Why do some parents so obsessed with TJ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are from one of the top ranked middle schools, and DC and their friends are headed to TJ. They have spoken to the upperclassmen from our neighborhood and engaged with the teachers at the preview night, and were immediately impressed with the opportunities and challenges that TJ offers, something they feel would be lacking at their base high school. They have heard that confidence and the will to put in the hard-work matter a lot at TJ, and DC and their friends have plenty of both.

NP. This is why DS chose to go. I was surprised when he told me that this was what he and his friends who were admitted liked about it. Seemed like more mature reasoning than I would have expected from him or them, tbh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read some of the other threads.
Yes Some people are obsessed with it because they think it will be a golden ticket for college.

Most families with kids at the school say that is not the case. But they and their kids are huge fans of it still because it is such a unique environment to get to go to a school made up of kids who are into and serious about school. For kids that its academic intensity is a good fit for it is a really great spot. So it inspires strong feelings.

This.

Some parents, especially Tiger parenting types, getting in and being competitive is an achievement. What they don't realize is these kids are extremely low in emotional intelligence. Practically zero communication skills with people outside this environment.

And, anecdotally, what I observe is many of these kids are emotionally neglected/abused by their parent(s). There is a win at all costs mentality that is really unhealthy. I'm sure this statement will get a lot of backlash, because the nature of these parents is to push their decisions and their kids forward at the expense of all others. Most of the parents are also emotionally immature or just stunted. The real successes will still come from the more well rounded private school kids who are developing emotionally - and maybe not quite as fast in the narrow academics.

Your envy of TJ families is showing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:... but then how will I let all my neighbors know that my kid got into TJ /s

Feel free to order customized "TJ Lottery Winner" stickers from Amazon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are from one of the top ranked middle schools, and DC and their friends are headed to TJ. They have spoken to the upperclassmen from our neighborhood and engaged with the teachers at the preview night, and were immediately impressed with the opportunities and challenges that TJ offers, something they feel would be lacking at their base high school. They have heard that confidence and the will to put in the hard-work matter a lot at TJ, and DC and their friends have plenty of both.

NP. This is why DS chose to go. I was surprised when he told me that this was what he and his friends who were admitted liked about it. Seemed like more mature reasoning than I would have expected from him or them, tbh.

Different NP.

Acceptance came as a surprise to us and required some serious consideration of whether we should allow him to go. He persuaded us. He’s now finishing his first year and thriving.

If your child does not want to attend, please do not force them to go because it often doesn’t end well for the student. If the only reason your child qualified was constant academic supplementing throughout ES and MS, maybe TJ is not the right fit.

But if your child loves science, technology, and an accelerated pace of learning (and they really want to go) then TJ is the place for them.

[Anonymous]

Because excellence is a habit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:... but then how will I let all my neighbors know that my kid got into TJ /s

Feel free to order customized "TJ Lottery Winner" stickers from Amazon.

Can you please provide a link? I am not able to find them. Otherwise, I have no choice but to enroll my kid in TJ.

TIA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please buy TJ bumper stickers. All proceeds go towards supporting both athletic as well as academic student activities.

I stuck the TJ magnet on the fridge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Going to TJ means you get an A+ as a parent and you get to put a TJ sticker on the car to tell everyone about your A+ parenting skills.

There are thousands of full A middle schooler with inflated grades
It's a lottery process. People all know this
Who would give it a shit to a TJ parent car sticker?

It used to mean something. It's still riding on that reputation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Three categories:

1. Just for the TJ experience, regardless of college application outcome. --True or false?
2. TJ experience plus great enough but not Ivy+ colleges (UVA etc). --True or false?
3. Better shots at Ivy+ colleges than base school. --True or false? There is lots of confusion and misinformation on this one.

#3: false.

Your child’s chance of gaining admission to an Ivy is lower from TJ than from his or her base school.

This is true for about 80% of TJ students not for the other 20%, TJ helps boost the application

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:... but then how will I let all my neighbors know that my kid got into TJ /s

Probably from all those Facebook posts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read some of the other threads.
Yes Some people are obsessed with it because they think it will be a golden ticket for college.

Most families with kids at the school say that is not the case. But they and their kids are huge fans of it still because it is such a unique environment to get to go to a school made up of kids who are into and serious about school. For kids that its academic intensity is a good fit for it is a really great spot. So it inspires strong feelings.

This.

Some parents, especially Tiger parenting types, getting in and being competitive is an achievement. What they don't realize is these kids are extremely low in emotional intelligence. Practically zero communication skills with people outside this environment.

And, anecdotally, what I observe is many of these kids are emotionally neglected/abused by their parent(s). There is a win at all costs mentality that is really unhealthy. I'm sure this statement will get a lot of backlash, because the nature of these parents is to push their decisions and their kids forward at the expense of all others. Most of the parents are also emotionally immature or just stunted. The real successes will still come from the more well rounded private school kids who are developing emotionally - and maybe not quite as fast in the narrow academics.

Private school kids (at least the academic ones) have frequently been carried up academic Mount Everest on the backs of an army of Sherpa tutors and programs.

[Anonymous]

Some TJ kids just go University of Pittsburgh and work for a bank after. Not all TJ kids are some great accomplishers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Three categories:

1. Just for the TJ experience, regardless of college application outcome. --True or false?
2. TJ experience plus great enough but not Ivy+ colleges (UVA etc). --True or false?
3. Better shots at Ivy+ colleges than base school. --True or false? There is lots of confusion and misinformation on this one.

UVA is not Ivy +.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read some of the other threads.
Yes Some people are obsessed with it because they think it will be a golden ticket for college.

Most families with kids at the school say that is not the case. But they and their kids are huge fans of it still because it is such a unique environment to get to go to a school made up of kids who are into and serious about school. For kids that its academic intensity is a good fit for it is a really great spot. So it inspires strong feelings.

This.

Some parents, especially Tiger parenting types, getting in and being competitive is an achievement. What they don't realize is these kids are extremely low in emotional intelligence. Practically zero communication skills with people outside this environment.

And, anecdotally, what I observe is many of these kids are emotionally neglected/abused by their parent(s). There is a win at all costs mentality that is really unhealthy. I'm sure this statement will get a lot of backlash, because the nature of these parents is to push their decisions and their kids forward at the expense of all others. Most of the parents are also emotionally immature or just stunted. The real successes will still come from the more well rounded private school kids who are developing emotionally - and maybe not quite as fast in the narrow academics.

Private school kids (at least the academic ones) have frequently been carried up academic Mount Everest on the backs of an army of Sherpa tutors and programs.

But FCPS presents the TJ offers at their feet hoping they accept. After all TJ cant be run by filling up with just lowest level Algebra 1 kids, can it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Three categories:

1. Just for the TJ experience, regardless of college application outcome. --True or false?
2. TJ experience plus great enough but not Ivy+ colleges (UVA etc). --True or false?
3. Better shots at Ivy+ colleges than base school. --True or false? There is lots of confusion and misinformation on this one.

#3: false.

Your child’s chance of gaining admission to an Ivy is lower from TJ than from his or her base school.

This is true for about 80% of TJ students not for the other 20%, TJ helps boost the application

Personally I’m not worried about this. I know my son will be in the top 20%. If I wasn’t confident that my child would be one of the top students at TJ, I would keep him at his base school. He has never needed tutors or outside prep to get through AAP elementary/middle school/currently Algebra II Honors. He has been frustrated his whole life with the slow pace of school. I’m hoping TJ will finally give him at least somewhat of a challenge.