Waitlisted at TJ - now what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Relax. Not the end of the world. Many TJ kids attending dame school as my non TJ senior. Except mine didn’t get the amount of stress Tj kids went through. Be a strong student at a base school. Tj is way over rated.

Depends on the base school. Let's not act like going to a mediocre base school provides the same peer group as TJ. And the bottom 10% of TJ students attend the same colleges as the top 10% of the base high school students.

This is false. The top 10% of our base high school isn't going to Virginia Tech.

They are going to GMU.

[Anonymous]

DS has been doing STEM ECs right from 3rd - 8th grade and some of which went on to State and National level competitions.
We chose to not apply to TJ as it was not a good fit for us. please do not assume that base school kids lack STEM background.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Oh dear. These past few replies have been eye-opening. What can we (fcps parents) do to help make this a better experience for children?

Not push unwilling/unprepared/uninterested kids towards TJ?

I know soooo many prepped kids (under the previous system) who went only because their parents made them, or because they didn’t want to waste years of effort, and not for any true love of STEM. I also know a handful that wrote on their essay that they had no interest in going and were being forced, to make sure they got rejected.

#fakenews

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, college admissions is not the way to judge TJ. The experience and education those kids receive is its own value, for the right-fit kid.

This is the most important point IMO. Too many people focus on the outcome and not the journey itself.

Sure, some students from base schools get into the same universities as TJ students. But for the right fit STEM-focused student, the rigorous education and peer group is worth it in and of itself.

At the base school they may be bored out of their minds in class and socially ostracized as weird/nerd/unpopular, while at TJ they'd fit in both academically and socially.

There's a large difference between attending a school where every student is academically motivated and a school where less than 10% of students are academically motivated and the rest resents them.

If one doesn't like TJ, they can always transfer down to a base school. The opposite does not happen.

The strongest math and science students that I know were not admitted this year. Those students will stay at their base schools and do very well with a stronger group of peers than in previous years. TJ will not be able to offer more remediation for the bottom without taking away from the top. Have a great day!

Tell me about it! My kid was super disappointed that he got weight listed especially after hearing couple of his friends got in, which was a surprise for all as these kids didn’t particularly stand out in class or after school programs. However, he did find some comfort as few other kids who he himself looks up to (or healthy competition with) also got wait listed. My kid is well recognized among his friends and teachers for being strong in STEM and other courses as well. So it was quite a surprise for him. Anyways, we told that the new system has no way of recognizing his talent and being from a feeder school, he should just assume that he lost out in a weird lottery. Hopefully, he will do fine at base school and should find many like minded kids who would thrive at TJ, but lost out like him.

So you lied to him. Got it.

If it makes you happy to assume that I lied to him, please go with it! But the fact straight A students (not just my kid), who won awards and have been participating in stem activities, who even went to state and national level got waitlisted, while those who even got B+s and barely had anything else to show for got selected. I guess they have amazing essays that outshined everyone’s grades. Sorry, I honestly didn’t have a better explanation for him or his friends who had high expectations. If you do, please say so, or should I just say to them that they are just dumb and their grades mean nothing???? So, I also get it!

Btw, if your kid gets in I will be truly happy for him/her and congrats to you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, college admissions is not the way to judge TJ. The experience and education those kids receive is its own value, for the right-fit kid.

This is the most important point IMO. Too many people focus on the outcome and not the journey itself.

Sure, some students from base schools get into the same universities as TJ students. But for the right fit STEM-focused student, the rigorous education and peer group is worth it in and of itself.

At the base school they may be bored out of their minds in class and socially ostracized as weird/nerd/unpopular, while at TJ they'd fit in both academically and socially.

There's a large difference between attending a school where every student is academically motivated and a school where less than 10% of students are academically motivated and the rest resents them.

If one doesn't like TJ, they can always transfer down to a base school. The opposite does not happen.

The strongest math and science students that I know were not admitted this year. Those students will stay at their base schools and do very well with a stronger group of peers than in previous years. TJ will not be able to offer more remediation for the bottom without taking away from the top. Have a great day!

Tell me about it! My kid was super disappointed that he got weight listed especially after hearing couple of his friends got in, which was a surprise for all as these kids didn’t particularly stand out in class or after school programs. However, he did find some comfort as few other kids who he himself looks up to (or healthy competition with) also got wait listed. My kid is well recognized among his friends and teachers for being strong in STEM and other courses as well. So it was quite a surprise for him. Anyways, we told that the new system has no way of recognizing his talent and being from a feeder school, he should just assume that he lost out in a weird lottery. Hopefully, he will do fine at base school and should find many like minded kids who would thrive at TJ, but lost out like him.

So you lied to him. Got it.

If it makes you happy to assume that I lied to him, please go with it! But the fact straight A students (not just my kid), who won awards and have been participating in stem activities, who even went to state and national level got waitlisted, while those who even got B+s and barely had anything else to show for got selected. I guess they have amazing essays that outshined everyone’s grades. Sorry, I honestly didn’t have a better explanation for him or his friends who had high expectations. If you do, please say so, or should I just say to them that they are just dumb and their grades mean nothing???? So, I also get it!

