Jay Mathews: Did money keep student out of top school? [TJ]

[Anonymous]

No. Pitiful and clueless.

[Anonymous]

Unless you have toured TJ 's labs and looked at the online course catalog (google it), you have no idea whether TJ is better for kids seriously interested in math and science --- and the answer is that TJ is better for any kid wanting advanced studies at his home school in those subjects. They simply have courses, labs, and equipment that are not available to any other high school in the country (not just ffx county). And for journalism, they just won the equivalent of a Pulitzer for high school journalism. A third of the class are NMSF. The Model UN ranks nationally. It's a different place, structured much more like college than high school.

[Anonymous]

Unless you have toured TJ 's labs and looked at the online course catalog (google it), you have no idea whether TJ is better for kids seriously interested in math and science --- and the answer is that TJ is better for any kid wanting advanced studies at his home school in those subjects. They simply have courses, labs, and equipment that are not available to any other high school in the country (not just ffx county). And for journalism, they just won the equivalent of a Pulitzer for high school journalism. A third of the class are NMSF. The Model UN ranks nationally. It's a different place, structured much more like college than high school.

And, guess what? Most of these kids spend hours in commuting to school that could be spent on a life. They would still be very smart--even in their base schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless you have toured TJ 's labs and looked at the online course catalog (google it), you have no idea whether TJ is better for kids seriously interested in math and science --- and the answer is that TJ is better for any kid wanting advanced studies at his home school in those subjects. They simply have courses, labs, and equipment that are not available to any other high school in the country (not just ffx county). And for journalism, they just won the equivalent of a Pulitzer for high school journalism. A third of the class are NMSF. The Model UN ranks nationally. It's a different place, structured much more like college than high school.

+100 And many of the students do not live that far away.

[Anonymous]

tested semifinalist admitted % of tested admitted % of semifinalists admitted
Carson 239 178 83 35% 47%
Rocky Run 179 133 56 31% 42%
Longfellow 166 126 54 33% 43%
Kilmer 165 106 32 19% 30%
Frost 103 67 23 22% 34%
Lake Braddock 89 58 15 17% 26%
Jackson 74 42 12 16% 29%
Twain 81 30 11 14% 37%

OH, many don't live that far away? Are you serious?

[Anonymous]

Carson and Rocky Run have the most---they are on the western edge of Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless you have toured TJ 's labs and looked at the online course catalog (google it), you have no idea whether TJ is better for kids seriously interested in math and science --- and the answer is that TJ is better for any kid wanting advanced studies at his home school in those subjects. They simply have courses, labs, and equipment that are not available to any other high school in the country (not just ffx county). And for journalism, they just won the equivalent of a Pulitzer for high school journalism. A third of the class are NMSF. The Model UN ranks nationally. It's a different place, structured much more like college than high school.

Debate, Quizbowl and Latin teams are nationally ranked as well.

[Anonymous]

Debate, Quizbowl and Latin teams are nationally ranked as well.

Well, they should be. That doesn't mean the school is better--it just means it has more smart students. These kids would still be smart in their neighborhood schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless you have toured TJ 's labs

Have done that.

Anonymous wrote:and looked at the online course catalog (google it),

Have done that, too.

Anonymous wrote:you have no idea whether TJ is better for kids seriously interested in math and science

So I have done both of those prerequisites, as the PP states must be done.

Anonymous wrote: --- and the answer is that TJ is better for any kid wanting advanced studies at his home school in those subjects.

For a "kid wanting advanced studies in math and science" TJ may not necessarily be better than a kid staying at her/his home school.

My kid wants advanced studies in computer science and technology and can better meet these desires at the neighborhood high school, combined with opportunities for internships, extra-curricular activities and online coursework.

As was stated earlier in this thread, whether or not TJ is better than the neighborhood high school depends on the kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Debate, Quizbowl and Latin teams are nationally ranked as well.

Well, they should be. That doesn't mean the school is better--it just means it has more smart students. These kids would still be smart in their neighborhood schools.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Was this Rob kid NMSF?

What is NMSF?

