Do you want or do you not want your kid to go to TJ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can't possibly overemphasize the impact of being in a community where learning is celebrated among 100% of the students. It's just different.

The school doesn't have magical properties, but the student body being 100% comprised of students who care about academics does. That is why TJ exists and must continue to exist.

Ironically, the admissions changes have a particularly detrimental effect on the lower-performing high schools, which now are more likely to lose their top students (even if not the top students in the county) who might set a positive example to TJ.

The types of kids who end up at TJ are quite likely to end up in rarefied environments in college and their professional careers where "100% care about academics" or "100% care about their jobs." There's arguably something very important for their development about their being around a more diverse group of kids as adolescents.

Given that TJ was created as a marketing tool rather than to serve pedagogical goals, the mantra that TJ "must continue to exist" rings hollow.

You're talking about five or six top students in most cases. The benefits that those students will get from attending TJ FAR outweighs the benefits to the school environment of having a few kids around who are all likely to end up in the same classes with one another anyway. And further, those kids actually getting into TJ and having that experience is undoubtedly having a positive impact on their respective middle school environments, which for years didn't have any kids at TJ to look up to.

[Anonymous]

No not now or years before when the whole thing was a mass cheating factory. But we live in a top school district so it's better.

[Anonymous]

I absolutely want my kid to go and get out of a crowded, lower performing western Fairfax high school.

[Anonymous]

No it’s too far and I worry about the pressure. I don’t even want DD attend Carson (tj feeder as we’ve heard) instead of Franklin but her friends would go to Carson and we have to let her go too.

[Anonymous]

Probably not, but my kids have input too? We have a few years before we're considering schools.

Biggest factor? My kids currently do 8+ hours of 3+ activities a week. While I see the number of activities decreasing (swim lessons won't be forever), the number of hours for their one major activity will account for 8+ hours alone by then. I don't want them to be the kid that quits all activities because they need the time to concentrate on their workload. Had not realized this was even a thing until chatting with neighbors with older kids a few months ago.

[Anonymous]

I used to be against it but now that they've gotten the rampant cheating under control, I think it's a pretty good option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MIT grad here, I'm strongly discouraging it.

Hard to believe your statement since you didn't explain why. TJ is about as close to MIT as you can get; it's hard to imagine an environment more similar.. So either you are not being honest, or perhaps you are suggesting you did not enjoy MIT either?

Nobody enjoys MIT! Do you know any alums? It’s so commonly understood to be a miserable experience that many graduating classes choose to include the acronym “IHTFP” on their class rings. I’ll leave you to figure out what that means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I won’t encourage it. If my kid wants to apply I would support them.

+1. DH went and no longer thinks it was a good experience, although his thinking has evolved over time. I would support only if child really wanted to attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to be against it but now that they've gotten the rampant cheating under control, I think it's a pretty good option.

how so?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To anyone reading this thread, please keep in mind that there are many parents on these boards who will do anything to get kids who are admitted to turn down their offer so as to draw from the waitlist.

They will claim that they have a kid who is miserable at TJ so that you will think twice about sending your kid there.

Are you suggesting the rumors of 12-foot man-eating spiders that roam the halls of TJ are untrue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MIT grad here, I'm strongly discouraging it.

Friends kid in 10th grade. Both parents with PhDs, kid just as smart. Up until 1am most nights per parents maybe later they say.

I want a different life for my kid. Less stress less pressure

When my child got admission this is what I was most worried about. I talked to others and got mixed messages. Having 8+ hours of sleep and free time for friends/family is non-negotiable for me.

We accepted and the experience is absolutely nothing like that. On average it is taking 30-45 minutes of work at home during weekdays. 2 hours per day on weekends to complete all work. My child stayed past 10 PM twice so far this academic year. Both times got to bed by 11 PM and it is because they did not plan it well. Really enjoys the classroom and school experience. Child did not get admitted to TJ in 9th grade and got admission in sophomore round. So child has experience both at base and TJ. Definitely likes TJ a lot more and finds it really enjoyable so far.

At base, child did not even spend 5 minutes on home work. Everything used to be finished at school it self and this is at a base HS that is mentioned as among the top 5 in FCPS.

Many of my child's friends have similar experience. But I do know others who are staying up until 1 AM.

Know your child, it could be an extremely good experience or it might not be.

My child went to TJ from one of the feeder as well and is handling the work load just fine and goes to bed around 10. I hear kids working late during their junior and senior year since they have to prep for SAT and apply for colleges, extra curricular activities needed to get to top colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MIT grad here, I'm strongly discouraging it.

Hard to believe your statement since you didn't explain why. TJ is about as close to MIT as you can get; it's hard to imagine an environment more similar.. So either you are not being honest, or perhaps you are suggesting you did not enjoy MIT either?

Nobody enjoys MIT! Do you know any alums? It’s so commonly understood to be a miserable experience that many graduating classes choose to include the acronym “IHTFP” on their class rings. I’ll leave you to figure out what that means.

Except YJ students seem to enjoy places like MIT, CMU and Caltech. Top TJ students have already gone through the 'Seals' training in Academics. Most TJ students find universities easier even double majoring in STEM fields.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can't possibly overemphasize the impact of being in a community where learning is celebrated among 100% of the students. It's just different.

The school doesn't have magical properties, but the student body being 100% comprised of students who care about academics does. That is why TJ exists and must continue to exist.

Ironically, the admissions changes have a particularly detrimental effect on the lower-performing high schools, which now are more likely to lose their top students (even if not the top students in the county) who might set a positive example to TJ.

The types of kids who end up at TJ are quite likely to end up in rarefied environments in college and their professional careers where "100% care about academics" or "100% care about their jobs." There's arguably something very important for their development about their being around a more diverse group of kids as adolescents.

Given that TJ was created as a marketing tool rather than to serve pedagogical goals, the mantra that TJ "must continue to exist" rings hollow.

You're talking about five or six top students in most cases. The benefits that those students will get from attending TJ FAR outweighs the benefits to the school environment of having a few kids around who are all likely to end up in the same classes with one another anyway. And further, those kids actually getting into TJ and having that experience is undoubtedly having a positive impact on their respective middle school environments, which for years didn't have any kids at TJ to look up to.

Other than siblings, who in middle school is aware of who goes to TJ?
My kids' school sends many kids to TJ every year, and none of these kids get talked about at school.

[Anonymous]

Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MIT grad here, I'm strongly discouraging it.

Hard to believe your statement since you didn't explain why. TJ is about as close to MIT as you can get; it's hard to imagine an environment more similar.. So either you are not being honest, or perhaps you are suggesting you did not enjoy MIT either?

Nobody enjoys MIT! Do you know any alums? It’s so commonly understood to be a miserable experience that many graduating classes choose to include the acronym “IHTFP” on their class rings. I’ll leave you to figure out what that means.

My liberal arts education suggests with no prior knowledge of the dissatisfaction among MIT students that it stands for “I Hate(d) the Effing Place.”

Door prize?