Who is on the TJ Posts?

[Anonymous]

We are also a family from one of the academically popular feeders and we love TJ and adore the existence of TJ ! ❤️❤️TJ❤️❤️

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hate TJ
Hate the existence of TJ

Pick one or more that applies:
1. I don’t have kid.
2. I don’t have kid at TJ.
3. I have kid who didn’t get in to TJ.
4. I am a TJ student/ alumni who forced by my parents to go to TJ.
5. I am an election booster volunteer.
6. I am a Russian bot.
7. I am just generally a hater.

[Anonymous]

What’s not to like about TJ? Outstanding school with bright students tackling advanced STEM curriculum, national competitions, and research. The only unfortunate aspect is the decline it's experiencing following some recent changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s not to like about TJ? Outstanding school with bright students tackling advanced STEM curriculum, national competitions, and research. The only unfortunate aspect is the decline it's experiencing following some recent changes.

+1

We love TJ!

[Anonymous]

TJ parent here.
We're here for the sports.

I am also from a feeder school and I also like TJ. I like the students, I like the program, I like the environment. But I can't help but feel bad for those kids that should have made it based on merit but did not. If you are coming from a feeder then you know at least one kid that deserved to get in over one of the kids that actually did get in.

I don't like the way they changed the process and if you're OK with it, that's fine but it was in fact about race.

I think we could use more TJs. If we are going to dilute the admissions standards, we should stop pretending that it's exclusive or selective and just expand the program to accommodate all interested students that meet those standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TJ parent here.
We're here for the sports.

I am also from a feeder school and I also like TJ. I like the students, I like the program, I like the environment. But I can't help but feel bad for those kids that should have made it based on merit but did not. If you are coming from a feeder then you know at least one kid that deserved to get in over one of the kids that actually did get in.

I don't like the way they changed the process and if you're OK with it, that's fine but it was in fact about race.

I think we could use more TJs. If we are going to dilute the admissions standards, we should stop pretending that it's exclusive or selective and just expand the program to accommodate all interested students that meet those standards.

There’s that entitlement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TJ parent here.
We're here for the sports.

I am also from a feeder school and I also like TJ. I like the students, I like the program, I like the environment. But I can't help but feel bad for those kids that should have made it based on merit but did not. If you are coming from a feeder then you know at least one kid that deserved to get in over one of the kids that actually did get in.

I don't like the way they changed the process and if you're OK with it, that's fine but it was in fact about race.

I think we could use more TJs. If we are going to dilute the admissions standards, we should stop pretending that it's exclusive or selective and just expand the program to accommodate all interested students that meet those standards.

This one happened long before admission change as well. Bunch of kids get in because of the heavy test prep that their parents put in since 3rd grade. Before you got offended. No it is not wrong, but also it create some sort of “unfairness” because not all can afford it, and not all want to go to that route (3 times a week @2 hours each for 5 years)… they maybe want to do sports instead, but it doesn’t mean they are incapable if being TJ students.

I do not say test buying, and I do not say all of applicant from the old admission did this, but most of us are know that heavy $$$ test prep to get into TJ was and is still very real in this area.
This will cause back and forth never ending argument. No admission is perfect. Please just move on to more positive topic since I dont think school board will soon change the admissions proses again.

I have kid at TJ, and he loves every bit of TJ aspect especially the cohort, whose got screened from the “imperfect” selection, they are still incredible! Its like a school with the ambience where all the students wants to be there.
Yes TJ will decline the rank but it is fine .. we are not race to nowhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TJ parent here.
We're here for the sports.

I am also from a feeder school and I also like TJ. I like the students, I like the program, I like the environment. But I can't help but feel bad for those kids that should have made it based on merit but did not. If you are coming from a feeder then you know at least one kid that deserved to get in over one of the kids that actually did get in.

I don't like the way they changed the process and if you're OK with it, that's fine but it was in fact about race.

I think we could use more TJs. If we are going to dilute the admissions standards, we should stop pretending that it's exclusive or selective and just expand the program to accommodate all interested students that meet those standards.

Now you make me feels bad. We are from big feeder and maybe that is my child you meant who did not deserve, but my child happy and thriving at TJ.
I hope that kid sill do well at base school, or even better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ parent here.
We're here for the sports.

