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Whoever thinks being smart will get you into TJ is deluded. My son is straight A's, all AAP, taking Honors Geometry in 8th grade tested in the top 25% of the finalist test for TJ and did not get in. You need to go to prep classes where adults train the kids to memorize the answer type the admissions wants. Also you need to pad your child's resume years in advance so they pass the 'STEM Passion' qualifiers.
Know that your child, however hard working and smart, will be compared to hundreds of kids that have been professionally prepared by trained adults for the TJ test literally for years of their young lives. Again, not saying this is good or bad but it is reality. My son would have loved TJ (we didnt care if he went or not but he wanted to go), we failed to understand the competition.
Know that your child, however hard working and smart, will be compared to hundreds of kids that have been professionally prepared by trained adults for the TJ test literally for years of their young lives. Again, not saying this is good or bad but it is reality. My son would have loved TJ (we didnt care if he went or not but he wanted to go), we failed to understand the competition.
My son has been in AAP since 3rd and has always tested in the top 98% percentile on nationally standardized tests. He made it to the final cut to TJ this year but did not get in. His test scores were disproportionately low for him at 70% on the final (2nd round) of testing for TJ. To be so far off on the testing - to go from 98% to 70% suggests to me test preparation by other students specific to the entrance exam is a factor. My son is at the maximum level of math and other courses in 8th grade (AAP in all classes and Honors Geometry). I cannot figure why he would drop a couple full standard deviations when his ranking among the same students is high outside of the actual admissions test.
It is widely known that there are a variety of 'test preparation services' that use banks of previous years questions and successful answers to 'prepare' students. These are professionally taught test prep courses by instructors with years experience in the specific TJ admissions test and admissions process. It is not uncommon for students to spend multiple years preparing for the TJ Admission test.
Being very very smart is not nearly enough to be admitted to TJ. If hundreds of the 1,280 finalists have been studying and preparing the TJ test outside of school with the benefit of previous years questions and successful answers it is unlikely someone not so trained will excel on the test. Bottom like if you think your child would enjoy TJ and is already very smart, start a couple years in advance sending them to a course that uses a vast database of previous years admission exam questions and answers.
The test prep courses offer a 90% acceptance rate whereas the general acceptance rate is about 10%. Being very smart is not what getting into TJ is about - its very smart kids being trained to pass.
It is widely known that there are a variety of 'test preparation services' that use banks of previous years questions and successful answers to 'prepare' students. These are professionally taught test prep courses by instructors with years experience in the specific TJ admissions test and admissions process. It is not uncommon for students to spend multiple years preparing for the TJ Admission test.
Being very very smart is not nearly enough to be admitted to TJ. If hundreds of the 1,280 finalists have been studying and preparing the TJ test outside of school with the benefit of previous years questions and successful answers it is unlikely someone not so trained will excel on the test. Bottom like if you think your child would enjoy TJ and is already very smart, start a couple years in advance sending them to a course that uses a vast database of previous years admission exam questions and answers.
The test prep courses offer a 90% acceptance rate whereas the general acceptance rate is about 10%. Being very smart is not what getting into TJ is about - its very smart kids being trained to pass.
Good Afternoon Semifinalists and Parents,
Due to the continued school closings in the participating jurisdictions and the limited ability to access all facilities, the SIS/Essay administration for this Saturday, January 30th has been postponed. This will allow our SIS/Essay assessments to be administered in a standardized format at all test sites on Saturday, February 20th with a new inclement weather date of Saturday, February 27th.
A new test site email will be sent the week prior to the February 20th test date. It will include the important information for the day of testing.
Additionally, the deadline for applicants to enter teacher recommendation information into the online system has been extended to Wednesday, February 3rd at 4:00p.m.
If you have forgotten your username or password please click on the links below the login button. Accounts lock after five (5) unsuccessful attempts. Please use the support form: http://itweb.fcps.edu/JASE/ for assistance to unlock your account. If you have questions about the admissions decisions, please contact the Admissions Office at 571-423-3770 or tjadmissions@fcps.edu. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm.
Thank You
TJ Admissions
Due to the continued school closings in the participating jurisdictions and the limited ability to access all facilities, the SIS/Essay administration for this Saturday, January 30th has been postponed. This will allow our SIS/Essay assessments to be administered in a standardized format at all test sites on Saturday, February 20th with a new inclement weather date of Saturday, February 27th.
A new test site email will be sent the week prior to the February 20th test date. It will include the important information for the day of testing.
Additionally, the deadline for applicants to enter teacher recommendation information into the online system has been extended to Wednesday, February 3rd at 4:00p.m.
If you have forgotten your username or password please click on the links below the login button. Accounts lock after five (5) unsuccessful attempts. Please use the support form: http://itweb.fcps.edu/JASE/ for assistance to unlock your account. If you have questions about the admissions decisions, please contact the Admissions Office at 571-423-3770 or tjadmissions@fcps.edu. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm.
