TJ Admissions Roundup

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amazing that people bought into the idea that a question and answer test for kids was uncrackable.

Ultimately the majority of the changes made to the admission process don't reflect a reaction to test prep for the QQ (1 of 3 tests in a multi-round process). This is just a distraction based on a handful of Facebook posts.

It was one of multiple reasons.

By using a test that doesn’t provide public materials, they made the playing field less even. The opposite of their intentions.

No, they were trying to make the field completely even. If no one can prep, everyone walks in with the same advance knowledge of the test: none. That makes for an even playing field.

It also give the school more useful information about the applicants in that the results show how the student handles questions they have never seen before.

Right. Great intentions, but bad execution given that there are unscrupulous people trying to profit off public school magnet admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amazing that people bought into the idea that a question and answer test for kids was uncrackable.

Ultimately the majority of the changes made to the admission process don't reflect a reaction to test prep for the QQ (1 of 3 tests in a multi-round process). This is just a distraction based on a handful of Facebook posts.

It was one of multiple reasons.

By using a test that doesn’t provide public materials, they made the playing field less even. The opposite of their intentions.

No, they were trying to make the field completely even. If no one can prep, everyone walks in with the same advance knowledge of the test: none. That makes for an even playing field.

It also give the school more useful information about the applicants in that the results show how the student handles questions they have never seen before.

Right. Great intentions, but bad execution given that there are unscrupulous people trying to profit off public school magnet admissions.

This is why we can’t have nice things. Apparently, we have to assume people will be unscrupulous and change an entire admissions system because we can’t trust adults to help ensure an even playing field for children to apply to a public school. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amazing that people bought into the idea that a question and answer test for kids was uncrackable.

Ultimately the majority of the changes made to the admission process don't reflect a reaction to test prep for the QQ (1 of 3 tests in a multi-round process). This is just a distraction based on a handful of Facebook posts.

But, why crack the test? Is it to give an unfair advantage to kids whose parents can pay these businesses?

Anybody?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amazing that people bought into the idea that a question and answer test for kids was uncrackable.

Ultimately the majority of the changes made to the admission process don't reflect a reaction to test prep for the QQ (1 of 3 tests in a multi-round process). This is just a distraction based on a handful of Facebook posts.

But, why crack the test? Is it to give an unfair advantage to kids whose parents can pay these businesses?

There is a market, and there will be solutions. Capitalism. Same way why people smuggle drugs or sell socks.

Some say Capitalism is immoral, that sounds like they are against capitalism. Instead, we should say Capitalism is devoid of morality. Supply and demand, like a machine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amazing that people bought into the idea that a question and answer test for kids was uncrackable.

Ultimately the majority of the changes made to the admission process don't reflect a reaction to test prep for the QQ (1 of 3 tests in a multi-round process). This is just a distraction based on a handful of Facebook posts.

But, why crack the test? Is it to give an unfair advantage to kids whose parents can pay these businesses?

There is a market, and there will be solutions. Capitalism. Same way why people smuggle drugs or sell socks.

Some say Capitalism is immoral, that sounds like they are against capitalism. Instead, we should say Capitalism is devoid of morality. Supply and demand, like a machine.

So obtaining information by unethical means and selling it to families that can afford it so that their children will have an unfairly obtained advantage over other children from less well off and/or well educated families is okay because… capitalism.

All righty then. We now know what we need to know about the situation here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is Curie?

Curie is a popular middle school math, english, and science enrichment center in Northern Virginia, that has gained significant popularity in last four years. There is an individual who has come up with a unique way to market Curie by spreading a false rumor about nonexistent cheating and test buying, and using the delusional story to draw the attention of prospective customers.

DC is enrolled at Curie enrichment, which is for advanced students only. We came to know about Curie from this forum.

[Anonymous]

Someone is definitely pushing Curie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amazing that people bought into the idea that a question and answer test for kids was uncrackable.

Ultimately the majority of the changes made to the admission process don't reflect a reaction to test prep for the QQ (1 of 3 tests in a multi-round process). This is just a distraction based on a handful of Facebook posts.

It was one of multiple reasons.

By using a test that doesn’t provide public materials, they made the playing field less even. The opposite of their intentions.

No, they were trying to make the field completely even. If no one can prep, everyone walks in with the same advance knowledge of the test: none. That makes for an even playing field.

It also give the school more useful information about the applicants in that the results show how the student handles questions they have never seen before.

Right. Great intentions, but bad execution given that there are unscrupulous people trying to profit off public school magnet admissions.

This is why we can’t have nice things. Apparently, we have to assume people will be unscrupulous and change an entire admissions system because we can’t trust adults to help ensure an even playing field for children to apply to a public school. Ridiculous.

We could have nice things but the prestige-chasers decided we should have one nice thing and then invite people to fight over access to it until it became a rancid cesspool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amazing that people bought into the idea that a question and answer test for kids was uncrackable.

Ultimately the majority of the changes made to the admission process don't reflect a reaction to test prep for the QQ (1 of 3 tests in a multi-round process). This is just a distraction based on a handful of Facebook posts.

But, why crack the test? Is it to give an unfair advantage to kids whose parents can pay these businesses?

There is a market, and there will be solutions. Capitalism. Same way why people smuggle drugs or sell socks.

Some say Capitalism is immoral, that sounds like they are against capitalism. Instead, we should say Capitalism is devoid of morality. Supply and demand, like a machine.

So obtaining information by unethical means and selling it to families that can afford it so that their children will have an unfairly obtained advantage over other children from less well off and/or well educated families is okay because… capitalism.

All righty then. We now know what we need to know about the situation here.

it's unethical only because an ill-worded NDA that students have no choice but to sign. It's unethical because the company boasted the exam is un-preppable. HOLD MY BEER.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is Curie?

