“Vigil” for TJ This Weekend

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m starting to wish they would shut TJ down. All the elites trying to protect their kids from the real world. Just get rid of it and have everyone go back to their neighborhood HS. Crazy parents scheming to get their kids in TJ as young as the 2nd grade. Classic over the top DMV behavior

Sorry bro, but in the real world a PhD in physics doesn't have to work on a team with the janitor who cleans the bathrooms. And they shouldn't have to be in the same math, science, english, or social studies class with the future janitors either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m starting to wish they would shut TJ down. All the elites trying to protect their kids from the real world. Just get rid of it and have everyone go back to their neighborhood HS. Crazy parents scheming to get their kids in TJ as young as the 2nd grade. Classic over the top DMV behavior

Sorry bro, but in the real world a PhD in physics doesn't have to work on a team with the janitor who cleans the bathrooms. And they shouldn't have to be in the same math, science, english, or social studies class with the future janitors either.

Be careful...your racism is showing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ parents are in their own little bubble...oblivious to everything else going on in the world and living through their kids.

They don't care about diversity, human rights, or anything that would take their focus away from their view of meritocracy and "the American Dream".

The world is falling apart around them and all they care is whether or not they get to put a TJ sticker on their car. What a shame!

No, they care about being discriminated against and despised because of their drive and hard work. There is no disputing that these ambitious, hard-working children are an important part of the future of this country and should be celebrated and supported for their effort and not crapped on by people like you.

That is such a tone deaf response. Having the resources and time to prep for a test and devote your entire childhood to studying (without any outside obligations or challenges) doesn't make a person ambitious and hard-working and it's definitely not worthy of our celebration. Get a clue...there are many hard working ambitious students that don't get the opportunity to focus entirely on academics. Some kids come from challenging environments, have to get after-school jobs, and (gasp) want to have fun and live a well-rounded life. If given the opportunity to be in an environment like TJ, they would succeed. However, once they get there they often face social challenges that are far worse than where they grew up. That culture is prevalent at TJ and I've heard it from many minority students since the 90s.

For millions of children in asia, this is what life is like.

You job is to study. Here in the USA, your job is to have fun, or something.

[Anonymous]

Why should a local school system in the US permit one of its schools to be turned into a soulless test-prep factory like some school in Asia, or something?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why should a local school system in the US permit one of its schools to be turned into a soulless test-prep factory like some school in Asia, or something?

Yeah that's what our future scientists and engineers need. "Soul." Thank you! That's what's been lacking all along in our innovation and competitiveness with the rest of the world - SOUL! Man if I could just get a little soul maybe I could design the next iphone or electric car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why should a local school system in the US permit one of its schools to be turned into a soulless test-prep factory like some school in Asia, or something?

Yeah that's what our future scientists and engineers need. "Soul." Thank you! That's what's been lacking all along in our innovation and competitiveness with the rest of the world - SOUL! Man if I could just get a little soul maybe I could design the next iphone or electric car.

In your case, it’s doubtful even that would help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why should a local school system in the US permit one of its schools to be turned into a soulless test-prep factory like some school in Asia, or something?

Yeah that's what our future scientists and engineers need. "Soul." Thank you! That's what's been lacking all along in our innovation and competitiveness with the rest of the world - SOUL! Man if I could just get a little soul maybe I could design the next iphone or electric car.

You sound like Biden- channeling Soul.

[Anonymous]

Parent of a recent TJ graduate here. Not all, and I'd argue not most, of the kids at TJ test prepped since K/have no life. Are there some there - probably, but certainly not the majority. The majority are smart kids interested in STEM and typical HS things whose after school socializing is mainly hampered by the fact that the kids come from all over NoVa. I suspect quite a number of posters in this forum have no actual experience with TJ.

Could the school benefit from more diversity? Absolutely. So let the TJ Admin folks fix that without blowing up the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a recent TJ graduate here. Not all, and I'd argue not most, of the kids at TJ test prepped since K/have no life. Are there some there - probably, but certainly not the majority. The majority are smart kids interested in STEM and typical HS things whose after school socializing is mainly hampered by the fact that the kids come from all over NoVa. I suspect quite a number of posters in this forum have no actual experience with TJ.

Could the school benefit from more diversity? Absolutely. So let the TJ Admin folks fix that without blowing up the school.

If 28% of the class 2024 came from one test prep center, ONE, and we know that there are many test prep centers in NoVa, I think we can definitely say that most kids at TJ prep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why should a local school system in the US permit one of its schools to be turned into a soulless test-prep factory like some school in Asia, or something?

Yeah that's what our future scientists and engineers need. "Soul." Thank you! That's what's been lacking all along in our innovation and competitiveness with the rest of the world - SOUL! Man if I could just get a little soul maybe I could design the next iphone or electric car.

In your case, it’s doubtful even that would help.

Don't worry about me, I already have a PhD and make a lot of money. And I didn't need "soul" for it! lmao

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why should a local school system in the US permit one of its schools to be turned into a soulless test-prep factory like some school in Asia, or something?

Yeah that's what our future scientists and engineers need. "Soul." Thank you! That's what's been lacking all along in our innovation and competitiveness with the rest of the world - SOUL! Man if I could just get a little soul maybe I could design the next iphone or electric car.

In your case, it’s doubtful even that would help.

Don't worry about me, I already have a PhD and make a lot of money. And I didn't need "soul" for it! lmao

Don't mistake pity for concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why should a local school system in the US permit one of its schools to be turned into a soulless test-prep factory like some school in Asia, or something?

Yeah that's what our future scientists and engineers need. "Soul." Thank you! That's what's been lacking all along in our innovation and competitiveness with the rest of the world - SOUL! Man if I could just get a little soul maybe I could design the next iphone or electric car.

I mean...Steve Jobs and Elon Musk are privileged white guys...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a recent TJ graduate here. Not all, and I'd argue not most, of the kids at TJ test prepped since K/have no life. Are there some there - probably, but certainly not the majority. The majority are smart kids interested in STEM and typical HS things whose after school socializing is mainly hampered by the fact that the kids come from all over NoVa. I suspect quite a number of posters in this forum have no actual experience with TJ.

Could the school benefit from more diversity? Absolutely. So let the TJ Admin folks fix that without blowing up the school.

If 28% of the class 2024 came from one test prep center, ONE, and we know that there are many test prep centers in NoVa, I think we can definitely say that most kids at TJ prep.

Asian parent of a TJ kid here - my kid didn't prep, and neither did a friend who also got into TJ. We know a lot of kids who did though, and exactly one of them got into TJ. This is anecdotal, of course. But it is statistically obvious that most kids who prep don't get into TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why should a local school system in the US permit one of its schools to be turned into a soulless test-prep factory like some school in Asia, or something?

Be careful - your racism is showing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Asian parent of a TJ kid here - my kid didn't prep, and neither did a friend who also got into TJ. We know a lot of kids who did though, and exactly one of them got into TJ. This is anecdotal, of course. But it is statistically obvious that most kids who prep don't get into TJ.

The belief that kids need to attend specific prep classes for TJ admission is a red herring. That specific prep doesn't not help except perhaps boost confidence (or create anxiety) and enrich tutors.
The oft-repeated fallacy here that one prep school's secret sauce supposedly got a high % into TJ ignores the possibility that the kids already were likely to get in.

If one were to talk about meaningful prep, it starts from when they were born - reading to them at bedtime, going to the library, sitting at the dinner table working on homework together, the weekend activities at museums etc. None of these cost much or anything at all but effort, time and desire (or some say, privilege).