Admissions to change at Thomas Jefferson High, and others

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know that Asians were banned from immigrating to America until the 60s right?

Then, when they were allowed to immigrate, it was only STEM professionals (science, engineering, medical) that were allowed to immigrate because America needed their intelligence and skills.

So now you have this wave of immigrants from STEM fields and their kids with aptitudes towards STEM fields along with parents that encourage it because it was their ticket to success in America and now there is a HUGE complaint about it.

You wanted the brains of the parents, but are now miffed at the brains of their kids.

Exactly this. But these ppl want slaves. Hav the parents work their backs off without allowing them the opportunity to help their children develop their inherited genetic traits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know that Asians were banned from immigrating to America until the 60s right?

Then, when they were allowed to immigrate, it was only STEM professionals (science, engineering, medical) that were allowed to immigrate because America needed their intelligence and skills.

So now you have this wave of immigrants from STEM fields and their kids with aptitudes towards STEM fields along with parents that encourage it because it was their ticket to success in America and now there is a HUGE complaint about it.

You wanted the brains of the parents, but are now miffed at the brains of their kids.

Exactly this. But these ppl want slaves. Hav the parents work their backs off without allowing them the opportunity to help their children develop their inherited genetic traits.

Well said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP and going to be completely open and frank here

STEM is not the end all be all for most elites

Very few STEM people actually make it into the top 1%

Business, Law, Finance, even Silicon Valley tech Mgmt side have very little to do with STEM

If my kid had an interest in STEM we would think about it but regardless getting my child into Advanced Algebra by 7th is not the goal for anyone in my circles.

The people I know working in STEM are mid level worker/earners at best. The people I know that run companies and employ 100 or more people are more well rounded.

Not from my perspective, but I'm looking internationally and not in the USA. Outside of the USA, you see far more business leaders and political leaders with STEM backgrounds. That aside, with all the more recent emphasis on modeling/qantatative analysis in business and finance, STEM related skills are going to increase.

STEM is more than just knowing the ideal gas law or performing a summation of moments.

and guess what you get all that in your base HS. As you noted the US is not like international and guess what most people pushing TJ haven't realized the transition yet generally earlier generations in the United States etc.

Not exactly. I'm guessing you haven't actually been on the TJ campus. It has lab facilities that look like they belong on a college campus. Other HS campuses don't have a supercomputer (no joke, they have one), oceanographic lab, etc. Plus the research program:

https://tjhsst.fcps.edu/node/2761

I don't have a student there, but I have been there for science fairs and the like. If you have a kid who wants to be an engineer/scientist this is a school for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shouldn't admission be based on merit?

It should, it that’s not the case in reality.

[Anonymous]

People are mad that they're beating us at our own game. Home grown minorities are pushed further from the ring so take the ball and go home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP and going to be completely open and frank here

STEM is not the end all be all for most elites

Very few STEM people actually make it into the top 1%

Business, Law, Finance, even Silicon Valley tech Mgmt side have very little to do with STEM

If my kid had an interest in STEM we would think about it but regardless getting my child into Advanced Algebra by 7th is not the goal for anyone in my circles.

Very few STEM people actually make it into the top 1% : Not true actually. Many Indians w/ STEM background are making it to the C-Suites of large companies.

Business, Law, Finance, even Silicon Valley tech Mgmt side have very little to do with STEM :


Many Business majors either double major w/ CS or at least minor in CS these days, patent law/patent litigation offers more job opportunities for law grads w/ STEM undergrad degrees than law grads w/ non-STEM undergrad degrees and pay is often more for those w/ STEM undergrads, many non-STEM kids are getting booted out from the BB IBs and "Quants" and "Strats" are replacing many analysts/associates/traders in the IBDs and S&Ts of the major IBs and, not even worth my time to rebut the false argument regarding the Silicon Valley positions.

you just proved my point its the skills on top of STEM not the STEM that gets you to the top. The managerial/people skills are what matters. Tons of MBAs are going to silicon valley now with little actual STEM skills.

The people I know at the top come from well rounded backgrounds and have internal drive. They were not "prepped" with auxillary courses pushed by their parents throughout school.

DP. So so true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shouldn't admission be based on merit?