Curie is a popular middle school math, english, and science enrichment center in Northern Virginia, that has gained significant popularity in last four years. There is an individual who has come up with a unique way to market Curie by spreading a false rumor about nonexistent cheating and test buying, and using the delusional story to draw the attention of prospective customers.

The TJ students who posted on TJ vents, TJ newspaper, and DCUM? That’s quite a wild scheme.

Anonymously post rumors and made up garbage on TJ vents, and make anonymous posts here on dcum referencing those anonymous posts? Validates everything is made up delusion?

Not anonymous on vents or the newspaper

are you saying the individual who posts fake test buying story here is not part of the group who posts the same garbage on tj vents?

TJ students post things on TJ Vents. By and large, with only a few exceptions, adults post things here.

If you're suggesting somehow that the original TJ Vents post on 7/11/2020 - which was then supported by named students from TJ on Facebook who were on the Curie lists - was posted by someone who is still posting things here... that's quite a bit of mental gymnastics.

The thing happened. We can have an argument about whether or not the thing that happened was problematic, but there's no argument about whether or not it happened.

[Anonymous]

I've been out of this discussion for a year or two. I just wanted to say that I'm glad that DCUM has evolved beyond simply saying that Asians have an inherent racial propensity towards cheating, over and over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amazing that people bought into the idea that a question and answer test for kids was uncrackable.

Ultimately the majority of the changes made to the admission process don't reflect a reaction to test prep for the QQ (1 of 3 tests in a multi-round process). This is just a distraction based on a handful of Facebook posts.

But, why crack the test? Is it to give an unfair advantage to kids whose parents can pay these businesses?

There is a market, and there will be solutions. Capitalism. Same way why people smuggle drugs or sell socks.

Some say Capitalism is immoral, that sounds like they are against capitalism. Instead, we should say Capitalism is devoid of morality. Supply and demand, like a machine.

So obtaining information by unethical means and selling it to families that can afford it so that their children will have an unfairly obtained advantage over other children from less well off and/or well educated families is okay because… capitalism.

All righty then. We now know what we need to know about the situation here.

it's unethical only because an ill-worded NDA that students have no choice but to sign. It's unethical because the company boasted the exam is un-preppable. HOLD MY BEER.

No, they didn’t “boast” that it was unpreppable. They produced an exam that was meant to be secure and took actions to make and keep it secure. It was an exam that gave the admissions office more information about the students because it showed how the students handled types of questions that they were unlikely to have seen before.

Apparently there are people in this world with no integrity who can’t stand the idea of their kids having to take a test on an even playing field with other kids so they figured out a way to “crack” the test so kids from well off families wouldn’t have to worry about competing with less well off kids who may be more intelligent than they are.

Adults should stay out of this process and let the school do its job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amazing that people bought into the idea that a question and answer test for kids was uncrackable.

Ultimately the majority of the changes made to the admission process don't reflect a reaction to test prep for the QQ (1 of 3 tests in a multi-round process). This is just a distraction based on a handful of Facebook posts.

But, why crack the test? Is it to give an unfair advantage to kids whose parents can pay these businesses?

There is a market, and there will be solutions. Capitalism. Same way why people smuggle drugs or sell socks.

Some say Capitalism is immoral, that sounds like they are against capitalism. Instead, we should say Capitalism is devoid of morality. Supply and demand, like a machine.

So obtaining information by unethical means and selling it to families that can afford it so that their children will have an unfairly obtained advantage over other children from less well off and/or well educated families is okay because… capitalism.

All righty then. We now know what we need to know about the situation here.

it's unethical only because an ill-worded NDA that students have no choice but to sign. It's unethical because the company boasted the exam is un-preppable. HOLD MY BEER.

No, they didn’t “boast” that it was unpreppable. They produced an exam that was meant to be secure and took actions to make and keep it secure. It was an exam that gave the admissions office more information about the students because it showed how the students handled types of questions that they were unlikely to have seen before.

Apparently there are people in this world with no integrity who can’t stand the idea of their kids having to take a test on an even playing field with other kids so they figured out a way to “crack” the test so kids from well off families wouldn’t have to worry about competing with less well off kids who may be more intelligent than they are.

Adults should stay out of this process and let the school do its job.

This is exactly correct except for one thing - "let the school do its job". TJ doesn't have any say in either the development or the execution of the admissions process. FCPS does. And I'll repeat what I said earlier - the Quant-Q did its job for one year and we saw a significant increase in the number of Black, Hispanic, and low-income students in the first year of its implementation.

Its entire purpose what exactly what PP said - to evaluate how students would approach problems that they were unlikely to have seen before. I have seen several versions of the exam, and I can tell you that it is wonderful for achieving this purpose - but also that it would be a staggeringly easy exam for students who had been shown how to do the problems beforehand.

Most exams evaluate how well you can apply a method for solving a problem and the idea behind the QQ was to evaluate your ability to generate a method to solving a problem - that's the reason why it was intended to be secured. And Curie (and the books that are available on Amazon, and probably some other prep companies) destroyed what should have been an ideal exam for sussing out which students actually belong at TJ. I wish there were a way to go back to it - I was that impressed by it.

But we can't, because the golden goose has been slaughtered.

A bit of advice for TJ-aspirant families: the harder you work to crack the process for your kid, the more you incentivize FCPS to increase the apparent randomness and opacity of the process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Someone is definitely pushing Curie.

Inadvertently benefiting from a fictitious story 😀

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone is definitely pushing Curie.

Inadvertently benefiting from a fictitious story 😀

Who would sign up after reading how sketchy they are? I wouldn’t want my kids around people like that.