, but students who would be on the TJ math team are getting rejected.

be happy they have math team. My kids go to an FCPS middle school that doesn't have math counts, science bowl, quiz bowl, or any other academic competition clubs. The closest we have is math club which is focused on helping kids who are behind. Why should kids be punished because FCPS offers more to some schools than other?

Sounds like something the PTA should probably pursue with the staff there.

Hopefully, you understand that PTAs at the poorest middle schools have no money. Parents at such schools have work schedules that aren’t conducive to volunteering & aren’t culturally tuned into that.

So you want the county to provide for extra curriculars that are generally funded by parents at other schools?

We want the county to disregard benefits provided by public schools not available at all public schools for competitive admissions purposes

I think you want to disassociate parental and familial influence from a student's performance. As indicated, many of these school opportunities are parental and community based, as are prep courses, and enrichment.

Correct, many kids aren’t hardworking or talented on their own and are being propped up by prep courses & parental money. Glad you’ve stated that so clearly.

Strong parents and families produce good children in many measurable categories. Money helps, but usually isnt required. This has been known forever.

Correct. And now, those under-resourced Asian families who have the exact same priorities as those of the kids who used to get into TJ have a fair shot. One of them got an offer in 2024, and 51 of them got an offer in 2025.

Why is that a good thing? They were giving out bonus points based on low income level.

No, they were giving each middle school equal representation. Sorry, you don’t get rewarded for crowding into the same three schools anymore. Time to branch out.

They were doing that, minimum quote not equal representation. They were also giving bonus for people getting free lunch. It was worth 90 points. GPA 3.5 vs 4.0 was a 37.5 point difference, and the essay and problem solving were 300 points.

You are free to donate your assets & go on FARMs. Be warned that it’s not as cozy as you think it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was sheer idiocy to encourage high achieving kids to attend AAP centers and then have the same 1.5% quota for Carson and a bottom-feeder like Poe or Whitman. Even if it wasn’t illegal it was sure as hell stupid.

Why? The kids at Carson, Rocky Run, and Longfellow had plenty of other spaces to compete for after the quotas were filled and ended up doing very well. They're still getting 30-50 kids into TJ every year while the Whitmans of the world are getting 5. Is that really so awful in exchange for every student in the catchment area feeling like they have a shot at TJ?

If your answer is yes, you're engaging in a behavior called "resource hoarding".

Apologies for not knowing which school is which in Fairfax, but the problem is you have kids at a weaker school like Whitman, attending AAP at a stronger school like Carson. This kid is now competing not for one of Whitman's automatic quota 5 seats, but for a seat at Carson.