Why TJ?

[Anonymous]

We have friends whose kids are approaching high school in a year. They have decided TJ is not a healthy environment due to immense pressure and unhappy kids. Anyone here with TJ kids and if so how r hour kids doing copying with TJ demands and stress? Glad u sent them there? I rad few Facebook post by TJ kids and they were very sad and many seem to be depressed and stressed.

[Anonymous]

We tried to dissuade our kid from going but she loves it there! She is happy, challenged, surrounded by strong peers and able to try so many new things.

Kids react differently to the experience and the tricky part is trying to figure it if it will suit your kid. We guessed wrong but thankfully kid had it right!

The Tj vents page is full of very sad posts. I don’t know how representative they are of the school community, though. They have not been what I see.

[Anonymous]

I’ve posted this before but both my DH and BIL went and have a low opinion of it. And now I’m paying thru the nose for private because DH thinks FCPS stole his “love of learning.” Sigh.

[Anonymous]

My kid loves being at TJ. It is stressful at times. He is working his butt off. In our family, TJ is re-evaluated at the end of freshman and sophomore year (it is very hard to imagine why you would leave after junior year). Parents and kid both have to agree it is working. He was adamant about returning after freshman year. He is being pushed in his classes. Loves some of them and has really taken to the integrated curriculum, and loves the IBET/ CHUM learning experience. Has decided he does not like math or want to be an engineer after all, and is looking at liberal arts colleges that do integrated curriculums. Has found a great peer group, went to homecoming with them, performed at iNite, did his first HackTJ and JDay. Is now deciding on a senior lab so he can take take the pre-Recs next year. His sister in in the semifinal pool for next year and desperately wants to attend.

All that said, I would never, ever, ever push a kid to go. Too many kids just don’t want to be there. It is an amazing experience, but there are real costs— in time, and workload, and commute, and stress and grade deflation, and late nights. For my kid the trade off has been worth it, and he has really matured a lot and seems a lot happier than he did in MS. But every kid, and every family has to evaluate the costs and benefits for themselves.

[Anonymous]

I think the question is why you go. Do you really want to be there--or do you want other people to know you are there? Kids need to be honest with themselves about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve posted this before but both my DH and BIL went and have a low opinion of it. And now I’m paying thru the nose for private because DH thinks FCPS stole his “love of learning.” Sigh.

When did your family members attend? I graduated in 2002 and if I could send my daughter to the TJ I attended, I absolutely would. Today, though...no way. The culture - and as a result, the type of kids/families the school attracts - is completely different and I don't think she'd have nearly as well-rounded a high school experience as I did.

[Anonymous]

We have a kid at TJ. Too much effort for too little gain IMO. As another pp said, send only if your kid loves tech/science and is prepared for a crapload of homework. What you can't beat is the cohort. All really smart kids that will rub off on yours.

All those talking about "if only things were as good as it was in 1992", etc are closet racists that don't like the change in demographics at TJ. Of course things will change in any environment! This isn't the Grand Canyon..

[Anonymous]

I grew up in this area but didn't attend TJ. I got really close to the cutoff score but it's a good thing I didn't make it in, I would have drowned, my work ethic was not nearly good enough. I had several friends attend and I don't remember any of them complaining about it. This was back in the mid-late 90's. I've seen the TJ rants Facebook page, and it is somewhat depressing. I'm not sure if it was that page or somewhere else, but I heard some story about a teacher letting students decide what was on tests, or grade each other, or something along those lines which devolved into purposely keeping some students down while lifting others up. Might be getting the facts off some, but it was something like that.

Anyway, it is a nice thing to strive for, but perspective is needed. McLean, Langley, Madison, Oakton, Marshall...these are all top schools by national standards, I know many of them frequently appear on those National "Top XXX" lists. This isn't my idea of a consolation prize, this is still a great education regardless.

