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Disappointed by TJ decision?
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Anonymous
Not for all students, but I know the ability level of some of the students who were not accepted, and some who were not accepted. The students accepted to AOS/AET make sense as top students, but the ones accepted to TJ do not, and I have heard about this at a few other schools as well. One had a top student accepted to TJ, but many others were not and the ones who were accepted besides this student were considered not comparable. |
Anonymous
You can have an idea, or a hunch, but you can’t know for sure. There are kids who would surprise you. I personally know kids that I was shocked didn’t make it, but I’m not in/the committee, so while I can’t really make sense of it, it means nothing. The essay was in person, proctored. So it was like a test. Before the essay was from home, where paid professionals would make sure it was done properly. Then all the kids had to do was study lots of math. Scientists need to know how to write proposals and papers. It’s a learned skill, so it can be built, but why give more priority to people who can only do math? Language is an irreplaceable part of science. |
Anonymous
It was from home for a few years, but there were several years before that where it was proctored. No doubt the students who were accepted wrote good essays, as that was what was available. They may have also had particular help from certain prep companies who advised about certain things that would stand out. However, the top math and science students I saw who were also very good at writing essays, and some of them were rejected outright. One was in a creative writing club and had awards for writing. |
Anonymous
This would be a stronger argument for college admissions. However, TJ is a high school, and I feel it is in high school where they really teach essay writing. I wouldn't grade someone up or down for essay quality in middle school. |
Anonymous
Depends on which institute gave the award. Was it reputable ? top x in the country ? While I understand that it is hard for the kids and parents to "accept" they might have missed out/wait listed, please take a moment to NOT yell at the kids who might have got in. As a PP mentioned, this test was proctored and only a select few know what was written in the test. I wish all the best to you child and hope s/he gets in a college or his/her choice |
Anonymous
That’s why I said that writing is a learned skill, but some kids are naturals, at both writing and science. The gpa requirement is higher than before. I guess that discourages slacking on everything else for the sake of prepping for the TJ test. Look, all I’m trying to say is that it’s hard to have a method that pleases everyone. It’s misleading to call the prior admission process ’merit based’ and call this one ‘lottery’. They are still picking strong students. The capacity has increased too, which in a way ensures that there is room for error, while top kids would still get in. Under the old process, the only way for a parent to be sure that their kid would ‘pass’ the second round, would be to heavily invest in professionals writing the math and personal statement essays, rendering the process useless. |
Anonymous
The old system was corrupt and hardly merit-based. At least with the new system students throughout the county get a shot at these programs not just those from the most affluent schools where parents invest heavily in outside enrichment. |
Anonymous
This was not possible under the old process, unless you are talking about many years before the most recent reforms. The tests were proctored after the penultimate round of reforms. |
Anonymous
If the top kids were getting in while a few weaker ones got thru over some better candidates, it would not be a big deal. Instead the top kids are mostly not getting in. Not sure how it is at the top feeder schools, but the schools I've seen in Loudoun, Academies of Loudoun is mostly taking the top kids, while TJ is putting them on waitlist or rejecting them. |
Anonymous
On the other hand, the top students are mostly getting opportunities for Academies of Loudoun, while the ones accepted to TJ under the current process would have had neither possibility under the old process. |
Anonymous
TJ serves mainly fx county. You keep saying the top kids are going elsewhere, but how can you determine who’s better than the other? |
Anonymous
DP. They can't, plain and simple. They know what their kids grades are, and what their kids do with their time, and they assume that the other kids who do the same things (STEM competitions, events, etc) are the "top" kids. But unless they're exceedingly creepy, they have no idea what the other kids do with their time, or what their grades are, and so forth. It's a bit of circular logic. I make my kid do these activities because they are the activities that TJ admissions should want - therefore my kids and the kids who also do those activities are the top kids, and if TJ admissions is not selecting those kids, then they're not selecting the "top" kids. Makes you wonder how they expected their kids to get into a place like TJ when that's the level of intellect that the parents are working with. |
Anonymous
You are doing the same circular logic- TJ has accepted them, therefore they are the top kids. I can also use the same argument that these are top kids because they were accepted by Academies of Loudoun, while the kids accepted to TJ were not accepted. Perhaps you are at a school that sends lots of students, but there are not that many people going to TJ from our school, and kids know who are the top students and if certain students are not good students. They are all good students, but it is relative. I am hearing the same thing from other schools nearby. And then there is the matter of some superstars who were rejected, not even waitlisted, including some from Fairfax. |
Anonymous
That's not true the committee that has access to the actual student data selected them. They are able to make an informed determination, unlike some randoparent who just guesses about others and likely doesn't even understand the criteria. |
Anonymous
Propose to change the "Science and Technology" in the name to "Storytelling and Theatre", more aligned to the goal. |