I am also from a feeder school and I also like TJ. I like the students, I like the program, I like the environment. But I can't help but feel bad for those kids that should have made it based on merit but did not. If you are coming from a feeder then you know at least one kid that deserved to get in over one of the kids that actually did get in.

I don't like the way they changed the process and if you're OK with it, that's fine but it was in fact about race.

I think we could use more TJs. If we are going to dilute the admissions standards, we should stop pretending that it's exclusive or selective and just expand the program to accommodate all interested students that meet those standards.

This one happened long before admission change as well. Bunch of kids get in because of the heavy test prep that their parents put in since 3rd grade. Before you got offended. No it is not wrong, but also it create some sort of “unfairness” because not all can afford it, and not all want to go to that route (3 times a week @2 hours each for 5 years)… they maybe want to do sports instead, but it doesn’t mean they are incapable if being TJ students.

I do not say test buying, and I do not say all of applicant from the old admission did this, but most of us are know that heavy $$$ test prep to get into TJ was and is still very real in this area.
This will cause back and forth never ending argument. No admission is perfect. Please just move on to more positive topic since I dont think school board will soon change the admissions proses again.

I have kid at TJ, and he loves every bit of TJ aspect especially the cohort, whose got screened from the “imperfect” selection, they are still incredible! Its like a school with the ambience where all the students wants to be there.
Yes TJ will decline the rank but it is fine .. we are not race to nowhere.

Whether it’s securing a spot on a limited school sports team or gaining admission to the advanced STEM program, FCPS expects students to demonstrate much more than what is taught in grade-level PE or Math class. This often means that students "must" start their prepping in sports or math well before third grade, going beyond what the school can offer to the wide mass. FCPS is aware that preparation can be purchased, but what they’re really looking for are students who can master that content, not how much they paid for it or got it for free.

When a high school conducts sports tryouts or STEM program admissions, FCPS seek out students who have truly put in the hardwork and mastered the specific sport or STEM subjects. FCPS disregards student’s low-income status or skin color when filling those scarce spots on the team. The more the family provides support for their student to participate in after-school practices, paying fees for sports leagues, prep their skills with drills, and buy pricey gear, the better their chances of making the public school sport team. FCPS wants excellence in sports, prioritizing skill and commitment over family time/money resources or race.

FCPS expects families to follow similar approach with mastering stem subjects, and rewards those students who put effort overwhelmingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This one happened long before admission change as well. Bunch of kids get in because of the heavy test prep that their parents put in since 3rd grade. Before you got offended. No it is not wrong, but also it create some sort of “unfairness” because not all can afford it, and not all want to go to that route (3 times a week @2 hours each for 5 years)… they maybe want to do sports instead, but it doesn’t mean they are incapable if being TJ students.

Before top students could get in to TJ without prep. Now it looks like it's no longer the case. At my kids' school, the top students who went to Curie got in, the top who did not go to Curie did not get in. Majority who got in were not top students. No idea if these students went to Curie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This one happened long before admission change as well. Bunch of kids get in because of the heavy test prep that their parents put in since 3rd grade. Before you got offended. No it is not wrong, but also it create some sort of “unfairness” because not all can afford it, and not all want to go to that route (3 times a week @2 hours each for 5 years)… they maybe want to do sports instead, but it doesn’t mean they are incapable if being TJ students.

Before top students could get in to TJ without prep. Now it looks like it's no longer the case. At my kids' school, the top students who went to Curie got in, the top who did not go to Curie did not get in. Majority who got in were not top students. No idea if these students went to Curie.

Are you also the principal of your kid's school? How do you have such insight into what’s happened over the years regarding who was prepping where, each student's GPA, and who the top students were and whether they enrolled at Curie?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ parent here.
We're here for the sports.

I am also from a feeder school and I also like TJ. I like the students, I like the program, I like the environment. But I can't help but feel bad for those kids that should have made it based on merit but did not. If you are coming from a feeder then you know at least one kid that deserved to get in over one of the kids that actually did get in.

I don't like the way they changed the process and if you're OK with it, that's fine but it was in fact about race.

I think we could use more TJs. If we are going to dilute the admissions standards, we should stop pretending that it's exclusive or selective and just expand the program to accommodate all interested students that meet those standards.

This one happened long before admission change as well. Bunch of kids get in because of the heavy test prep that their parents put in since 3rd grade. Before you got offended. No it is not wrong, but also it create some sort of “unfairness” because not all can afford it, and not all want to go to that route (3 times a week @2 hours each for 5 years)… they maybe want to do sports instead, but it doesn’t mean they are incapable if being TJ students.