TBH, what “merit” does a thirteen year old have? Most have done essentially nothing on their own. Their parents help them with the math. How many drive themselves to extracurriculars? How many TJ applicants paid their own application fee? Set a routine themselves? It’s a high school for godsake, not a PHD program. I’d rather a kid flounder at first in high school and then be prepared for college than flounder when it really matters. Stop taking yourselves so seriously. Sorry, this idea of *applying* to a PUBLIC high school is so foreign to me I can’t wrap my head around it. There are no magnet schools in my home county.

There's a reason why you left your home country to come here. We don't want this country to become like your home country. On the other hand, if your home country is so much better, you should consider moving back.

Also, if you'd rather "a kid flounder at first in high school and then be prepared for college than flounder when it really matters", you should try that on your kid and they can do that equally well at a base HS so not sure why you want them to come to TJ, flounder, lose confidence in themselves before hitting college.. Do you hate your kids so much?

As for the rest of us, we all know what we want for our kids. If we need advise on child rearing, we will go to an expert and pay for it. Thanks for the free advice though.. but no thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shouldn't admission be based on merit?

TBH, what “merit” does a thirteen year old have? Most have done essentially nothing on their own. Their parents help them with the math. How many drive themselves to extracurriculars? How many TJ applicants paid their own application fee? Set a routine themselves? It’s a high school for godsake, not a PHD program. I’d rather a kid flounder at first in high school and then be prepared for college than flounder when it really matters. Stop taking yourselves so seriously. Sorry, this idea of *applying* to a PUBLIC high school is so foreign to me I can’t wrap my head around it. There are no magnet schools in my home county.

'
I have to admit that I find responses like this one hilarious on a board dedicated to an AAP program that is based on the test scores of a 7/8 year old and allows for parent appeals and outside testing and on which most threads are dedicated into how to get kids in to AAP. Do you think 7/8 years have "merit" that other kids don't have? Honestly, the hypocrisy runs deep here.

No, I don’t think 7-8 year olds have “merit.” I don’t think outside testing should be allowed. Where I’m from the gifted programs are treated equivalent to a special need, not something to chase after. There, you either need gifted instruction or you don’t, like needing a peech therapy services at school. Gifted services are not a status symbol there. The gifted program is pullouts from grades 2-12, 1-2x a week. They do a lot of problem solving exercises. You can’t just ask if your kid can be in it; your kid is either chosen in 2nd to be tested for it or they’re not. And yes, I think AAP should be a “gifted” program, not an advanced program for 20% of the population.

Where are you from? Pray tell.. If that's a model to be cherished, why are you here? hmm..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did away with these types of schools in the 1960s as it was determined that minorities while they were in separate but equal schools were not getting equal education.

TJ seems illegal as it is operated today.

It should be shut down and made into a regular school to help with overcrowding.

If TJ parents want their kids to get advanced math they should send their kids to community college early.

John Grisham in the house!! He's found something illegal where others have missed it!

Who is "we"? Looks like the rest of the "we" did not get the memo..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great. I pray that they actually do SOMETHING about the gender imbalance as well.

+1

I cannot believe that there is not more outrage about this. I know race is the hot topic right now, but the lack of access for girls into TJ has been a problem for YEARS. Only 40% of the students are female, but almost 50% of the applicants are female.

I know! All those "no girls allowed here" signs at TJ must be taken down!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid is *not* more meritorious than a poor kid just because you paid for AOPS, Kumon, and an expensive home in a neighborhood with a middle school that has mathcounts, model UN, etc. Repeat that until it sinks in.

This exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shouldn't admission be based on merit?

TBH, what “merit” does a thirteen year old have? Most have done essentially nothing on their own. Their parents help them with the math. How many drive themselves to extracurriculars? How many TJ applicants paid their own application fee? Set a routine themselves? It’s a high school for godsake, not a PHD program. I’d rather a kid flounder at first in high school and then be prepared for college than flounder when it really matters. Stop taking yourselves so seriously. Sorry, this idea of *applying* to a PUBLIC high school is so foreign to me I can’t wrap my head around it. There are no magnet schools in my home county.

'
I have to admit that I find responses like this one hilarious on a board dedicated to an AAP program that is based on the test scores of a 7/8 year old and allows for parent appeals and outside testing and on which most threads are dedicated into how to get kids in to AAP. Do you think 7/8 years have "merit" that other kids don't have? Honestly, the hypocrisy runs deep here.

