TJ Vents (FB)

[Anonymous]

Just found this public page on FB - "TJ Vents" - anyone hoping to go to TJ - or his/her parent should read this. Sad that there is so much foul language. Sadder that there are so many totally discouraged students. Wonder how many kids actually feel this way at TJ? How many of the discouraged students don't really belong there anyway? Not the right way to spend one's teen years

[Anonymous]

TJ parent, and I follow this page. So does my kid. I talk to him about things I see that concern me. I would hope that if he ever started to feel like some of these kids, he would be up front with us about that because TJ would be the wrong school for him at that point.

I agree that this should be mandatory reading for prospective TJ parents and kids. So much thought and effort goes into getting kids into TJ. I wish parents and kids would put as much thought into whether they should go at all, and what they have to give up to attend. And TJ parents should follow too. Because that's how you find out so many things going on at the school. your kid might not mention. Did my kid mention the sexual harassment "scandal" and resulting assembly? Nope. Did the school? Nope. Was this something I should know about and find a way to discuss with my kid? Yes.

That said, a few things. My kid says that TJ Vents was set up by a guidance counselor who monitors it as part of their mental health services. He does post there occasionally and does get tagged on concerning posts. So I think it serves an important purpose in the TJ community.

I have never found the TJ Rocks FB page (or whatever the flip side of TJ Vents is). TJ Vents shows a serious issue at TJ. But it does not show everything about TJ. It's half the story. There are also plenty of kids who love TJ and thrive there. But parents can't wish or force their kids into being that kid.

And mostly, TJ Vents is an important safe space and outlet developed by TJ to deal with an issue. And there are kids who really need it. Please don't troll the page or let your kids troll the page or do anything to make it less usable by the kids who need it. The temptation to link to it and n FB and say, glad my kid isn't going here may be great. But please don't.

[Anonymous]

^^ okay. Re reading, that looks bad. There is a guidance counselor who posts there and gets tagged. Not my kid. Too many "he's."

Also re: language. Yep. That's the language unhappy teenagers use when they are "venting" among themselves. But that's the point. To give them a place to freely express themselves.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for posting, OP. Reinforces my thoughts that my 7th grader should not apply to TJ.

[Anonymous]

My DC is working on a Science Olympiad project with a kid who is a TJ semi-finalist. It's obvious his parents are pushing him to do all the right STEM activities (SciOlympiad, coding, Math Club, Robotics Club, etc.). He's also been prepped to hit the right numbers on the tests. However, he's immature and lazy. His emotional IQ is about zero and he's constantly playing games on his phone. It's frustrating for my child, who is more serious and wants to do a good job, not just check off a STEM box. If he doesn't have a serious attitude adjustment, he's going to wash out at TJ (if he even gets in).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC is working on a Science Olympiad project with a kid who is a TJ semi-finalist. It's obvious his parents are pushing him to do all the right STEM activities (SciOlympiad, coding, Math Club, Robotics Club, etc.). He's also been prepped to hit the right numbers on the tests. However, he's immature and lazy. His emotional IQ is about zero and he's constantly playing games on his phone. It's frustrating for my child, who is more serious and wants to do a good job, not just check off a STEM box. If he doesn't have a serious attitude adjustment, he's going to wash out at TJ (if he even gets in).

Don't worry. There were about 20% to 25% washed out every year from TJ. It is easy (or not so easy) to get in TJ than stay at TJ until graduation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is working on a Science Olympiad project with a kid who is a TJ semi-finalist. It's obvious his parents are pushing him to do all the right STEM activities (SciOlympiad, coding, Math Club, Robotics Club, etc.). He's also been prepped to hit the right numbers on the tests. However, he's immature and lazy. His emotional IQ is about zero and he's constantly playing games on his phone. It's frustrating for my child, who is more serious and wants to do a good job, not just check off a STEM box. If he doesn't have a serious attitude adjustment, he's going to wash out at TJ (if he even gets in).

Don't worry. There were about 20% to 25% washed out every year from TJ. It is easy (or not so easy) to get in TJ than stay at TJ until graduation.

Where do you get the 20-25% washout rate? If that happened every year, there would be no kids left. But that's not even right if you are talking about per class, from day 1 through graduation. The numbers show something different. Class of 2020 was average with 453 kids. There are 418 kids who graduate this year. So they lost about 35 kids over 4 years. They do have 8-10 "froshmores" and juniors admitted each year, though. So that would be more like losing 45 kids, or 10% of the class. That seems in line with what I see, which is some kids slowly choosing to leave, but not a large piece of the class. So if it really is 20-25%, please cite.

Also, almost no kids "washout." There is a 3.0 minimum, but kids who go below it are generally required to take lower level classes, fewer or no APs and do school based tutoring, but allowed to remain. There has been a push away from kicking kids out based on grades. So kids they may decide they can't do the work or burnout and decide to leave. But it is apparently rare for a kid to be asked to leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is working on a Science Olympiad project with a kid who is a TJ semi-finalist. It's obvious his parents are pushing him to do all the right STEM activities (SciOlympiad, coding, Math Club, Robotics Club, etc.). He's also been prepped to hit the right numbers on the tests. However, he's immature and lazy. His emotional IQ is about zero and he's constantly playing games on his phone. It's frustrating for my child, who is more serious and wants to do a good job, not just check off a STEM box. If he doesn't have a serious attitude adjustment, he's going to wash out at TJ (if he even gets in).