Thank You
TJ Admissions
there is no change on the TJ Admissions website as of 1/27 at 849pm EST and I have received no email suggesting its moved.
check here for updates http://www.fcps.edu/pla/TJHSST_Admissions/index.html
check here for updates http://www.fcps.edu/pla/TJHSST_Admissions/index.html
We have received no notice from our Frost adviser nor TJ at this point. Obviously the deadline for submitting Teacher references is still TODAY so get those in asap even if you have not got to speak with your teachers (since you have only had what 3 days in school as a semifinalist).
Update they have been moved to Saturday, February 20th 2016
Update they have been moved to Saturday, February 20th 2016
Since this thread was started the ethnic disparity at TJ is greater than ever. Over 70% Asian student population or 3 times the general population. Ive got a kid that is a semifinalist and Im worried cause he took no prep and we didnt pay anyone to tell us how to game the system.
PP no it is not thus your clarification is a good one.
My school does not offer 'Local Level IV' per se. That would explain the Level IV services (may indeed be Level III or some form of modified Level IV). This is good news for me as they will have to provide transportation for DS if we choose to send him to the Level IV Center school.
Thanks for the clarification
My school does not offer 'Local Level IV' per se. That would explain the Level IV services (may indeed be Level III or some form of modified Level IV). This is good news for me as they will have to provide transportation for DS if we choose to send him to the Level IV Center school.
Thanks for the clarification
From the sounds of it Non-Center Level IV services vary greatly from school to school.
As I said in my school Level IV services (yes I am absolutely certain they are Level IV not Level III) at our base school are a pull-out class once a week (in a trailer) + a GT teacher works with a mainstream teacher in a mainstream class to enhance the curriculum for the Level IV student.
Others here have posted quite different (and better) Level IV services provided at their own base school (non-Level IV Center). Our school is a magnet school for language immersion so they are faced with a pretty complex schedule (half day immersion in math and science + half day English Lang. arts and Social Studies). The kids change classrooms and teachers at lunch so there is a lot of shifting around. This may be the reason they do not offer more dedicated Level IV services...
Correction I was wrong about the services at my Home school they are, as the other posters correctly pointed out Level III not Level IV. Level IV whether at a Center School or 'Local Level IV' school require dedicated classes for AAP. Sorry for my mistake and adding confusion...
As I said in my school Level IV services (yes I am absolutely certain they are Level IV not Level III) at our base school are a pull-out class once a week (in a trailer) + a GT teacher works with a mainstream teacher in a mainstream class to enhance the curriculum for the Level IV student.
Others here have posted quite different (and better) Level IV services provided at their own base school (non-Level IV Center). Our school is a magnet school for language immersion so they are faced with a pretty complex schedule (half day immersion in math and science + half day English Lang. arts and Social Studies). The kids change classrooms and teachers at lunch so there is a lot of shifting around. This may be the reason they do not offer more dedicated Level IV services...
Correction I was wrong about the services at my Home school they are, as the other posters correctly pointed out Level III not Level IV. Level IV whether at a Center School or 'Local Level IV' school require dedicated classes for AAP. Sorry for my mistake and adding confusion...
Anonymous wrote:PP, I am not sure where you are getting your info. My DD is currently in a GT classroom at a LLIV school. I have plenty of issues with the program at her school, but your description is most definitely NOT at all reflective of what she is getting at school. She has a full time, self-contained GT classroom. At our school the class is made up of about 90% kids who were center eligible but chose to stay at the base school LLIV. Her teacher is GT certified (and not all GT center teachers are). They share the same curriculum as most GT Centers (the curriculum varies even among GT centers). Her math is compacted and our base school offers compacted math to gen ed students as well as the LLIV class. Many schools do this.
The big area where I have concerns about our LLIV is the peer group. While most of the class is GT center eligible, the mix of kids at our school and in her grade is very much high achievers with not really any quirky kids. Some LLIV programs are very large (for example, Spring Hill) and offer multiple classrooms per grade. Our program is not that large so there is only one teacher per grade and one classroom of kids that stays together for grades 3-6. I am moving her to our GT Center next year largely to increase the population of kids and expanded teacher choice. However, our GT Center is not considered that strong and I do have reservations about it.
So all of that is to say that I think it is very important for a parent to know their kid and to know what the LLIV programs and GT Center programs are like. They are NOT all the same.
Interesting. Guess every school is different. We got the information about Level IV services from our schools Special Education Teacher in charge of the AAP program. I sat down with her for an hour and discussed in great detail the differences in our Home school Level III services vs. the services offered at the Level IV Center school.
Clarification - Our home school does not offer Level IV I was mistaken. Sorry if I added confusion
Sleepy Hollow Preschool in Annandale is superior. The facility is attached to a church but they are in no way religious. We were there four years and visitors and parents raved about the emergent education there.
Simply Fantastic.
Sleepy Hollow Preschool in Annandale is superior. The facility is attached to a church but they are in no way religious. We were there four years and visitors and parents raved about the emergent education there.
Simply Fantastic.
http://www.sleepyhollowpreschool.com/public/index.php
Simply Fantastic.
Sleepy Hollow Preschool in Annandale is superior. The facility is attached to a church but they are in no way religious. We were there four years and visitors and parents raved about the emergent education there.