No, I don’t think 7-8 year olds have “merit.” I don’t think outside testing should be allowed. Where I’m from the gifted programs are treated equivalent to a special need, not something to chase after. There, you either need gifted instruction or you don’t, like needing a peech therapy services at school. Gifted services are not a status symbol there. The gifted program is pullouts from grades 2-12, 1-2x a week. They do a lot of problem solving exercises. You can’t just ask if your kid can be in it; your kid is either chosen in 2nd to be tested for it or they’re not. And yes, I think AAP should be a “gifted” program, not an advanced program for 20% of the population.

Where are you from? Pray tell.. If that's a model to be cherished, why are you here? hmm..

I’m the pp. My kid is in his too young for AAP still but I’m already disgusted by some interactions I’ve had with parents in NoVa. I’m from PA (I realize that not all school districts in PA operate that way).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shouldn't admission be based on merit?

TBH, what “merit” does a thirteen year old have? Most have done essentially nothing on their own. Their parents help them with the math. How many drive themselves to extracurriculars? How many TJ applicants paid their own application fee? Set a routine themselves? It’s a high school for godsake, not a PHD program. I’d rather a kid flounder at first in high school and then be prepared for college than flounder when it really matters. Stop taking yourselves so seriously. Sorry, this idea of *applying* to a PUBLIC high school is so foreign to me I can’t wrap my head around it. There are no magnet schools in my home county.

'
I have to admit that I find responses like this one hilarious on a board dedicated to an AAP program that is based on the test scores of a 7/8 year old and allows for parent appeals and outside testing and on which most threads are dedicated into how to get kids in to AAP. Do you think 7/8 years have "merit" that other kids don't have? Honestly, the hypocrisy runs deep here.

No, I don’t think 7-8 year olds have “merit.” I don’t think outside testing should be allowed. Where I’m from the gifted programs are treated equivalent to a special need, not something to chase after. There, you either need gifted instruction or you don’t, like needing a peech therapy services at school. Gifted services are not a status symbol there. The gifted program is pullouts from grades 2-12, 1-2x a week. They do a lot of problem solving exercises. You can’t just ask if your kid can be in it; your kid is either chosen in 2nd to be tested for it or they’re not. And yes, I think AAP should be a “gifted” program, not an advanced program for 20% of the population.

Where are you from? Pray tell.. If that's a model to be cherished, why are you here? hmm..

Why are you so provincial? You should want to hear fresh ideas and model after them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People go into STEM because they love it. Not to get into the top 1%. Sheesh.

Going to be completely frank again here

Many Asians view STEM as the path to success when generally white Americans generally know those folks never really make it to the top. People that manage these folks make much more and generally have fewer STEM skills not to mention the other career fields I mentioned that have nothing to do with STEM

you are kidding yourself if you think many of these kids actually have an interest in STEM, much like athletics and white folks this "interest" is often pushed on kids in elementary school if not sooner.

This reeks of white privilege. You are exactly right that white people make it to the top off the backs of minorities. White people get promoted to management. It is much harder for minorities to do so. Be grateful for that rather than disparaging others from pursuing STEM and rubbing it in their faces that they'll never make it to the top. You disgust me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People go into STEM because they love it. Not to get into the top 1%. Sheesh.

Going to be completely frank again here

Many Asians view STEM as the path to success when generally white Americans generally know those folks never really make it to the top. People that manage these folks make much more and generally have fewer STEM skills not to mention the other career fields I mentioned that have nothing to do with STEM

you are kidding yourself if you think many of these kids actually have an interest in STEM, much like athletics and white folks this "interest" is often pushed on kids in elementary school if not sooner.

Please don’t group us together just because TJ is majority Asian. You must not know many rich Asians. I’m the pp Asian living in McLean. There are many affluent Asians who are not trying to send our kids to TJ. We are ivy educated and have a seven figure income. There are different kinds of Asian elites. Most are not targeting TJ.

This is probably true. Asian Americans w/ seven figure income do not have to attend TJ or Ivy league schools to try to become successful; social capital, social connections are already in place for those w/ high income which are far more useful than TJ or top 10 universities.

However, most TJ Asian students' parents are not UC but MC or LMC often w/ language barrier so attending the best possible schools and getting a good "professional" job is the only way.