New TJ admits: Please share your preparation

[Anonymous]

Please share your secret to success. Would like to know whether it is necessary to have intensive multiple-year Sunshine Academy kind of TJ prep. My kid has no outside preparation up to now in 7th grade. Is it too late?

[Anonymous]

Certainly not. My son didn't give it much thought until the end of 7th grade (we were at a middle school which only sends a few kids each year). Many kids are admitted to TJ every year with little to no TJ-specific preparation. Your kid obviously needs to be very bright and able to communicate why they want to go to TJ (this is the thrust of the essay portion of the admissions process).

[Anonymous]

Prepare by having a good therapist on stand by and access to anti-anxiety meds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Certainly not. My son didn't give it much thought until the end of 7th grade (we were at a middle school which only sends a few kids each year). Many kids are admitted to TJ every year with little to no TJ-specific preparation. Your kid obviously needs to be very bright and able to communicate why they want to go to TJ (this is the thrust of the essay portion of the admissions process).

+1 My DD's best friend got into TJ from an APS middle school. She did zero prep, parents weren't even sure they wanted her to go. She's just really smart. Only had the usual APS science classes (no AAP) but did take computer programming classes in 7th-8th grade for her electives.

[Anonymous]

DC didn't do any prep class anywhere. He did do some sample ACT test just to get familiar with it. Also he was in math count club at school.

[Anonymous]

Do not prep. If your kid didn’t get in he/she didn’t belong there. He/She’d be doing something good both for herself and the kids who got in on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please share your secret to success. Would like to know whether it is necessary to have intensive multiple-year Sunshine Academy kind of TJ prep. My kid has no outside preparation up to now in 7th grade. Is it too late?

No it is not too late. If you (as an FCPS student) want to do well at TJ the best prep is (a) some innate intelligence (b) ability to work hard on a continuous basis each night for months/years (ie be a conscientious student) (c) be a good or very good reader (that will really help keep up with the curriculum without always losing sleep (e) have a passion for learning deeply and broadly esp. in stem subjects (f) be able to communicate your interest whether in stem or for societal impact (g) have some extracurricular activities showing you can do project-based work or are able to shine competitively (h) have a broad knowledge base in science (for the admission test) and have good math problem-solving ability (deep math understanding or at least being comfortable with creating written solutions and explanations to multi-step math problems

If your child self-assesses their skills in these areas and is confident along these areas then they will do well at TJ (or any other demanding high school experience and in college as well).

[Anonymous]

Sunshine academy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Prepare by having a good therapist on stand by and access to anti-anxiety meds.

No joke. Wish I knew then what I know now...seriously watch your child for burnout/depression. Would NEVER had sent my child if I had known.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prepare by having a good therapist on stand by and access to anti-anxiety meds.

No joke. Wish I knew then what I know now...seriously watch your child for burnout/depression. Would NEVER had sent my child if I had known.

It’s lretty well known, though, isn’t it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prepare by having a good therapist on stand by and access to anti-anxiety meds.

No joke. Wish I knew then what I know now...seriously watch your child for burnout/depression. Would NEVER had sent my child if I had known.

+1. Knowing what I know of TJ now, I will never send my child there. Not necessary and more damaging. Their youth is short and I want them to truly enjoy school and their summers and weekends and evenings wo the added stress of TJ work. Life is short and I want them to be happy. I know it sounds so cliche but it's true. I know many successful people as adults and none went to TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prepare by having a good therapist on stand by and access to anti-anxiety meds.

No joke. Wish I knew then what I know now...seriously watch your child for burnout/depression. Would NEVER had sent my child if I had known.

+1000. Worst decision of my parenting life and hell for my DC. Ongoing problems even after graduation. NEVER again. But too late for this one.

[Anonymous]

My child didn’t prep at all, was admitted and has made the decision not to go. As far as academics go, he’s in AAP and is currently taking geometry. His extracurriculars are sports (soccer and baseball, both at the rec level) and he’s also on a robotics team.

[Anonymous]

Kudo to you having courage not going after admission offered. It's not easy decision but the environment is certainly not for everyone, as matter of fact, not for most of the young kids. You have to have a very high achieving and self motivated kids to survive in TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child didn’t prep at all, was admitted and has made the decision not to go. As far as academics go, he’s in AAP and is currently taking geometry. His extracurriculars are sports (soccer and baseball, both at the rec level) and he’s also on a robotics team.

My DD similarly got in with no prep. (Algebra II in 8th grade), but then decided not to go after the welcome night. I think it is easier to say no, if you haven't spent thousands of hours and dollars prepping for it. I wish the open house last year wasn't cancelled, or we might have realized then that it wasn't a good fit, and not applied.