If they want to do sports, then let them do sports, they don't deserve that slot at TJ any more than the kids that study for 5 years deserve a spot on their travel team.

If you are trying to compare the kids at Whitman vs the kids at Carson, then sure there are differences in resources. So,despite the fact that the Carson kids are better prepared than the kids at Whitman, you could make an argument that we should not hold them to the exact same standards. I don't agree, I think you use one yardstick but reasonable minds can disagree on this.

But if you're just looking at the kids from Carson, some of those kids got in over kids that are much better prepared than them. I don't know what the argument is for taking the less prepared kid from Carson over the better prepared kid.

I do not say test buying, and I do not say all of applicant from the old admission did this, but most of us are know that heavy $$$ test prep to get into TJ was and is still very real in this area.
This will cause back and forth never ending argument. No admission is perfect. Please just move on to more positive topic since I dont think school board will soon change the admissions proses again.

And why do we want to select the less academically talented Carson kid over the more academically gifted Carson kid?

I have kid at TJ, and he loves every bit of TJ aspect especially the cohort, whose got screened from the “imperfect” selection, they are still incredible! Its like a school with the ambience where all the students wants to be there.

The better qualified kids that got rejected because the process is so random also wanted to be there.
Doesn't that seem even a little bit unfair to you?

About 10% of the incoming class up until last year returned to their base schools. They are not replaced by other kids from their base schools.
There's like a dozen kids from Carson that got in as Froshmores. That's more than most schools send as Freshmen.

Yes TJ will decline the rank but it is fine .. we are not race to nowhere.

I don't care about the rank. The rank is based on silly metrics that change every year. I care about the compromises that they have to implement in order to accommodate the lower level of student ability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ parent here.
We're here for the sports.

I am also from a feeder school and I also like TJ. I like the students, I like the program, I like the environment. But I can't help but feel bad for those kids that should have made it based on merit but did not. If you are coming from a feeder then you know at least one kid that deserved to get in over one of the kids that actually did get in.

I don't like the way they changed the process and if you're OK with it, that's fine but it was in fact about race.

I think we could use more TJs. If we are going to dilute the admissions standards, we should stop pretending that it's exclusive or selective and just expand the program to accommodate all interested students that meet those standards.

Now you make me feels bad. We are from big feeder and maybe that is my child you meant who did not deserve, but my child happy and thriving at TJ.
I hope that kid sill do well at base school, or even better.

PP here. It might be my kid for all I know but I also know a kid that was pretty excited about going to TJ and by all measures he was among the top 2 or 3 students at his middle school and he didn't get in. He got over his disappointment over the summer but it wasn't fair and remember my kid saying that if he could give his spot to this other kid, he would do it and he's not wrong to feel that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This one happened long before admission change as well. Bunch of kids get in because of the heavy test prep that their parents put in since 3rd grade. Before you got offended. No it is not wrong, but also it create some sort of “unfairness” because not all can afford it, and not all want to go to that route (3 times a week @2 hours each for 5 years)… they maybe want to do sports instead, but it doesn’t mean they are incapable if being TJ students.

Before top students could get in to TJ without prep. Now it looks like it's no longer the case. At my kids' school, the top students who went to Curie got in, the top who did not go to Curie did not get in. Majority who got in were not top students. No idea if these students went to Curie.

They still prep but the thing being prepped no longer requires cognitive ability or even very much work.
You have someone work with you on about a dozen essays that can be adapted to meet pretty much all the prompts.
And you're done.
No need to be good at math or science or any of that.

It is not very hard to prepackage enough of your answers so that at least a few of them will stand out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TJ parent here.
We're here for the sports.

I am also from a feeder school and I also like TJ. I like the students, I like the program, I like the environment. But I can't help but feel bad for those kids that should have made it based on merit but did not. If you are coming from a feeder then you know at least one kid that deserved to get in over one of the kids that actually did get in.

I don't like the way they changed the process and if you're OK with it, that's fine but it was in fact about race.

I think we could use more TJs. If we are going to dilute the admissions standards, we should stop pretending that it's exclusive or selective and just expand the program to accommodate all interested students that meet those standards.

TJ alumn here. The bolded made me laugh. Miss those bumper stickers.