2023 TJHSST Student - Ask me anything

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Did you and other Asian kids at TJ want more diversity? Just curious

Second student poster from before.

I am South Asian. I can tell you for sure that a good number of my Asian classmates did not want more diversity. A lot of them have younger siblings or family friends who are interested in TJ and it's a big thing in our community to share our experiences both with the school and the admissions process. I think when I was a freshman I honestly might have felt the same way - my parents have some feelings about Black people that are pretty backwards but that they don't think are racist, and I was raised with a lot of the same ideas. I think the biggest thing that changed my view, looking back, was hearing from the parents and my friends who wanted to fight against the changes - the things that they said about Black kids and poorer kids and their idea of "merit" started to sound really gross to me. I've always felt lucky to have been accepted to TJ, because a lot of my friends weren't.

I doubt if this is a real south asian student and whether what he/she said about the parents are true or not.
I am an asian parent. Let me tell you what I think.
If TJ is supposed to support academically strong students, let's evaluate students from this angle. It doesn't matter what color the students are and how rich/poor the students are.
I'm ok for TJ to increase some quotes to enhance diversity. But let's make things clear. How many students are admitted for merit and how many students are admitted for diversity. Don't mix everything up as the new admission does.
The new admission process doesn't help with finding those students who are academically strong.

That's exactly what the new selection criteria does! It evaluates all students relative to their home school. They do not know anyone's race. Seems perfect to me.

student name tells the race. Economic situation is also considered. The only thing not being considered in the new admission is whether the student is academically strong or not. Unweighted GPA doesn't tell anything. You cannot compare a student taking regular Algebra I in 8th grade with a student taking Algebra II HN in 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Did you and other Asian kids at TJ want more diversity? Just curious

Second student poster from before.

I am South Asian. I can tell you for sure that a good number of my Asian classmates did not want more diversity. A lot of them have younger siblings or family friends who are interested in TJ and it's a big thing in our community to share our experiences both with the school and the admissions process. I think when I was a freshman I honestly might have felt the same way - my parents have some feelings about Black people that are pretty backwards but that they don't think are racist, and I was raised with a lot of the same ideas. I think the biggest thing that changed my view, looking back, was hearing from the parents and my friends who wanted to fight against the changes - the things that they said about Black kids and poorer kids and their idea of "merit" started to sound really gross to me. I've always felt lucky to have been accepted to TJ, because a lot of my friends weren't.

I doubt if this is a real south asian student and whether what he/she said about the parents are true or not.
I am an asian parent. Let me tell you what I think.
If TJ is supposed to support academically strong students, let's evaluate students from this angle. It doesn't matter what color the students are and how rich/poor the students are.
I'm ok for TJ to increase some quotes to enhance diversity. But let's make things clear. How many students are admitted for merit and how many students are admitted for diversity. Don't mix everything up as the new admission does.
The new admission process doesn't help with finding those students who are academically strong.

That's exactly what the new selection criteria does! It evaluates all students relative to their home school. They do not know anyone's race. Seems perfect to me.

student name tells the race. Economic situation is also considered. The only thing not being considered in the new admission is whether the student is academically strong or not. Unweighted GPA doesn't tell anything. You cannot compare a student taking regular Algebra I in 8th grade with a student taking Algebra II HN in 8th grade.

Is this correct? They can see the name? Then how is it race blind?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Did you and other Asian kids at TJ want more diversity? Just curious

Second student poster from before.

I am South Asian. I can tell you for sure that a good number of my Asian classmates did not want more diversity. A lot of them have younger siblings or family friends who are interested in TJ and it's a big thing in our community to share our experiences both with the school and the admissions process. I think when I was a freshman I honestly might have felt the same way - my parents have some feelings about Black people that are pretty backwards but that they don't think are racist, and I was raised with a lot of the same ideas. I think the biggest thing that changed my view, looking back, was hearing from the parents and my friends who wanted to fight against the changes - the things that they said about Black kids and poorer kids and their idea of "merit" started to sound really gross to me. I've always felt lucky to have been accepted to TJ, because a lot of my friends weren't.

I doubt if this is a real south asian student and whether what he/she said about the parents are true or not.
I am an asian parent. Let me tell you what I think.
If TJ is supposed to support academically strong students, let's evaluate students from this angle. It doesn't matter what color the students are and how rich/poor the students are.
I'm ok for TJ to increase some quotes to enhance diversity. But let's make things clear. How many students are admitted for merit and how many students are admitted for diversity. Don't mix everything up as the new admission does.
The new admission process doesn't help with finding those students who are academically strong.

