TJ admissions change from Merit to Essay impact to Asian American Students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Were test materials publicly available to study from previously? The public schools should have offered free test prep to anyone who wanted it. That would have evened the playing field.

The objective of that portion was to measure “natural ability to think critically”. So seeing very similar questions in advance skews results.

any math, science, english test questions are based on study material that's available in public?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Were test materials publicly available to study from previously? The public schools should have offered free test prep to anyone who wanted it. That would have evened the playing field.

The objective of that portion was to measure “natural ability to think critically”. So seeing very similar questions in advance skews results.

any math, science, english test questions are based on study material that's available in public?

There are like 4 or 5 different study guides test prep books out there for the QQ, and Science and Reading test. It's funny that the science and reading tests are never mentioned in this whole ordeal about Facebook gossip on cheating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Were test materials publicly available to study from previously? The public schools should have offered free test prep to anyone who wanted it. That would have evened the playing field.

The objective of that portion was to measure “natural ability to think critically”. So seeing very similar questions in advance skews results.

The previous process used the Quant Q, another test (ACT Aspire?), GPA, courses taken, essays, teacher recommendations, and achievements into account. Yes, the Quant Q needed to be eliminated from the application process or at least be used differently. There's no reason to also eliminate the other test, consideration of courses taken, teacher recommendations, and achievements. All of these, taken holistically and with some level of geographical allotment, would lead to a similarly diverse, but much stronger TJ class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Were test materials publicly available to study from previously? The public schools should have offered free test prep to anyone who wanted it. That would have evened the playing field.

The objective of that portion was to measure “natural ability to think critically”. So seeing very similar questions in advance skews results.

any math, science, english test questions are based on study material that's available in public?[/quote
Was available through expensive test prep that had compiled question banks by debriefing test takers from previous years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Were test materials publicly available to study from previously? The public schools should have offered free test prep to anyone who wanted it. That would have evened the playing field.

The objective of that portion was to measure “natural ability to think critically”. So seeing very similar questions in advance skews results.

any math, science, english test questions are based on study material that's available in public?

It was available by purchasing expensive outside test prep that had compiled question banks by debriefing test takers from previous years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I wasn't aware that so many were being denied.

That happens every year, regardless of admission process.

Asian students were still accepted at a higher rate than almost all other groups, aside from Hispanic students.

ACCEPTANCE RATE
Asian 19%
Black 14%
Hispanic 21%
White 17%
Multiracial/Other* 13%
OVERALL 18%

It appears FCPS is ensuring TJ maintains its academic standing by admitting Asian students into top half and filling the bottom half to fulfill diversity objective?

I notice this talking point keeps being brought up and repeated in these TJ threads. It sounds very muck like the kind of point an advocacy group would pass around to its members and suggest they bring up in any discussion about the subject. In the spirit of, “if you say something enough times, people will believe it’s true.”

Sorry, there’s no evidence to back up this one and repeating it over and over just makes the speakers sound like they can’t think for themselves.

Similarly, on this forum there are a minion group member, who keeps hallucinating test buying whopper, and hopes at least someone out there would believe it, but may very well be a marketing strategy to draw attention towards a particular enrichment business.

I suspect you were writing quickly here and didn’t have time to proofread, so your post is difficult to read, but my guess is that you’re actually talking about test prep companies that charge parents a lot of money to drill their kids to take tests. Kids born into families without a lot of money can’t access expensive programs like this, so they are at a disadvantage that is out of their control. Bright kids don’t have any say in the income level of the families they happen to be born into.

In addition, some of these test prep companies ask their students to report on test questions after they have taken the test, even though the students must sign a statement saying that they will not discuss test questions with anyone. I have heard reports of this occurring from teachers and students at TJ, so definitely not any kind of whopper.

We need to have a level playing field for kids applying to TJ. FCPS is making a strong effort to allow applicants to all have a fair shot at a place at TJ and that is a positive move for our county and its residents.

This trope has been discredited. Repeating it will not make it the truth.