Same with AAP. Our kids attend a center school though they are too young to have approached the AAP/non AAP decision. But as above, it seems to me that Gen Ed in this area is still better than the education in 99.5% of elementary schools nationwide, so the kids have a leg up just by living here, regardless of which academic track they follow.

[Anonymous]

My senior has loved his TJ experience. The views on TJ Vents represents a present but minority view and certainly TJ is not for everyone. TJ kids are challenged by their classes and each other, and there is stress (what high achieving HS doesn't have it?) that comes from high expectations and a good amount of work. He and his friends are VERY involved with the school through athletics and extracurriculars.

The kids who seem to do well and enjoy TJ have 3 things in common: (1) love of STEM (2) self-motivation (vs. parental derived motivation) and (3) a willingness to explore and try new things. For these kids, TJ works well and is a fantastic springboard to college and beyond. Many TJ grads report that they are extremely well prepared by the time they get to college. And though TJ kids generally do very well in college admissions, it should not be seen as a clear road to the Ivies. UVA is the #1 destination among its grads and usually about 1/2 the graduating class gets accepted by UVA (about 65% who apply get admitted).

[Anonymous]

TJ students learn to be resilient by bouncing back from failure and disappointment when things don't go perfectly at first. Even the brightest student will have "that class" which will frustrate and stretch their comfort level. Both the student and parents need to be brave enough to confront the dips and have confidence that the student will figure out how to succeed under the circumstances. My recent grad says the depth of the education plus the practice of self-learning beyond what is taught by the teacher has been invaluable in college, and the experience was worth the investment.

[Anonymous]

Our base school is Langley. My 7th grade DC likes but does not love Math (straight A in Algebra Honors in 7th grade without much effort but did not excel in math competitions), likes biology, likes coding, reads a lot and writes well, loves visual art, and loves public speaking and debating (was lead counsel for several school projects). DC also loves band and plays travel team sport. Has many friends. Teachers comment "strong academic leadership" and "good work habits".

Which seems a better fit, TJ or Langley? If you have or had a kid at TJ or Langley, I'll greatly appreciate your insight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our base school is Langley. My 7th grade DC likes but does not love Math (straight A in Algebra Honors in 7th grade without much effort but did not excel in math competitions), likes biology, likes coding, reads a lot and writes well, loves visual art, and loves public speaking and debating (was lead counsel for several school projects). DC also loves band and plays travel team sport. Has many friends. Teachers comment "strong academic leadership" and "good work habits".

Which seems a better fit, TJ or Langley? If you have or had a kid at TJ or Langley, I'll greatly appreciate your insight.

Lead counsel? I think you should see if Skadden has a space for the kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TJ students learn to be resilient by bouncing back

Or they don't and are traumatized

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in this area but didn't attend TJ. I got really close to the cutoff score but it's a good thing I didn't make it in, I would have drowned, my work ethic was not nearly good enough. I had several friends attend and I don't remember any of them complaining about it. This was back in the mid-late 90's. I've seen the TJ rants Facebook page, and it is somewhat depressing. I'm not sure if it was that page or somewhere else, but I heard some story about a teacher letting students decide what was on tests, or grade each other, or something along those lines which devolved into purposely keeping some students down while lifting others up. Might be getting the facts off some, but it was something like that.

Anyway, it is a nice thing to strive for, but perspective is needed. McLean, Langley, Madison, Oakton, Marshall...these are all top schools by national standards, I know many of them frequently appear on those National "Top XXX" lists. This isn't my idea of a consolation prize, this is still a great education regardless.

Same with AAP. Our kids attend a center school though they are too young to have approached the AAP/non AAP decision. But as above, it seems to me that Gen Ed in this area is still better than the education in 99.5% of elementary schools nationwide, so the kids have a leg up just by living here, regardless of which academic track they follow.

Really? Beside TJ, when was the last time one of these schools make the Top 100 of any National rankings?

[Anonymous]

A few made top 100 by US News not too long ago. They all fell out of top 100 in recent years.