TJ Math 5
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Anonymous
| Just want to know insight on TJ Math 5. Math 4 was a hard course and just want to have an idea if your son/daughter showed an upward trend in TJ Math 5 grade. |
Anonymous
My senior S struggled mightily to a B in Math 4. He found Math 5 slightly easier and got a B+ (a whisker away from an A-). He told us lots of smart kids struggled in those classes. Not sure it was the material or the teacher or both. He said he got the hang of the teaching style 2nd semester. He's done well in math since then so maybe there is light at the end of the Math 4/5 tunnel. |
Anonymous
Thank you PP. Did your son take AP CALC BC? or AB? Because we are trying to determine what is right pace. |
Anonymous
After his struggles with Math 4/5, he wanted to develop a strong base of understanding so took AB Calc his junior year which he found relatively easy and now BC. He said if he had to do it over again he'd take BC Calc junior year but at the time wasn't as confident in math. He also plays in fall and spring sports and is active in other clubs so didn't want to add too much to the stress of junior year. If your S/D feel they have a greater understanding of the Math 4/5 material than reflected in their grades (and they have at least a B), I'd say they could sign up for BC Calc junior year. In the end it is a highly personal decision. For my son, I think he made the right decision to take AB. He ended up getting As last year and 1st semester this year and has been accepted to a college he'd be very happy at (UVA) and waiting on others. Frankly, his Math 4 struggles were the lowest points of his TJ years. We offered to get him a tutor but he said he understood the material but just was freezing up on tests and that lack of confidence fed upon itself. He battled through it on his own and w/help of some friends who were also struggling. They all managed to do OK and come out just fine. I'd listen to your S/D and try not to add to the pressure they are feeling. If they are having trouble with the concepts, maybe AB Calc would be the better choice next year. If they understand the material then BC may be the way to go. There is no one right path... |
Anonymous
| OP here. Thanks a lot PP for your detailed post. My son got B+ ( High end of B+, almost A-). and he knows the material very well, but just that he says that he had to do it faster so that he has time to review. He has decided on whether AB or BC but definitely wants get a much better grade than his Math 4 grade. So leaning towards AB. BTW, he is a freshman. He will be taking AP CS and AP Bio. So he wants to balance everything. |
Anonymous
Your son is fortunate to have an understanding parent w/good instincts. Your son is already ahead of many of his classmates even if he takes AB Calc next year. His B+ is a SOLID grade for that class. He has a rigorous schedule next year (my S also took AP CS and AP Bio in his soph year) so likely AB Calc might make the difference betw an enjoyable successful year and a stressful one. |
Anonymous
| NP. DC is taking Calc BC right now after earning a B+ last year in math 4. Some of his friends are taking AB. DC actually said he was glad that he chose BC in spite of the class being harder. His AB friends have mostly complained about busywork/project that take a lot of time. |
Anonymous
There is no one right path for success at TJ. My S took AB after struggling w/Math 4 and 5 and ended up with all As in a successful junior year while some of his friends took BC and AP Physics and did well too. Mine had other priorities including leadership positions in ECs and sports that took up alot of his time. They all got into UVA early action and were all deferred from their predominantly Ivy early applications. My guess is your child w/B+ in Math 4 can handle BC Calc but that also depends on the rest of his courseload and extracurricular commitments. |
Anonymous
Not OP. For the poster above, just wondering if the grades have become better in BC compared Math 4 for DC? Also, i am wondering how the top colleges view TJ B+ grade? |
Anonymous
Re: grade perception--most colleges that get a number of TJ applications will have the same admission officer review all the applications together as a group (and that AO usually has reviewed TJ apps for years). No easy answer but one or two B+ in 4 years probably won't hurt an applicant since it's rare to see an unblemished transcript out of TJ. Also, grades are only one part of the applicants story. The coursework taken, teacher recommendations, ECs, internships and volunteer activities and student essays will have a greater impact on whether a student gets admitted than a B+ in Math 4 or 5. One of my D's friends last year got into Stanford even though his GPA though above average wasn't extraordinary. He was just a genuinely super nice kid who was very involved with TJ ECs and sports and had many in the TJ community rooting for him. Those qualities must have come through in his teacher recs and his essays. |
Anonymous
I'm the PP. DC is doing well in BC. Had a very high A- for 1st semester. I think part of math 4 problems was due to not being used to the rigor of TJ Math (was a freshman). |
Anonymous
TJ parents should note that grade inflation is not as present at TJ vs. base schools. College admission officers will for the most part compare students within TJ. Also the same class at McLean or Madison doesn't have the same rigor as TJ's version. For ex, AP Comp Sci at Madison aims to cover roughly 3/4s of the material that TJ's AP Comp Sci covers and in reality less. |
Anonymous
Thank you!!! it really helps to know. So, since precalc is Sat subject test 2, did your kids take it? was it easy? Seems like timewise May and June will be very busy. |
Anonymous
What about other states? We have lived in several places and each region has several good schools and good students. When are we going to think out the box? Its not just about TJ, Mclean, Madison, Langley. Stanford/Yale/Harvard/Caltech will all be looking at students from several different high schools through out the country not just Fairfax, it does not matter if you come out of TJ or some small school in Minnesota. BTW Minnesota is ranked high in education. Finally what matters is the student's dedication and effort to make it wherever he or she wants. |
Anonymous
| TJ is totally overrated. |