What changes in the TJ admissions procedure do you predict this year ?

[Anonymous]

Our Middle School just confirmed that the TJ is changing its admissions procedure this year and parents are advised to monitor the TJ admissions website to keep up with updates about the changes. The application dates have been changed but it does not say anything about changes to the admissions process. Any thoughts ?

[Anonymous]

The parents were asked for their thoughts on this.

[Anonymous]

The admission test will be pushed to early next year when students will be back in their physical classes.

[Anonymous]

OP, we might have been on the same MS call last night. I took it that there might be changes due to coronavirus not due to the goings on at the state level. I don’t think they are eager to hold in person testing during the pandemic and the first stage of the admission process is a test that normally happens in the fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, we might have been on the same MS call last night. I took it that there might be changes due to coronavirus not due to the goings on at the state level. I don’t think they are eager to hold in person testing during the pandemic and the first stage of the admission process is a test that normally happens in the fall.

These are two separate questions.

This year, there will definitely be changed due to the coronavirus as well as because of complications regarding the "math" exam called the Quant-Q. Current TJ students are reporting that that exam, which was intended to be and previously thought to be secured, and that there is at least one prep company that has privileged access to the exam material. Right now there is no reasonable way to administer the exam until the virus recedes enough to allow school to take place more or less as normal, and it will be some time before that happens because of the likely complications in distributing a vaccine on a nationwide basis even if one is proven safe and effective.

Moving beyond this year, there will almost certainly be changes to the TJ admissions process seeking to address both the systematic exclusion of Black and Hispanic students and the lack of interest from white students in the school. Applications to TJ have dropped over 20% in the past two years and are currently at a 20-year low in spite of (or perhaps because of) TJ's #1 ranking among public high schools in various publications. The lack of prestige that this lower level of interest confers on the school is of great concern to FCPS. Expect to see changes to or even elimination of the TJ exam, with greater emphasis placed on demonstrations of actual talent in different areas rather than on preparation, as well as greater emphasis on academic integrity and citizenship to go along with potential in STEM disciplines. FCPS will be looking to decouple parental engagement and motivation from student achievement, and it will require significant creativity to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, we might have been on the same MS call last night. I took it that there might be changes due to coronavirus not due to the goings on at the state level. I don’t think they are eager to hold in person testing during the pandemic and the first stage of the admission process is a test that normally happens in the fall.

These are two separate questions.

This year, there will definitely be changed due to the coronavirus as well as because of complications regarding the "math" exam called the Quant-Q. Current TJ students are reporting that that exam, which was intended to be and previously thought to be secured, and that there is at least one prep company that has privileged access to the exam material. Right now there is no reasonable way to administer the exam until the virus recedes enough to allow school to take place more or less as normal, and it will be some time before that happens because of the likely complications in distributing a vaccine on a nationwide basis even if one is proven safe and effective.

Moving beyond this year, there will almost certainly be changes to the TJ admissions process seeking to address both the systematic exclusion of Black and Hispanic students and the lack of interest from white students in the school. Applications to TJ have dropped over 20% in the past two years and are currently at a 20-year low in spite of (or perhaps because of) TJ's #1 ranking among public high schools in various publications. The lack of prestige that this lower level of interest confers on the school is of great concern to FCPS. Expect to see changes to or even elimination of the TJ exam, with greater emphasis placed on demonstrations of actual talent in different areas rather than on preparation, as well as greater emphasis on academic integrity and citizenship to go along with potential in STEM disciplines. FCPS will be looking to decouple parental engagement and motivation from student achievement, and it will require significant creativity to do so.

And the prep company that likely had access to the exam managed to get 28% of the incoming class of 2024. We know this because the company posted the list of admitted students by name on August 17th. When the list started to get attention, they took the list down from their public Facebook page. Hopefully there will be full investigation of the company.

[Anonymous]

All of the parents and alumni that are pushing to maintain the current system of meritocracy have gotta be angry at the Curie and the Curie parents.

This scandal will hopefully be the nail in the coffin and give the school board data for real reform.

[Anonymous]

What is confusing is that the admission page has the application dates and deadline for the application.
How do they plan on conducting the test in November? COVID numbers will not improve dramatically till
the vaccine is available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, we might have been on the same MS call last night. I took it that there might be changes due to coronavirus not due to the goings on at the state level. I don’t think they are eager to hold in person testing during the pandemic and the first stage of the admission process is a test that normally happens in the fall.

OP here, the School admin seemed pretty clueless too about what TJ will decide on how the test
will be administered in November and what requirements will change for the application process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is confusing is that the admission page has the application dates and deadline for the application.
How do they plan on conducting the test in November? COVID numbers will not improve dramatically till
the vaccine is available.

They'll leave the data as is until they have a firm plan. Doing otherwise would invite an insane number of phone calls to their office, which they are not staffed to handle.

[Anonymous]

FCPS is holding a September in-person SAT, so seems like they could manage the TJ test also.

And while I agree COVID is going to affect this year's admission process, not sure I believe that state commission/FCPS bureaucracy can overhaul the admissions process to obtain better diversity in the next six months, especially with COVID looming over everything, in time for the class of 2025. They haven't even released a specific proposal yet. I bet they implement any of those changes for the class of 2026.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is holding a September in-person SAT, so seems like they could manage the TJ test also.

And while I agree COVID is going to affect this year's admission process, not sure I believe that state commission/FCPS bureaucracy can overhaul the admissions process to obtain better diversity in the next six months, especially with COVID looming over everything, in time for the class of 2025. They haven't even released a specific proposal yet. I bet they implement any of those changes for the class of 2026.

the ability to take the SAT is something that effects every college bound junior and many seniors. The ability to test for TJ effects a very small subset middle schoolers. I don't think having the SATs has much bearing on TJ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is holding a September in-person SAT, so seems like they could manage the TJ test also.

And while I agree COVID is going to affect this year's admission process, not sure I believe that state commission/FCPS bureaucracy can overhaul the admissions process to obtain better diversity in the next six months, especially with COVID looming over everything, in time for the class of 2025. They haven't even released a specific proposal yet. I bet they implement any of those changes for the class of 2026.

the ability to take the SAT is something that effects every college bound junior and many seniors. The ability to test for TJ effects a very small subset middle schoolers. I don't think having the SATs has much bearing on TJ

Same admissions related tests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is holding a September in-person SAT, so seems like they could manage the TJ test also.

And while I agree COVID is going to affect this year's admission process, not sure I believe that state commission/FCPS bureaucracy can overhaul the admissions process to obtain better diversity in the next six months, especially with COVID looming over everything, in time for the class of 2025. They haven't even released a specific proposal yet. I bet they implement any of those changes for the class of 2026.

the ability to take the SAT is something that effects every college bound junior and many seniors. The ability to test for TJ effects a very small subset middle schoolers. I don't think having the SATs has much bearing on TJ[/quote

LOL - not sure some of the parents I know would agree on the relative importance of the SAT v. TJ tests. I was just suggesting that if FCPS can safely run an SAT for a large number of students, seems like they should be able to figure out how to run the TJ test safely for a smaller number of kids.

[Anonymous]

If Harvard can go test optional, I’m pretty sure a high school can