Thomas Jefferson Test

[Anonymous]

When my kid surprised us and said he wanted to apply, I suspected the entire process and experience would make me feel stupid -- and it's happening already. I'm probably just looking in all the wrong places, but I can't seem to find an "admissions timeline" with dates on the website. It looks like the testing is in January -- is that correct? Or is that the "second round" of testing? Thanks

[Anonymous]

I agree. Any student who gets into TJ without any prep probably will be able to handle the school with great success.

But that does not mean that the student that prepares for the test cannot handle the rigors of the school. I know many students who got into TJ because they did preparation who have graduated from TJ and gone on to college successfully.

[Anonymous]

http://www.fcps.edu/pla/TJHSST_Admissions/index.html

It is all on this page.

Touch base with your guidance counselor and they should be able to point you in the right direction. Our non center school that only sends a kid to TJ every once in a while does a yearly presentation for parents interested in TJ. Your school likely does as well.

Anonymous wrote:When my kid surprised us and said he wanted to apply, I suspected the entire process and experience would make me feel stupid -- and it's happening already. I'm probably just looking in all the wrong places, but I can't seem to find an "admissions timeline" with dates on the website. It looks like the testing is in January -- is that correct? Or is that the "second round" of testing? Thanks

[Anonymous]

Does every student who applies who meets the GPA and sliding test score criteria go on to the second round of the admission process?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does every student who applies who meets the GPA and sliding test score criteria go on to the second round of the admission process?

Yes. The applicants will complete the SIS and essay at a designated location and submit 2 teacher recommendation as well as semifinalists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does every student who applies who meets the GPA and sliding test score criteria go on to the second round of the admission process?

Yes. The applicants will complete the SIS and essay at a designated location and submit 2 teacher recommendation as well as semifinalists.

I am surprised then that the requirements are so low. I would have expected them to be higher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does every student who applies who meets the GPA and sliding test score criteria go on to the second round of the admission process?

Yes. The applicants will complete the SIS and essay at a designated location and submit 2 teacher recommendation as well as semifinalists.

I am surprised then that the requirements are so low. I would have expected them to be higher.

What is "low" about it? The process is similar to a college admission process: grades, test scores, recommendation letters, bunch of shorter/longer essays and ECs (indirectly).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does every student who applies who meets the GPA and sliding test score criteria go on to the second round of the admission process?

Yes. The applicants will complete the SIS and essay at a designated location and submit 2 teacher recommendation as well as semifinalists.

I am surprised then that the requirements are so low. I would have expected them to be higher.

What is "low" about it? The process is similar to a college admission process: grades, test scores, recommendation letters, bunch of shorter/longer essays and ECs (indirectly).

+1. In my opinion, you almost have to have straight A's in middle school with high test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does every student who applies who meets the GPA and sliding test score criteria go on to the second round of the admission process?

Yes. The applicants will complete the SIS and essay at a designated location and submit 2 teacher recommendation as well as semifinalists.

I am surprised then that the requirements are so low. I would have expected them to be higher.

What is "low" about it? The process is similar to a college admission process: grades, test scores, recommendation letters, bunch of shorter/longer essays and ECs (indirectly).

The sliding scale to pick semifinalists seems very low to me. It goes down to a 3.0 for GPA and 60% on the entrance exam. That seems exceptionally low for me, even if it is just first round. I would have expected it to be higher, maybe 3.5 cut off for GPA and an 80% cut off for the test, still using a sliding scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does every student who applies who meets the GPA and sliding test score criteria go on to the second round of the admission process?

Yes. The applicants will complete the SIS and essay at a designated location and submit 2 teacher recommendation as well as semifinalists.

I am surprised then that the requirements are so low. I would have expected them to be higher.

What is "low" about it? The process is similar to a college admission process: grades, test scores, recommendation letters, bunch of shorter/longer essays and ECs (indirectly).

The sliding scale to pick semifinalists seems very low to me. It goes down to a 3.0 for GPA and 60% on the entrance exam. That seems exceptionally low for me, even if it is just first round. I would have expected it to be higher, maybe 3.5 cut off for GPA and an 80% cut off for the test, still using a sliding scale.

It doesn't really matter what the cutoff for semifinalist is because there are still only 480 slots to fill. It does make more work for the committee to read the applications, but it allows as many students as possible to complete the application process. No matter how many make it to the second round, the number accepted does not change, so there are high standards to be met to receive an acceptance letter.

[Anonymous]

My DS is at TJ. The test scores account for a part. There will be tons getting 49/49 and above. You extra curricular math and science activities will probably count for more. Like Mathcounts, Science Olympiad, ACSL etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is at TJ. The test scores account for a part. There will be tons getting 49/49 and above. You extra curricular math and science activities will probably count for more. Like Mathcounts, Science Olympiad, ACSL etc.

The committee likes to see kids highly engaged in fewer activities, rather than signing up for a plethora of clubs that only meet occasionally. Sports and music are fine activities to have; they don't all have to be math and science activities. The math and science teachers write recommendations and they can tell which kids are good at and really love math and science from their behavior and performance in classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS is at TJ. The test scores account for a part. There will be tons getting 49/49 and above. You extra curricular math and science activities will probably count for more. Like Mathcounts, Science Olympiad, ACSL etc.

The committee likes to see kids highly engaged in fewer activities, rather than signing up for a plethora of clubs that only meet occasionally. Sports and music are fine activities to have; they don't all have to be math and science activities. The math and science teachers write recommendations and they can tell which kids are good at and really love math and science from their behavior and performance in classes.

The committee can do whatever it wants to do under the "holistic admission".

[Anonymous]

Op. Ok thanks. I'm not paying$500-1000 to prepare for TJ. My kid gets there or not. Our home school is excellent

I have a new college hire at work. Was At TJ. Mentioned to me that their hs was not that good. Felt like they had to go TJ and it was their goal to go to TJ.

I looked at the ms that brags they send the most kids to TJ. Many houses in the floris Rachel Carson have Westfield or Reston hs. Much lower rated hs Yet es and hs ranked very high. It makes sense that they REALLY want to go to TJ. It was explained to me that the motivation might be wrong but it worked and many of them get in be they feel like it's only option. Meaning they try really hard and are willing to pay for tutoring etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would it not be better to have your child take the test without preparation to ensure that they will be successful at TJ? I have a 7th grader who
Will probably have a chance at admission and I've been thinking IF she does well on her own without prep she would do better without being so stressed if she gets in.thoughts? I want her to be happy and successful in high school and at this point I'm no sure where she should be

I teach high school math and think you are approaching this perfectly.

I'm a parent of a TJ student and I agree. You are taking exactly the right approach.
I just answered on the other thread and noted that my child never prepped. He does well at TJ without being up studying till 2 or 3 in the morning and needs no outside tutoring. He participates in a sport for 15+ hours every week, so doesn't get home till about 6:45 every night. If a kid needs to prep to get in, the schedule there will be difficult for that child to keep up with.

Looks like your TJ kid is not taking 4 to 6 APs/Post-APs that the top TJ kids typically take in sophomore (4) to junior (6) years.

Many TJ students do that, but they work very hard to achieve it. "sailing through TJ with no homework" is a unicorn -- everyone has heard of one, but no one can name one.
OP TJ is a grind -- it is for students who really like to work hard. Just getting by at TJ with barely a B average is fairly rare and those student usually drop. there are a few, but they are usually under quite a lot of pressure from their parents. The TJ entrance test is not that hard -- 50% of students qualify after taking the test. But of those 0nly 25% approx. are accepted. If your DC does not like to do academic homework, TJ may not be the best fit.
--- signed TJ mom senior year