Thomas Jefferson Test

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You're kind of making her point. Her child has the aptitude for math/science and demonstrated it on the test without a lot of prep. It would make sense that the course load is now appropriate for him as a high school student (ie he is able to participate in a time consuming activity and keep his grades up without staying up all night doing homework). Again, this is why I think parents do a disservice to their children by forcing a high score on the test with all of the prep classes.

She didn't just say the courses were appropriate but that the kid was doing well academically taking all these courses, participating in a time consuming sport (and presumably other activities) and getting plenty of sleep and this that this was common occurrence at TJ.

It is not common and her definition of doing "well academically" may be different from mine. Doing well at TJ at least means all As or All As and A-s.

Sure it takes work, but the amount if work it takes varies from person to person. People are different. Two people can work for the same amount of time but have different results at the end of that time. Some people grasp new concepts easily and work very efficiently. Kids who learn quickly, work efficiently, and have good time management skills will likely find TJ to be a good fit for them. And, of course, have a love and enjoyment of math and science.

The point of the response to the original post was to agree that it is a good idea to avoid over prepping for the TJ application process because if the child is accepted than it is probably a good fit. Our family's experience was that our child did not prep and TJ has been a good match for our child's abilities and needs.

Lots of kids at TJ spend at least two hours after school every day practicing with their sports teams and also do well academically. Our child knows other kids who are members of sports teams at TJ who have gone on to top colleges, so they must have been doing pretty well academically, also. Other parents have told me that, a few years ago, four kids from the cross county/track team were all accepted to MIT, so they must have had good grades along with a rigorous course load.

Yes. It is common for TJ kids to engage in sports or other time consuming activities probably more so than base school kids. I totally agree. TJ kids who engage in sports or other time consuming activities certainly go on to top colleges including MIT.

However, what is NOT common is to see many TJ kids taking 4 ap/post ap courses as sophomore and 6 ap/post ap courses as junior and engaged in sports as well as other time consuming activities who excel in everything and doing well academically and getting plenty of sleep by going to sleep relatively early.

You can make general statements all you want but you fail to say yes my kid took 4 ap/post ap courses as sophomore and 6 ap/post ap courses as junior and has done well academically (all As or all As or A-s) and participated in sport as well as other activities and went to sleep early all the time. That is very uncommon and I object to your characterization that that is common at TJ.

[Anonymous]

TJ mom here: There seem to be at least two different types of TJ students. There are those who go to TJ and take more or less the same classes at other FCPS students, although they are much harder classes. All core classes at TJ are weighted honors. And there are those who are extreme TJ students who are very ambitious and have been taking extra classes every summer and at colleges as well. That is the top 1-5% at TJ -- they do exist. They have cleared out their schedules to take the hard AP course in sophomore year and beyond. Most only take 1 or 2 AP in sophomore year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You're kind of making her point. Her child has the aptitude for math/science and demonstrated it on the test without a lot of prep. It would make sense that the course load is now appropriate for him as a high school student (ie he is able to participate in a time consuming activity and keep his grades up without staying up all night doing homework). Again, this is why I think parents do a disservice to their children by forcing a high score on the test with all of the prep classes.

She didn't just say the courses were appropriate but that the kid was doing well academically taking all these courses, participating in a time consuming sport (and presumably other activities) and getting plenty of sleep and this that this was common occurrence at TJ.

It is not common and her definition of doing "well academically" may be different from mine. Doing well at TJ at least means all As or All As and A-s.

Sure it takes work, but the amount if work it takes varies from person to person. People are different. Two people can work for the same amount of time but have different results at the end of that time. Some people grasp new concepts easily and work very efficiently. Kids who learn quickly, work efficiently, and have good time management skills will likely find TJ to be a good fit for them. And, of course, have a love and enjoyment of math and science.

The point of the response to the original post was to agree that it is a good idea to avoid over prepping for the TJ application process because if the child is accepted than it is probably a good fit. Our family's experience was that our child did not prep and TJ has been a good match for our child's abilities and needs.

Lots of kids at TJ spend at least two hours after school every day practicing with their sports teams and also do well academically. Our child knows other kids who are members of sports teams at TJ who have gone on to top colleges, so they must have been doing pretty well academically, also. Other parents have told me that, a few years ago, four kids from the cross county/track team were all accepted to MIT, so they must have had good grades along with a rigorous course load.

Yes. It is common for TJ kids to engage in sports or other time consuming activities probably more so than base school kids. I totally agree. TJ kids who engage in sports or other time consuming activities certainly go on to top colleges including MIT.

However, what is NOT common is to see many TJ kids taking 4 ap/post ap courses as sophomore and 6 ap/post ap courses as junior and engaged in sports as well as other time consuming activities who excel in everything and doing well academically and getting plenty of sleep by going to sleep relatively early.

You can make general statements all you want but you fail to say yes my kid took 4 ap/post ap courses as sophomore and 6 ap/post ap courses as junior and has done well academically (all As or all As or A-s) and participated in sport as well as other activities and went to sleep early all the time. That is very uncommon and I object to your characterization that that is common at TJ.