That's exactly what the new selection criteria does! It evaluates all students relative to their home school. They do not know anyone's race. Seems perfect to me.

student name tells the race. Economic situation is also considered. The only thing not being considered in the new admission is whether the student is academically strong or not. Unweighted GPA doesn't tell anything. You cannot compare a student taking regular Algebra I in 8th grade with a student taking Algebra II HN in 8th grade.

The minimum is Alg 1 honors in 8th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Did you and other Asian kids at TJ want more diversity? Just curious

Second student poster from before.

I am South Asian. I can tell you for sure that a good number of my Asian classmates did not want more diversity. A lot of them have younger siblings or family friends who are interested in TJ and it's a big thing in our community to share our experiences both with the school and the admissions process. I think when I was a freshman I honestly might have felt the same way - my parents have some feelings about Black people that are pretty backwards but that they don't think are racist, and I was raised with a lot of the same ideas. I think the biggest thing that changed my view, looking back, was hearing from the parents and my friends who wanted to fight against the changes - the things that they said about Black kids and poorer kids and their idea of "merit" started to sound really gross to me. I've always felt lucky to have been accepted to TJ, because a lot of my friends weren't.

I doubt if this is a real south asian student and whether what he/she said about the parents are true or not.
I am an asian parent. Let me tell you what I think.
If TJ is supposed to support academically strong students, let's evaluate students from this angle. It doesn't matter what color the students are and how rich/poor the students are.
I'm ok for TJ to increase some quotes to enhance diversity. But let's make things clear. How many students are admitted for merit and how many students are admitted for diversity. Don't mix everything up as the new admission does.
The new admission process doesn't help with finding those students who are academically strong.

That's exactly what the new selection criteria does! It evaluates all students relative to their home school. They do not know anyone's race. Seems perfect to me.

student name tells the race. Economic situation is also considered. The only thing not being considered in the new admission is whether the student is academically strong or not. Unweighted GPA doesn't tell anything. You cannot compare a student taking regular Algebra I in 8th grade with a student taking Algebra II HN in 8th grade.

The minimum is Alg 1 honors in 8th.

The minimum is not Algebra I HN. The minimum is regular Algebra I.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Did you and other Asian kids at TJ want more diversity? Just curious

Second student poster from before.

I am South Asian. I can tell you for sure that a good number of my Asian classmates did not want more diversity. A lot of them have younger siblings or family friends who are interested in TJ and it's a big thing in our community to share our experiences both with the school and the admissions process. I think when I was a freshman I honestly might have felt the same way - my parents have some feelings about Black people that are pretty backwards but that they don't think are racist, and I was raised with a lot of the same ideas. I think the biggest thing that changed my view, looking back, was hearing from the parents and my friends who wanted to fight against the changes - the things that they said about Black kids and poorer kids and their idea of "merit" started to sound really gross to me. I've always felt lucky to have been accepted to TJ, because a lot of my friends weren't.

I doubt if this is a real south asian student and whether what he/she said about the parents are true or not.
I am an asian parent. Let me tell you what I think.
If TJ is supposed to support academically strong students, let's evaluate students from this angle. It doesn't matter what color the students are and how rich/poor the students are.
I'm ok for TJ to increase some quotes to enhance diversity. But let's make things clear. How many students are admitted for merit and how many students are admitted for diversity. Don't mix everything up as the new admission does.
The new admission process doesn't help with finding those students who are academically strong.

That's exactly what the new selection criteria does! It evaluates all students relative to their home school. They do not know anyone's race. Seems perfect to me.

student name tells the race. Economic situation is also considered. The only thing not being considered in the new admission is whether the student is academically strong or not. Unweighted GPA doesn't tell anything. You cannot compare a student taking regular Algebra I in 8th grade with a student taking Algebra II HN in 8th grade.

Is this correct? They can see the name? Then how is it race blind?

Yes, they can see student names.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Did you and other Asian kids at TJ want more diversity? Just curious

Second student poster from before.

I am South Asian. I can tell you for sure that a good number of my Asian classmates did not want more diversity. A lot of them have younger siblings or family friends who are interested in TJ and it's a big thing in our community to share our experiences both with the school and the admissions process. I think when I was a freshman I honestly might have felt the same way - my parents have some feelings about Black people that are pretty backwards but that they don't think are racist, and I was raised with a lot of the same ideas. I think the biggest thing that changed my view, looking back, was hearing from the parents and my friends who wanted to fight against the changes - the things that they said about Black kids and poorer kids and their idea of "merit" started to sound really gross to me. I've always felt lucky to have been accepted to TJ, because a lot of my friends weren't.

I doubt if this is a real south asian student and whether what he/she said about the parents are true or not.
I am an asian parent. Let me tell you what I think.
If TJ is supposed to support academically strong students, let's evaluate students from this angle. It doesn't matter what color the students are and how rich/poor the students are.
I'm ok for TJ to increase some quotes to enhance diversity. But let's make things clear. How many students are admitted for merit and how many students are admitted for diversity. Don't mix everything up as the new admission does.
The new admission process doesn't help with finding those students who are academically strong.

