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2025 - TJ Admission Results Thread
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Anonymous
Decent chance that they wrote in their essays that they do not wish to be considered. Savvy kids know that this is an out that they can use if they have no interest in TJ but don’t want their parents to find out. |
Anonymous
They can provide a weight based on what is offered at the MS. I don’t think they will do that because I don’t think they like the kids taking Geometry in the summer to get to Algebra II in 8th grade. Giving an edge to the kids at the schools with A2 who take Geometry in the summer counters that message, and most of the kids taking A@ in 8th grade took Geometry in the summer. I don’t think that taking A2 makes a student a better STEM candidate than the kid in Geometry. The kid in Geometry might be thinking, or have parents who think, that rushing through a years math in 6 weeks can leave gaps in a foundational math class and it is not appropriate, which I suspect is more in line with the admissions panels thoughts. TJ has always had kids taking Geometry at TJ, although that number has grown in the last two years, and Algebra II. Those kids have done fine. Some kids figure out later that they are interested in STEM. Some kids are interested in STEM but were not placed in Advanced Math or AAP for some reason. Some kids are interested in STEM and have more cautious parents who want to make sure they learn the material and have them take Math 7H in 7th grade or won’t let the kid take a math class in summer. And, as someone who has grade AP exams, maybe some kids intentionally flubbed the essays or wrote that they didn’t want to go to TJ because they knew it was better for their parents to be mystified that they were not accepted then flat out telling their parents they didn’t want to go. I saw a good number of essays for AP exams that were less than polite diatribes about their parents demanding that kids take classes the kid didn’t want to take. I am guessing that those parents were baffled by their kids AP scores because I would guess that those kids were A students. |
Anonymous
FCPS offers Algebra II online. Students at middle schools that don’t offer Algebra II can take the class online at the library instead of going to a class for a period. They also have the option of going to the local high school to take the class. In my opinion, those students would stand out more to TJ than students from a school that offers 2 classes of Algebra II. |
Anonymous
| Why people always think taking geo in summer is rushed? For some kids the regular math course in middle school is not challenging at all. You have to admit there a a bunch of smart kids who can easily take the math challenge who can take high school math in middle school with no problems. Not rushed at all. |
Anonymous
| Remember the midle school math designed to suit average kids. |
Anonymous
HAving taught summer classes, I can tell you that summer classes are compacted and rushed. You are taking a full years worth of material and cramming it into 5-6 weeks. That means that kids are deprived of opportunities to practice and use the skills that they are learning. I have no doubt that smart kids can cram and learn the material but how well do they retain it? The repition and practice over the course of a year helps to cement the knowledge. I know that many of the kids taking Geometry in the summer have already been exposed to the material or taken the course through AoPS, RSM, or Curie so this is less the case for them. In their case, you have kids who are spending 6-8 ours a day for 5-6 weeks doign school work instead of having the time to decompress and relax and enjoy summer. I understand that most are interested in math as well as being good at math, but they are giving up opportunities for STEM classes or activities that are fun, practically use the STEM skills they are learning in school, and good for socialization, in favor of completing a class to get ahead in math by a year. Some of it is a matter of how your family prioritizes time. DS actively told us he did not want to take Geometry in the summer; he would get an A easily because he has been exposed to all of the concepts and uses them in competitions. His friends at school were planning on taking it and had asked him if he was. He prefers his STEM camps, Scout camp, and going to the pool. we don't see the value in taking the class early, he will take Calculus as a Junior, a year ahead of when my husband took it in high school and take a DE math class as a senior. Other families seem to think that it is really important to take the most advanced math in HS as possible. Different choices. But the majority of kids at TJ have been admitted taking Algebra 2 as freshman. Those kids do just fine at TJ. The push for Algebra 2 in 8th grade has been a more recent thing. I suspect a decent amount of that push has been a certain level of peer pressure. Do what you think is best for your kid but the TJ and College results seem to point to the fact that hyper acceleration of math is not that much a factor in admission to programs. We prefer to give DS a year to really focus on classes that are foundational, we wouldn't push him to accelerate in English or Science or Social Studies during the summer, why do it for math? |
Anonymous
Algebra and Geometry are HS classes. A kid taking Geometry in 8th grade is 2 years ahead in math. A kid taking Algebra in 8th grade is 1 year ahead in math. These are not classes for average kids, at least not kids average in math. |
Anonymous
This might be true for FCPS, but TJ pulls from several other school districts. These options don't exist across the board. |
Anonymous
After the disaster with the class of 2025 (so many kids getting bad grades and returning to base), they started looking for merit a but more. So you see these number start to drift back towards what we had under a testing regime. You can see the deep in the weight given to experience factors between class of 2025 and every year after that. Nobody WANTS to set these kids up for failure but the inadvertantly did that to a lot of low SES kids. They really ought to bring back testing. If you are wondering if you can handle TJ rigor... Of you are not at 95th previously or higher on standardized test scores like the cogat and iaat, the answer is probably no. You want to be at the 99th or 98th percentile. |
Anonymous
Apparently, they prefer wealth and access to opportunity over demonstrated ability through standardized tests because they think THAT'S where wealth makes a difference. |
Anonymous
OTPH pretty much every kid that gets in as a froshmore thrives |
Anonymous
Can you please elaborate on what you mean by that? Was there a dip in the weight given to experience factors? What was it before and after? |
Anonymous
This is untrue. Nothing more than typical test prep booster. |
Anonymous
| Has anyone heard about any case with any kids taking PreCalculus in the 8th grade? Did they get in, waitlisted, or rejected? What is the intake for such a rare case? |
Anonymous
| I can’t imagine any 8th grader taking pre-calculus would not be accepted. If I was the parent I would appeal in that situation. |