Advice for the new TJ batch

[Anonymous]

Pp - can you please post a link to the bulletin board with all of the academic integrity reminders? Would like to be sure DC reviews and understands. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New pp here. Thank you for all your input here and our first DC got in.

Can first PP or others expand on this : "They will take AP level classes, like CS and World History, and not get AP credit. Make peace with that now. " '

Does that mean, they don't get AP Credit at all for many classes?

Please keep your views coming and your opinions are extremely helpful for parents like me and OP.

It means there are several classes at TJ that are taught at an AP level with AP text books but they aren't called AP classes so you don't get the GPA boost. It sucks.

Even freshman bio is taught from the AP textbook so it's basically an AP-level course just with a couple of topics short of tge full curriculum (which one could independently review to write the AP exam if there isnt room later in the students course plan to take the "real" AP bio course. Ditto for CS foundations which covers java during the year - you could with a bit of extra studying write the CS A AP exam. The first-level courses at TJ are taught at the senior-level depth of "normal" high schools. The kids at TJ are all pretty sharp and can handle a robust curriculum and pace of learning. (I'm sure the top kids at other FCPS high schools could learn at this pace as well if they loaded up on AP level courses earlier in their high school careers.)

New TJ parents...please don't become as arrogant and condescending as this poster. Your kid is well-deserving of the opportunity that is TJ, but they are not suddenly transformed into college level students. Your kid has some unique opportunities at TJ that they can't get at base school and I hope takes advantage of them.

Please avoid the "my student goes to TJ thus is smarter than base school kids, and is really taking college classes" mentality.

[Anonymous]

How difficult is to get into Swim,Tennis, Basketball,Crew teams?
Usually getting into sports team in base high school is tough

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How difficult is to get into Swim,Tennis, Basketball,Crew teams?
Usually getting into sports team in base high school is tough

I think most teams can be accessed. Basketball may be a little more difficult because of the small roster. I think the swim teams are quite good, but because of the nature of the sport most kids can be on the team. The Football team is always looking for players. If you want to play, you're in!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How difficult is to get into Swim,Tennis, Basketball,Crew teams?
Usually getting into sports team in base high school is tough

I think most teams can be accessed. Basketball may be a little more difficult because of the small roster. I think the swim teams are quite good, but because of the nature of the sport most kids can be on the team. The Football team is always looking for players. If you want to play, you're in!

Cross country and track usually have space for anyone who is willing to put in the time and effort and work hard. A plus of going out for a fall sport is that new students can meet a lot of other kids while practicing in August. It’s really nice when they already know a group of kids in the first day, especially if they’re coming from one of the smaller middle schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Congrats! Now a reality check. Look at the extended hours for TJ. Add on the commute. Add on time after school for any extracurriculars. Sit down as a family and look at when your kid will leave and when they will get home every day. Add in time for a shower and dinner. Then 3-4 hours for homework. And most of the weekends.

Make sure you are going into this with your eyes open. That your kid can live with that kind of schedule, day after day and week after week. Make sure you can live with the carpools and giving your kid the extra support they need and still be there for your other kid(s). TJ is a huge family commitment. Make sure you are okay if if, like half the class, your kid “only” goes to UVA, WM or VT. Assume your kid does not get into a better college because of TJ, but is much better prepared for where they do go. That is the most likely outcome 4 years. Will it be worth it? Or will you and your kid be disappointed and feel like all that effort and lost sleep and stress was a waste.

Your kid will make Bs. They will flunk STEM tests. Their GPA will be lower than base school GPAs. They will take AP level classes, like CS and World History, and not get AP credit. Make peace with that now.

Encourage your kid to get involved in the schools non-STEM programs or keep their non-STEM interest. If that is art, music, or drama, or journalism, have them do summer school to keep the class in their schedule. Many of the happiest, healthiest, most well balanced kids are the ones who play one or more sports, march in the band, take fine arts classes, or do the drama production. That break during the school day where they can do something different, or that they love, is important.

And AP Physics arenwhere junior year GPAs go to die. 90% of kids are better served by taking physics 1 first. And most kids doing well in AP Physics are seniors who have had physics 1.

That’s all I got. Good luck and welcome.