That's exactly what the new selection criteria does! It evaluates all students relative to their home school. They do not know anyone's race. Seems perfect to me.

student name tells the race. Economic situation is also considered. The only thing not being considered in the new admission is whether the student is academically strong or not. Unweighted GPA doesn't tell anything. You cannot compare a student taking regular Algebra I in 8th grade with a student taking Algebra II HN in 8th grade.

Is this correct? They can see the name? Then how is it race blind?

Yes, they can see student names.

Completely false. They cannot see names. They can only see student ID#

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Did you and other Asian kids at TJ want more diversity? Just curious

Second student poster from before.

I am South Asian. I can tell you for sure that a good number of my Asian classmates did not want more diversity. A lot of them have younger siblings or family friends who are interested in TJ and it's a big thing in our community to share our experiences both with the school and the admissions process. I think when I was a freshman I honestly might have felt the same way - my parents have some feelings about Black people that are pretty backwards but that they don't think are racist, and I was raised with a lot of the same ideas. I think the biggest thing that changed my view, looking back, was hearing from the parents and my friends who wanted to fight against the changes - the things that they said about Black kids and poorer kids and their idea of "merit" started to sound really gross to me. I've always felt lucky to have been accepted to TJ, because a lot of my friends weren't.

I doubt if this is a real south asian student and whether what he/she said about the parents are true or not.
I am an asian parent. Let me tell you what I think.
If TJ is supposed to support academically strong students, let's evaluate students from this angle. It doesn't matter what color the students are and how rich/poor the students are.
I'm ok for TJ to increase some quotes to enhance diversity. But let's make things clear. How many students are admitted for merit and how many students are admitted for diversity. Don't mix everything up as the new admission does.
The new admission process doesn't help with finding those students who are academically strong.

That's exactly what the new selection criteria does! It evaluates all students relative to their home school. They do not know anyone's race. Seems perfect to me.

student name tells the race. Economic situation is also considered. The only thing not being considered in the new admission is whether the student is academically strong or not. Unweighted GPA doesn't tell anything. You cannot compare a student taking regular Algebra I in 8th grade with a student taking Algebra II HN in 8th grade.

The minimum is Alg 1 honors in 8th.

The minimum is not Algebra I HN. The minimum is regular Algebra I.

"Applicants to the freshman class at TJHSST must be taking a full-year of Honors Algebra 1 for high school credit or a higher level math course in grade 8 to apply to TJHSST."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Did you and other Asian kids at TJ want more diversity? Just curious

Second student poster from before.

I am South Asian. I can tell you for sure that a good number of my Asian classmates did not want more diversity. A lot of them have younger siblings or family friends who are interested in TJ and it's a big thing in our community to share our experiences both with the school and the admissions process. I think when I was a freshman I honestly might have felt the same way - my parents have some feelings about Black people that are pretty backwards but that they don't think are racist, and I was raised with a lot of the same ideas. I think the biggest thing that changed my view, looking back, was hearing from the parents and my friends who wanted to fight against the changes - the things that they said about Black kids and poorer kids and their idea of "merit" started to sound really gross to me. I've always felt lucky to have been accepted to TJ, because a lot of my friends weren't.

I doubt if this is a real south asian student and whether what he/she said about the parents are true or not.
I am an asian parent. Let me tell you what I think.
If TJ is supposed to support academically strong students, let's evaluate students from this angle. It doesn't matter what color the students are and how rich/poor the students are.
I'm ok for TJ to increase some quotes to enhance diversity. But let's make things clear. How many students are admitted for merit and how many students are admitted for diversity. Don't mix everything up as the new admission does.
The new admission process doesn't help with finding those students who are academically strong.

That's exactly what the new selection criteria does! It evaluates all students relative to their home school. They do not know anyone's race. Seems perfect to me.

student name tells the race. Economic situation is also considered. The only thing not being considered in the new admission is whether the student is academically strong or not. Unweighted GPA doesn't tell anything. You cannot compare a student taking regular Algebra I in 8th grade with a student taking Algebra II HN in 8th grade.

Is this correct? They can see the name? Then how is it race blind?

The evaluators do not know the name of the student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Did you and other Asian kids at TJ want more diversity? Just curious

Second student poster from before.