[Anonymous]

Debate, Quizbowl and Latin teams are nationally ranked as well.

And, just think how many kids at TJ would have the opportunity to be on those teams at their base schools. Only a handful make it on the teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was this Rob kid NMSF?

What is NMSF?

National Merit SemiFinalist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you have toured TJ 's labs

Have done that.

Anonymous wrote:and looked at the online course catalog (google it),

Have done that, too.

Anonymous wrote:you have no idea whether TJ is better for kids seriously interested in math and science

So I have done both of those prerequisites, as the PP states must be done.

Anonymous wrote: --- and the answer is that TJ is better for any kid wanting advanced studies at his home school in those subjects.

For a "kid wanting advanced studies in math and science" TJ may not necessarily be better than a kid staying at her/his home school.

My kid wants advanced studies in computer science and technology and can better meet these desires at the neighborhood high school, combined with opportunities for internships, extra-curricular activities and online coursework.

As was stated earlier in this thread, whether or not TJ is better than the neighborhood high school depends on the kid.

Some base schools offer multivariable calculus and matrix algebra but that 's about it as far as advanced post-AP courses in math and science. The base schools just do not have the "critical mass" of students or adequate teachers to offer other post AP courses beyond that such as "Advanced Math technique, Complex Variables, Differential Equations, Numerical Analysis etc.". Many teachers teaching post AP courses hold Ph.Ds in physics, chemistry, computer science etc. Some of them were university professors, In addition, I don't think the base schools offer post AP courses in science/computer science such as "Computational Physics, DNA Science, Neuroscience, Organic Chemistry, Artificial Intelligence, Parallel Computing etc.". Many TJ kids take these kinds of courses and use the knowledge in their scientific research not to mention all the equipments and facilities at various research labs some of which are not even found at colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you have toured TJ 's labs

Have done that.

Anonymous wrote:and looked at the online course catalog (google it),

Have done that, too.

Anonymous wrote:you have no idea whether TJ is better for kids seriously interested in math and science

So I have done both of those prerequisites, as the PP states must be done.

Anonymous wrote: --- and the answer is that TJ is better for any kid wanting advanced studies at his home school in those subjects.

For a "kid wanting advanced studies in math and science" TJ may not necessarily be better than a kid staying at her/his home school.

My kid wants advanced studies in computer science and technology and can better meet these desires at the neighborhood high school, combined with opportunities for internships, extra-curricular activities and online coursework.

As was stated earlier in this thread, whether or not TJ is better than the neighborhood high school depends on the kid.

Some base schools offer multivariable calculus and matrix algebra but that 's about it as far as advanced post-AP courses in math and science. The base schools just do not have the "critical mass" of students or adequate teachers to offer other post AP courses beyond that such as "Advanced Math technique, Complex Variables, Differential Equations, Numerical Analysis etc.". Many teachers teaching post AP courses hold Ph.Ds in physics, chemistry, computer science etc. Some of them were university professors, In addition, I don't think the base schools offer post AP courses in science/computer science such as "Computational Physics, DNA Science, Neuroscience, Organic Chemistry, Artificial Intelligence, Parallel Computing etc.". Many TJ kids take these kinds of courses and use the knowledge in their scientific research not to mention all the equipments and facilities at various research labs some of which are not even found at colleges.

Highlighting once again:

As was stated earlier in this thread, whether or not TJ is better than the neighborhood high school depends on the kid.

My kid wants advanced studies in computer science and technology and can better meet these desires at the neighborhood high school, combined with opportunities for internships, extra-curricular activities and online coursework.

The PP stated:

In addition, I don't think the base schools offer post AP courses in science/computer science such as "Computational Physics, DNA Science, Neuroscience, Organic Chemistry, Artificial Intelligence, Parallel Computing etc.".

None of these courses are of interest to my kid with a focus in computer science and technology -- maybe AI, but that's down the road after distributed computing (a course my kid is taking now online) and advanced IP.

So -- to reiterate -- whether or not TJ is better than the neighborhood high school depends on the kid. TJ is not necessarily better for any kid wanting advanced studies in computer science and technology.