Btw, if your kid gets in I will be truly happy for him/her and congrats to you!

Btw, these are not my words, but my kid says how his friends group interpreted the results as - “it looks as if TJ admissions went out of the way to waitlist or even reject top students”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, college admissions is not the way to judge TJ. The experience and education those kids receive is its own value, for the right-fit kid.

This is the most important point IMO. Too many people focus on the outcome and not the journey itself.

Sure, some students from base schools get into the same universities as TJ students. But for the right fit STEM-focused student, the rigorous education and peer group is worth it in and of itself.

At the base school they may be bored out of their minds in class and socially ostracized as weird/nerd/unpopular, while at TJ they'd fit in both academically and socially.

There's a large difference between attending a school where every student is academically motivated and a school where less than 10% of students are academically motivated and the rest resents them.

If one doesn't like TJ, they can always transfer down to a base school. The opposite does not happen.

The strongest math and science students that I know were not admitted this year. Those students will stay at their base schools and do very well with a stronger group of peers than in previous years. TJ will not be able to offer more remediation for the bottom without taking away from the top. Have a great day!

Tell me about it! My kid was super disappointed that he got weight listed especially after hearing couple of his friends got in, which was a surprise for all as these kids didn’t particularly stand out in class or after school programs. However, he did find some comfort as few other kids who he himself looks up to (or healthy competition with) also got wait listed. My kid is well recognized among his friends and teachers for being strong in STEM and other courses as well. So it was quite a surprise for him. Anyways, we told that the new system has no way of recognizing his talent and being from a feeder school, he should just assume that he lost out in a weird lottery. Hopefully, he will do fine at base school and should find many like minded kids who would thrive at TJ, but lost out like him.

So you lied to him. Got it.

Honestly, what would you tell if your kid if you are in a similar place, especially when it’s not just your kid, but several other straight A high achieving students? It’s not the grades for sure and teachers obviously didn’t have any input (if they did, at least done if them would have gotten in). Should I have said they just had a bad day with essay writing or straight up tell that they are just not TJ caliber even though they had better grades than those who got in? Sorry, I didn’t have anything better to say to him, if you do, please let me know I would gladly pass it to him?

Btw, I did tell my kid that his essays might not have impressed and since those carry 2/3rd weight and grades only carry 1/3rd, he couldn’t get in. He didn’t buy this argument especially since all his friends are equally puzzled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, college admissions is not the way to judge TJ. The experience and education those kids receive is its own value, for the right-fit kid.

This is the most important point IMO. Too many people focus on the outcome and not the journey itself.

Sure, some students from base schools get into the same universities as TJ students. But for the right fit STEM-focused student, the rigorous education and peer group is worth it in and of itself.

At the base school they may be bored out of their minds in class and socially ostracized as weird/nerd/unpopular, while at TJ they'd fit in both academically and socially.

There's a large difference between attending a school where every student is academically motivated and a school where less than 10% of students are academically motivated and the rest resents them.

If one doesn't like TJ, they can always transfer down to a base school. The opposite does not happen.

The strongest math and science students that I know were not admitted this year. Those students will stay at their base schools and do very well with a stronger group of peers than in previous years. TJ will not be able to offer more remediation for the bottom without taking away from the top. Have a great day!

Tell me about it! My kid was super disappointed that he got weight listed especially after hearing couple of his friends got in, which was a surprise for all as these kids didn’t particularly stand out in class or after school programs. However, he did find some comfort as few other kids who he himself looks up to (or healthy competition with) also got wait listed. My kid is well recognized among his friends and teachers for being strong in STEM and other courses as well. So it was quite a surprise for him. Anyways, we told that the new system has no way of recognizing his talent and being from a feeder school, he should just assume that he lost out in a weird lottery. Hopefully, he will do fine at base school and should find many like minded kids who would thrive at TJ, but lost out like him.

So you lied to him. Got it.

Honestly, what would you tell if your kid if you are in a similar place, especially when it’s not just your kid, but several other straight A high achieving students? It’s not the grades for sure and teachers obviously didn’t have any input (if they did, at least done if them would have gotten in). Should I have said they just had a bad day with essay writing or straight up tell that they are just not TJ caliber even though they had better grades than those who got in? Sorry, I didn’t have anything better to say to him, if you do, please let me know I would gladly pass it to him?

Btw, I did tell my kid that his essays might not have impressed and since those carry 2/3rd weight and grades only carry 1/3rd, he couldn’t get in. He didn’t buy this argument especially since all his friends are equally puzzled.

Tell him life's not fair and move on. This has always been the case. The top scorers on the objective test under the old process did not necessarily get in.

[Anonymous]

I told my kid it is because of politics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, college admissions is not the way to judge TJ. The experience and education those kids receive is its own value, for the right-fit kid.

This is the most important point IMO. Too many people focus on the outcome and not the journey itself.

Sure, some students from base schools get into the same universities as TJ students. But for the right fit STEM-focused student, the rigorous education and peer group is worth it in and of itself.