I am South Asian. I can tell you for sure that a good number of my Asian classmates did not want more diversity. A lot of them have younger siblings or family friends who are interested in TJ and it's a big thing in our community to share our experiences both with the school and the admissions process. I think when I was a freshman I honestly might have felt the same way - my parents have some feelings about Black people that are pretty backwards but that they don't think are racist, and I was raised with a lot of the same ideas. I think the biggest thing that changed my view, looking back, was hearing from the parents and my friends who wanted to fight against the changes - the things that they said about Black kids and poorer kids and their idea of "merit" started to sound really gross to me. I've always felt lucky to have been accepted to TJ, because a lot of my friends weren't.

I doubt if this is a real south asian student and whether what he/she said about the parents are true or not.
I am an asian parent. Let me tell you what I think.
If TJ is supposed to support academically strong students, let's evaluate students from this angle. It doesn't matter what color the students are and how rich/poor the students are.
I'm ok for TJ to increase some quotes to enhance diversity. But let's make things clear. How many students are admitted for merit and how many students are admitted for diversity. Don't mix everything up as the new admission does.
The new admission process doesn't help with finding those students who are academically strong.

That's exactly what the new selection criteria does! It evaluates all students relative to their home school. They do not know anyone's race. Seems perfect to me.

student name tells the race. Economic situation is also considered. The only thing not being considered in the new admission is whether the student is academically strong or not. Unweighted GPA doesn't tell anything. You cannot compare a student taking regular Algebra I in 8th grade with a student taking Algebra II HN in 8th grade.

That's why they only have the student ID and not their name. Man you guys are really crazy.

[Anonymous]

To the TJ kids answering questions here - thank you. I'm also the mom of a 2023 and your experience matches my kid's experience very closely. If you can separate out the crazy parents (which exist on both sides of the debate but the crazy runs much deeper on one side....), TJ has been an incredibly fulfilling, challenging but also warm environment for my kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Did you and other Asian kids at TJ want more diversity? Just curious

Second student poster from before.

I am South Asian. I can tell you for sure that a good number of my Asian classmates did not want more diversity. A lot of them have younger siblings or family friends who are interested in TJ and it's a big thing in our community to share our experiences both with the school and the admissions process. I think when I was a freshman I honestly might have felt the same way - my parents have some feelings about Black people that are pretty backwards but that they don't think are racist, and I was raised with a lot of the same ideas. I think the biggest thing that changed my view, looking back, was hearing from the parents and my friends who wanted to fight against the changes - the things that they said about Black kids and poorer kids and their idea of "merit" started to sound really gross to me. I've always felt lucky to have been accepted to TJ, because a lot of my friends weren't.

I doubt if this is a real south asian student and whether what he/she said about the parents are true or not.
I am an asian parent. Let me tell you what I think.
If TJ is supposed to support academically strong students, let's evaluate students from this angle. It doesn't matter what color the students are and how rich/poor the students are.
I'm ok for TJ to increase some quotes to enhance diversity. But let's make things clear. How many students are admitted for merit and how many students are admitted for diversity. Don't mix everything up as the new admission does.
The new admission process doesn't help with finding those students who are academically strong.

That's exactly what the new selection criteria does! It evaluates all students relative to their home school. They do not know anyone's race. Seems perfect to me.

student name tells the race. Economic situation is also considered. The only thing not being considered in the new admission is whether the student is academically strong or not. Unweighted GPA doesn't tell anything. You cannot compare a student taking regular Algebra I in 8th grade with a student taking Algebra II HN in 8th grade.

The minimum is Alg 1 honors in 8th.

The minimum is not Algebra I HN. The minimum is regular Algebra I.

"Applicants to the freshman class at TJHSST must be taking a full-year of Honors Algebra 1 for high school credit or a higher level math course in grade 8 to apply to TJHSST."

It used to be the case that regular Algebra 1 was adequate to apply to TJ. The move to Honors Alg 1 as a minimum requirement was part of the improvements to the admissions process that raised the standard for eligibility to a 3.5 GPA as well.

Many are not thrilled about the bar being raised in this manner, but that's their problem.

[Anonymous]

Hey folks, we're in a tornado warning at TJ right now and I don't know if we're getting out of it and back to class any time soon. Anyone have any more questions for me? I appreciate you all reaching out with your kind comments!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey folks, we're in a tornado warning at TJ right now and I don't know if we're getting out of it and back to class any time soon. Anyone have any more questions for me? I appreciate you all reaching out with your kind comments!

Do you believe in the low income numbers released?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey folks, we're in a tornado warning at TJ right now and I don't know if we're getting out of it and back to class any time soon. Anyone have any more questions for me? I appreciate you all reaching out with your kind comments!

Do you believe in the low income numbers released?

I don't really have a reason not to. Because I'm on this board from time to time, I'm aware of the arguments that are made about the questions on the application, but having actually spent a school year with the Class of 2025, I don't have any trouble believing that a quarter of the class is low-income.

[Anonymous]

Have you begun looking at colleges and how do you think you will fare?