You are very focused on specific details about a kid who is not your own. You have asked to know this kid's courses and grades a number of times. I would not give out such information about a kid of mine over the internet just because someone asked. You'd be surprised how easy it is to figure out who people are. I have figured out a few posters on here over the years and I certainly get why someone would want to be vague about information that would be easy to track. Kids and their parents need to be aware of privacy concerns when posting, even anonymously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TJ mom here: There seem to be at least two different types of TJ students. There are those who go to TJ and take more or less the same classes at other FCPS students, although they are much harder classes. All core classes at TJ are weighted honors. And there are those who are extreme TJ students who are very ambitious and have been taking extra classes every summer and at colleges as well. That is the top 1-5% at TJ -- they do exist. They have cleared out their schedules to take the hard AP course in sophomore year and beyond. Most only take 1 or 2 AP in sophomore year.

Another TJ mom here. I've been through the whole college application cycle a few times now and I would just add to this that it is important for kids to be doing non-academic activities as well as a high level of academics. Top colleges are looking for kids who can do that high-level, rigorous course work while also being engaged in an outside activity such as sports, arts, music, theatre. Something that widens their view of the world while also showing that they can get the grades without spending every waking minute on academic work. Colleges like kids who get completely away from the classroom during the summers and do something that develops a different set of skills. There are many lessons high school kids need to be learning and they cannot all be learned in a classroom.

The kids who have kept their heads in the books sometimes end up disappointed because they did not get accepted to the top college of their choice even with lots of APs, post-APS, high test scores, and tippy-top grades. They've missed out on a lot of possible learning experiences while in high school and cannot understand why their top grades and scores aren't enough to get them accepted at a top school. It is sad to see disappointment at a time when kids should be happy and excited about their next step in life. There are lots of roads to Rome, and one isn't necessarily better than another.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I appreciate your thoughts; however, spending 20 hours a week over two weeks reviewing math concepts that will likely be on the test is not FORCING anything. FWIW, DC wants only to go to Oakton, yet because of unparalleled aptitude to comprehend and put into practice we thought it worth our time and money to have DC take the class. DC will apply, will most likely get accepted, and will more than likely choose to go to Oakton. However, in the off chance, less than 1%, that DC changes mind, it will be an option. I am always amazed by parents who are not vested in their DC efucation. I also plan to pay thousands for SAT prep. Call me crazy!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I appreciate your thoughts; however, spending 20 hours a week over two weeks reviewing math concepts that will likely be on the test is not FORCING anything. FWIW, DC wants only to go to Oakton, yet because of unparalleled aptitude to comprehend and put into practice we thought it worth our time and money to have DC take the class. DC will apply, will most likely get accepted, and will more than likely choose to go to Oakton. However, in the off chance, less than 1%, that DC changes mind, it will be an option. I am always amazed by parents who are not vested in their DC efucation. I also plan to pay thousands for SAT prep. Call me crazy!!

I'll bite. You sound if not crazy, a least a tad over the top. And your proclamations about your child's "unparalleled aptitude" (really, unparalleled?) and likely acceptance to TJ before he turns it down for Oakton (a big badge of honor for you, no doubt) comes across as smug if not a bit deluded.

[Anonymous]

I am smug, but I'm not deluded. DC could have attended MB for an accelerated program, but wants to be a typical teenager. So yes, pretty certain TJ is a done deal, as is choosing Oakton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am smug, but I'm not deluded. DC could have attended MB for an accelerated program, but wants to be a typical teenager. So yes, pretty certain TJ is a done deal, as is choosing Oakton.

What is MB?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am smug, but I'm not deluded. DC could have attended MB for an accelerated program, but wants to be a typical teenager. So yes, pretty certain TJ is a done deal, as is choosing Oakton.

What is MB?

Montgomery Blair, presumably.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am smug, but I'm not deluded. DC could have attended MB for an accelerated program, but wants to be a typical teenager. So yes, pretty certain TJ is a done deal, as is choosing Oakton.

So why even go through the exercise of applying. Plenty of other worthy kids who are dying to go to TJ.

[Anonymous]

For a highly intelligent kid, it is wasting your money and his time to spend 20 hours a week for two weeks just to go over math concepts. If he is bright, he already knows these things and he will be bored. The TJ test is not a difficult test for the mathy kids who are a good fit for TJ.

I would spend that two weeks doing some family activities. If is is your first, you will be surprised at how quickly those high school years will fly by. Kids go off to college before you know it and there will be less and less time to spend together as a family.

[Anonymous]

No MB is not Mont Blair. Its a college for super smart girls that can skip HS. Never said my DC was a he. Interesting how people assume!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No MB is not Mont Blair. Its a college for super smart girls that can skip HS. Never said my DC was a he. Interesting how people assume!

There is no likely for TJ admission given that the admission process is "holistic" and includes essay and SIS (shorter essays) which are graded subjectively. Plenty of kids with perfect gpa and 98+ on the TJ test with tons of "right" activities do not make it into TJ. Not a sure thing even if your kid is taking pre-calculus or calculus etc. in 8th grade with decent AMC 10 score etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No MB is not Mont Blair. Its a college for super smart girls that can skip HS. Never said my DC was a he. Interesting how people assume!

Many people use "he" when neither sex is clearly indicated. It is the way things are done in the Romance languages that came from Latin, and some English speakers use it, too. It's easier than say he or she or writing s/he. I would assume no offense was meant.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but English is Germanic based, not Latin.