Most recently

“Harvard has joined MIT, Brown University, Caltech, Dartmouth, and Yale in requiring standardized test scores in the admissions process, after initially going test optional during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harvard University announced Thursday, April 11, 2024 that it is reinstituting standardized tests as a requirement for admission beginning with the class of 2029, joining other colleges that are again mandating admissions testing for those hoping to enter the schools.
Harvard again requiring standardized test scores for those seeking admission
‘Affirmative action for the rich’: Readers want an end to legacy admissions
In a statement, Hopi Hoekstra, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard, said standardized tests help colleges find talent from across socioeconomic levels and provide valuable information about an applicant’s potential success in college.“

Not clear from your post what “trope” you believe to be untrue. Your quotes don’t appear to relate to the last post you reference above so it is not clear what you are attempting to say.

Requiring an essay test for TJ admissions is an excellent idea because being able to communicate clearly is important in the STEM fields. It’s great to “know the math,” but students need to be able to write and speak clearly to communicate their ideas to others.

They're one of the deniers who want to return to the old system where wealthy families could buy access to the test to guarantee admission.

There are too many posters here who are still upset they're not able to buy their way in any longer.

[Anonymous]

The impact of the admissions changes:

The number of Asian students enrolled at TJ by school year (fall):


Aside from 2020 & 2019, there are MORE Asian students at TJ since the admissions change than any other year in the school’s history.



The data shows that Asian students were accepted at a higher rate than almost all other groups, aside from Hispanic students.

Asian 19%
Black 14%
Hispanic 21%
White 17%
Multiracial/Other* 13%
ALL 18%


So to recap, the number of Asian students at TJ is almost at a record high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


I wasn't aware that so many were being denied.

Yes, over 2000+ they need four more TJs to answer the stem demand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


I wasn't aware that so many were being denied.

Yes, over 2000+ they need four more TJs to answer the stem demand.

Plenty of STEM available at base schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


I wasn't aware that so many were being denied.

Yes, over 2000+ they need four more TJs to answer the stem demand.

Plenty of STEM available at base schools.

Plenty of Algebra 1 available at base schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


I wasn't aware that so many were being denied.

Yes, over 2000+ they need four more TJs to answer the stem demand.

Plenty of STEM available at base schools.

Not at the level of rigor ideal for these students, and there is not post-calc3 math available at most base schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: · Before 1700, algebra was absent from the curriculum of children's schools, early colleges and seminaries.

· In 1786, algebra was first mentioned in Harvard University's curriculum, but it was probably taught there as early as 1726.

· By 1820, Harvard required algebra for admission. Columbia, Yale and Princeton followed suit in 1821, 1846

and 1848, respectively.

· In 1827, Massachusetts passed a law requiring algebra to be taught in the high school of any town with at least 500 families.
...
...
And then the Asian Americans students started chewing up algebra faster than PB&J sandwiches.

. In 1990s, growing population of US Asian students started enrolling in Algebra 1 in 6th grade

[Anonymous]

So what? They will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Merit Test based Admissions:
Class of 2019, Asian American students received 70.20%
Class of 2020, Asian American students received 71.34%
Class of 2021, Asian American students received 74.90%
Class of 2023, Asian American students received 72.87%
Class of 2024, Asian American students received 73.05%

Admissions changed to Essay based, and increased enrollment of 8th grade algebra1 students:
Class of 2025, Asian American students received 54.36%
Class of 2026, Asian American students received 59.82%
Class of 2027, Asian American students received 61.64%.
Class of 2028, Asian American students received 57.27%

https://www.fcps.edu/news/offers-extended-thomas-jefferson-high-school-science-and-technology-class-2028

So, writing is Asian students' weakness?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Merit Test based Admissions:
Class of 2019, Asian American students received 70.20%
Class of 2020, Asian American students received 71.34%
Class of 2021, Asian American students received 74.90%
Class of 2023, Asian American students received 72.87%
Class of 2024, Asian American students received 73.05%

Admissions changed to Essay based, and increased enrollment of 8th grade algebra1 students:
Class of 2025, Asian American students received 54.36%
Class of 2026, Asian American students received 59.82%
Class of 2027, Asian American students received 61.64%.
Class of 2028, Asian American students received 57.27%

https://www.fcps.edu/news/offers-extended-thomas-jefferson-high-school-science-and-technology-class-2028

So, writing is Asian students' weakness?

Students attend school to learn what they don't know and improve on underdeveloped skills. What kind of an idiot are you to belittle and pick on them?