Sounds like you made the wrong choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Congrats! Now a reality check. Look at the extended hours for TJ. Add on the commute. Add on time after school for any extracurriculars. Sit down as a family and look at when your kid will leave and when they will get home every day. Add in time for a shower and dinner. Then 3-4 hours for homework. And most of the weekends.

Make sure you are going into this with your eyes open. That your kid can live with that kind of schedule, day after day and week after week. Make sure you can live with the carpools and giving your kid the extra support they need and still be there for your other kid(s). TJ is a huge family commitment. Make sure you are okay if if, like half the class, your kid “only” goes to UVA, WM or VT. Assume your kid does not get into a better college because of TJ, but is much better prepared for where they do go. That is the most likely outcome 4 years. Will it be worth it? Or will you and your kid be disappointed and feel like all that effort and lost sleep and stress was a waste.

Your kid will make Bs. They will flunk STEM tests. Their GPA will be lower than base school GPAs. They will take AP level classes, like CS and World History, and not get AP credit. Make peace with that now.

Encourage your kid to get involved in the schools non-STEM programs or keep their non-STEM interest. If that is art, music, or drama, or journalism, have them do summer school to keep the class in their schedule. Many of the happiest, healthiest, most well balanced kids are the ones who play one or more sports, march in the band, take fine arts classes, or do the drama production. That break during the school day where they can do something different, or that they love, is important.

And AP Physics arenwhere junior year GPAs go to die. 90% of kids are better served by taking physics 1 first. And most kids doing well in AP Physics are seniors who have had physics 1.

That’s all I got. Good luck and welcome.

Sounds like you made the wrong choice.

Because????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is Latin? Mine’s been doing Latin for two years. Are the teachers nice?

Latin teachers are excellent! Over half of the latin class got gold medals on national latin exams every year.TJ Latin Class is not easy for sure, but most students work hard and love it.

If the kid did Latin 1 and 2, is Latin 3 recommended or better to take Latin 2?

[Anonymous]

Is there a placement test for Latin?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Find your liaison ASAP (especially for folks in counties that don’t send as many kids, like Falls Church, Arlington etc) - ours was an amazing resource. Very grateful for good advice and reality checks we got. DC is super happy at TJ (working very hard, but happily engaged, and finally found their tribe).

Please stop saying your TJ kids found their “tribe.” It’s offensive on many levels.

What alternative word would you suggest that captures the same meaning / connotation?

The connotation is part of what makes it offensive. Be better.

Different poster here: this is what is off putting about some parents. When someone legitimately pointed out something you said that was offensive, you “bat your eyes” and pretend you can’t think of another word that captures the same meaning. Gmab. What’s worse though, is when the responder then told you that the connotation is what’s offensive, you didn’t write back saying you could see how that could be offensive and you’re sorry. No, you didn’t need to, but it makes me wonder if you’re the tj parent poster who writes often on this board about how tj is for really smart kids. Yep, it is. Nope, we don’t need to be schooled in it Multiple times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is Latin? Mine’s been doing Latin for two years. Are the teachers nice?

Latin teachers are excellent! Over half of the latin class got gold medals on national latin exams every year.TJ Latin Class is not easy for sure, but most students work hard and love it.

If the kid did Latin 1 and 2, is Latin 3 recommended or better to take Latin 2?

Majority will take latin 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is Latin? Mine’s been doing Latin for two years. Are the teachers nice?

Latin teachers are excellent! Over half of the latin class got gold medals on national latin exams every year.TJ Latin Class is not easy for sure, but most students work hard and love it.

If the kid did Latin 1 and 2, is Latin 3 recommended or better to take Latin 2?

Majority will take latin 2.

There is a written placement test for Latin 1 and 2. Based on that test the student will get a recommendation from the Latin teachers.

[Anonymous]

TJ classes are on a college level. Not the hardest college but still college level. Health class for my DS was like first year nursing course. AP physics IS a bear.

[Anonymous]

TJ is for really smart kids. There are many many VERY smart kids in NOVA Not all of them go to TJ.

[Anonymous]

Can kids who have completed Spanish 1 and 2 in middle school take online summer Spanish 3 as a rising 9th grader?
Can TJHSST students complete foreign language requirement to graduate before entering TJ?