At the base school they may be bored out of their minds in class and socially ostracized as weird/nerd/unpopular, while at TJ they'd fit in both academically and socially.

There's a large difference between attending a school where every student is academically motivated and a school where less than 10% of students are academically motivated and the rest resents them.

If one doesn't like TJ, they can always transfer down to a base school. The opposite does not happen.

The strongest math and science students that I know were not admitted this year. Those students will stay at their base schools and do very well with a stronger group of peers than in previous years. TJ will not be able to offer more remediation for the bottom without taking away from the top. Have a great day!

Tell me about it! My kid was super disappointed that he got weight listed especially after hearing couple of his friends got in, which was a surprise for all as these kids didn’t particularly stand out in class or after school programs. However, he did find some comfort as few other kids who he himself looks up to (or healthy competition with) also got wait listed. My kid is well recognized among his friends and teachers for being strong in STEM and other courses as well. So it was quite a surprise for him. Anyways, we told that the new system has no way of recognizing his talent and being from a feeder school, he should just assume that he lost out in a weird lottery. Hopefully, he will do fine at base school and should find many like minded kids who would thrive at TJ, but lost out like him.

So you lied to him. Got it.

Honestly, what would you tell if your kid if you are in a similar place, especially when it’s not just your kid, but several other straight A high achieving students? It’s not the grades for sure and teachers obviously didn’t have any input (if they did, at least done if them would have gotten in). Should I have said they just had a bad day with essay writing or straight up tell that they are just not TJ caliber even though they had better grades than those who got in? Sorry, I didn’t have anything better to say to him, if you do, please let me know I would gladly pass it to him?

Btw, I did tell my kid that his essays might not have impressed and since those carry 2/3rd weight and grades only carry 1/3rd, he couldn’t get in. He didn’t buy this argument especially since all his friends are equally puzzled.

Tell him life's not fair and move on. This has always been the case. The top scorers on the objective test under the old process did not necessarily get in.

Yeah, my kid is betting that it got to be lottery as ‘they’ couldn’t put any sort of logic around who got in vs who didn’t. He didn’t even buy essays as one of the kids who got in (not economically backward) got B+ and A- in English and couple of other A- as well including one in math.

[Anonymous]

The new system has no way to measure STEM achievement or interest. It prioritized diversity of geography, disadvantaged students, special ed and English language learners. It does not distinguish between center middle schools and base middle schools thereby making it harder for kids who chose to accept aap center placement and the most rigorous curriculum to get into TJ.

[Anonymous]

It's a shame for TJ and FCPS

[Anonymous]

It's also a shame for us, who are willing to send kids to a school with such a ridiculous admission process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's also a shame for us, who are willing to send kids to a school with such a ridiculous admission process.

Btw did you know there is a TJ prep class even though that is what they were trying to get away from. Since the essay is so important, the kids I know that actually took it, got in (again every kid we know has a 4.0 with tons of extracurriculars). The others that got with similar or less than this without TJ prep had other identifiers (not white and not Asian).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The new system has no way to measure STEM achievement or interest. It prioritized diversity of geography, disadvantaged students, special ed and English language learners. It does not distinguish between center middle schools and base middle schools thereby making it harder for kids who chose to accept aap center placement and the most rigorous curriculum to get into TJ.

There isn’t anything wrong if we allocate a portion of seats to economically disadvantaged, provided its properly identified. However, I have always been critical about how the new process discriminated against center schools.

What I really want is to correctly identify the stem intersect/talent with whatever selection process there is. It should ‘never’ be case where you (especially kids themselves) cannot explain why some got in while others who appears to be more deserving couldn’t. My kid is damn sure that he would have gotten in if his teachers had any input.

On the whole, I would say my kid is probably more surprised than disappointed by the wait list. He says there are quite a few in the similar situation as his and would have plenty of company at his base school. He just asked me if TJ exclusive course work is more important than college admissions. I said absolutely not and not even by a long shot. He seems to be happy with it and moved on with his stuff.

Last year I was a little skeptical about the efficiency of TJ admissions, but now that I have had first hand experience with my kid and his friends (I have accompanied/interacted with them to several events) , I am sure the new process is screwed up. If you haven’t already gotten it by now, I am sure it will be abundantly clear in 4 years when we learn where TJ stacks up among other schools. All I hope is this is what we really want with TJ. That’s all I have to say! Please feel to disagree and bold any sentence in my post and offer your valuable criticism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's also a shame for us, who are willing to send kids to a school with such a ridiculous admission process.

Btw did you know there is a TJ prep class even though that is what they were trying to get away from. Since the essay is so important, the kids I know that actually took it, got in (again every kid we know has a 4.0 with tons of extracurriculars). The others that got with similar or less than this without TJ prep had other identifiers (not white and not Asian).

Yes. 30 minutes essay about random topic is significantly more important than two years of course work school sponsored STEM activities, recognitions etc. all put together. Great way to determine who deserves TJ (supposedly STEM school) and who doesn’t. Going forward, there will be plenty of English prep classes, exclusive 1-on-1 tutoring, private writing coaches etc. Keep it up FCPS!