Don't worry. There were about 20% to 25% washed out every year from TJ. It is easy (or not so easy) to get in TJ than stay at TJ until graduation.

Where do you get the 20-25% washout rate? If that happened every year, there would be no kids left. But that's not even right if you are talking about per class, from day 1 through graduation. The numbers show something different. Class of 2020 was average with 453 kids. There are 418 kids who graduate this year. So they lost about 35 kids over 4 years. They do have 8-10 "froshmores" and juniors admitted each year, though. So that would be more like losing 45 kids, or 10% of the class. That seems in line with what I see, which is some kids slowly choosing to leave, but not a large piece of the class. So if it really is 20-25%, please cite.

Also, almost no kids "washout." There is a 3.0 minimum, but kids who go below it are generally required to take lower level classes, fewer or no APs and do school based tutoring, but allowed to remain. There has been a push away from kicking kids out based on grades. So kids they may decide they can't do the work or burnout and decide to leave. But it is apparently rare for a kid to be asked to leave.

Your figure is about right. In average the graduation class is about 415 to 425. About 450 - 460 kids admitted in the winter and about 50 kids admitted during the summer plus 10 - 15 "froshmores" kids. Kids usually left themselves rather than waited until TJ to kick them out when they realized their GPA is below 3.0 or they could not handle the workload.

[Anonymous]

The total admitted per class is more like 450 plus a handful of froshmores. About 425 or so graduate. So over 4 years about 25 leave. Several move with their families. Perhaps max of 20 go back to base school. Less than 5%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC is working on a Science Olympiad project with a kid who is a TJ semi-finalist. It's obvious his parents are pushing him to do all the right STEM activities (SciOlympiad, coding, Math Club, Robotics Club, etc.). He's also been prepped to hit the right numbers on the tests. However, he's immature and lazy. His emotional IQ is about zero and he's constantly playing games on his phone. It's frustrating for my child, who is more serious and wants to do a good job, not just check off a STEM box. If he doesn't have a serious attitude adjustment, he's going to wash out at TJ (if he even gets in).

You sound way overinvested in this. You do you.

[Anonymous]

Agree on PP about the supposed TJ "wash out" kid. You'd be surprised who does and doesn't do well. Hint - it's not based on who is distracted by their phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The total admitted per class is more like 450 plus a handful of froshmores. About 425 or so graduate. So over 4 years about 25 leave. Several move with their families. Perhaps max of 20 go back to base school. Less than 5%.

Unless they've reduced the incoming class number very recently, each class begins with 480, not 450. Then they add maybe 10 froshmores the next year. If roughly 425 graduate, then each class loses about 65 for one reason or another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The total admitted per class is more like 450 plus a handful of froshmores. About 425 or so graduate. So over 4 years about 25 leave. Several move with their families. Perhaps max of 20 go back to base school. Less than 5%.

Unless they've reduced the incoming class number very recently, each class begins with 480, not 450. Then they add maybe 10 froshmores the next year. If roughly 425 graduate, then each class loses about 65 for one reason or another.

Nope-- check TJs printed about us info. They say they aim for a class of 480. But kids do turn them down. They usually start a year with 450 to 460. This year was dead average and I have seen 451 and 453 as the starting class size. Probably because 2 kids got out fast (or enrolled and didn't start). There is what says (we aim for 480) and what they do (start with 450-460). That happen A LOT with TJ. But pull up the numbers and check if you don't believe. They are published in the two page about TJ form every year.

[Anonymous]

Important to. Ore about "washing out". Kids are rarely told they must leave. Counseled, suggested, tutored, put on a restricted course load-- yes. But TJ has stopped forcing kids out for academics in most cases. So the kids who leave are not necessarily the bottom 10%. Some kids do realize they cannot hack TJ academically and leave. Some are miserable and stay. Some kids stay for 4 years struggling with the academic or miserable. So, it is a lot less about who can't hack it and more about who chooses not to.

For example, my kid is middle of the academic pack. Not a superstar, but not struggling or in academic trouble. But, if he were as unhappy as some of his friends, I would encourage him to strongly consider moving back to his base school. But, he has friends who are miserable and want to leave, and whose parents won't allow it.

Hence-- what you read on TJ Vents.

[Anonymous]

Ehh. PP on an iPhone. Should start important to note that..."

Also, I would not see TJ Vents as a reason not to go to TJ. Instead, I would see it as a cautionary tale against sending a kids who isn't very invested in attending, or making an unhappy kid stay. And parents who send kids to TJ should realize that the stress level and workload is high, and keep an eye on your kid's progress/ make decisions about course loads, etc. with that fact in mind. TJ Vents is what happens when you expect too much or want your kid to be something different from what they are. But not all TJ kids feel the way TJ Vents kids do.

You gotta do your kid and let other parents do theirs. Which can be hard in a hypercompetitve place.