Simply Fantastic.
http://www.sleepyhollowpreschool.com/public/index.php
Meet with your AAP representative and discuss the differences in level IV services offered at your home school vs. a Level IV AAP center. In our case some major differences were:
1. Level IV Center School offers full day Level IV curriculum and instruction 5 days a week; Home School would offer 1 class in a trailer 1 day a week with minor enhancements to standard curriculum.
2. Level IV Center School offers teachers specializing in gifted students; Home School shares 1 AA teacher with several other schools (she is at Home School only a few days each month).
3. Level IV Center School offers group learning among AAP students every day; Home School offers limited or no peer group learning among AAP students.
4. Level IV Center School offers compacted math; Home School does not have the resources to offer compacted math at this time.
At the moment transportation funds for AAP students have been cut. That means that if your child has qualified for Level IV services and your home school offers any Level IV services he will not be bussed to the Center school.
If you have an AAP student and want them bussed to a Level IV center you should contact your school board representative asap and tell them you want aap transportation funding (~$208,000) refunded.
1. Level IV Center School offers full day Level IV curriculum and instruction 5 days a week; Home School would offer 1 class in a trailer 1 day a week with minor enhancements to standard curriculum.
2. Level IV Center School offers teachers specializing in gifted students; Home School shares 1 AA teacher with several other schools (she is at Home School only a few days each month).
3. Level IV Center School offers group learning among AAP students every day; Home School offers limited or no peer group learning among AAP students.
4. Level IV Center School offers compacted math; Home School does not have the resources to offer compacted math at this time.
At the moment transportation funds for AAP students have been cut. That means that if your child has qualified for Level IV services and your home school offers any Level IV services he will not be bussed to the Center school.
If you have an AAP student and want them bussed to a Level IV center you should contact your school board representative asap and tell them you want aap transportation funding (~$208,000) refunded.
Meet with your AAP representative and discuss the differences in level III services offered at your home school vs. a Level IV AAP center (or 'Local Level IV). In our case some major differences were:
1. Level IV Center School offers full day Level IV curriculum and instruction 5 days a week; Home School would offer 1 class in a trailer 1 day a week with minor enhancements to standard curriculum.
2. Level IV Center School offers teachers specializing in gifted students; Home School shares 1 AA teacher with several other schools (she is at Home School only a few days each month).
3. Level IV Center School offers group learning among AAP students every day; Home School offers limited or no peer group learning among AAP students.
4. Level IV Center School offers compacted math; Home School does not have the resources to offer compacted math at this time.
At the moment transportation funds for AAP students have been cut. That means that if your child has qualified for Level IV services and your home school offers Level IV services he will not be bussed to the Center school.
If you have an AAP student and want them bussed to a Level IV center you should contact your school board representative asap and tell them you want aap transportation funding (~$208,000) refunded.
EDIT We got the information about Level IV services from our schools Special Education Teacher in charge of the AAP program. I sat down with her for an hour and discussed in great detail the differences in our Home school Level IV services vs. the services offered at the Level IV Center school.
1. Level IV Center School offers full day Level IV curriculum and instruction 5 days a week; Home School would offer 1 class in a trailer 1 day a week with minor enhancements to standard curriculum.
2. Level IV Center School offers teachers specializing in gifted students; Home School shares 1 AA teacher with several other schools (she is at Home School only a few days each month).
3. Level IV Center School offers group learning among AAP students every day; Home School offers limited or no peer group learning among AAP students.
4. Level IV Center School offers compacted math; Home School does not have the resources to offer compacted math at this time.
At the moment transportation funds for AAP students have been cut. That means that if your child has qualified for Level IV services and your home school offers Level IV services he will not be bussed to the Center school.
If you have an AAP student and want them bussed to a Level IV center you should contact your school board representative asap and tell them you want aap transportation funding (~$208,000) refunded.
EDIT We got the information about Level IV services from our schools Special Education Teacher in charge of the AAP program. I sat down with her for an hour and discussed in great detail the differences in our Home school Level IV services vs. the services offered at the Level IV Center school.
My kid is 'johnny super genius' so what.
Who cares? he needs to be happy and a be good person. Does GT teach that better than mainstream?
If you are so desperate for academic accomplishment go back to school yourself. Learning is awesome so leading through example will trump any program a government has. Step up for real and just relax about your kids for God's sake.
Who cares? he needs to be happy and a be good person. Does GT teach that better than mainstream?
If you are so desperate for academic accomplishment go back to school yourself. Learning is awesome so leading through example will trump any program a government has. Step up for real and just relax about your kids for God's sake.
son started with headache. 12 hrs later vomiting. loose stools 48 hours
Please note Children's Motrin and Tylenol liquid products have been RECALLED - DONT USE THEM.
Please note Children's Motrin and Tylenol liquid products have been RECALLED - DONT USE THEM.
we are in no way enamored of APP - he is in immersion and that is a good program. We are new to it all. In many ways it would be much easier if he were more normal. If he had not made the cut it would have been fine with us. He has a good heart and a good mind so we think he will be fine with or without APP.
I was surprised when they told us we should basically embellish his score with our observations in applying for app. I mean I would have though 99 percentile was an automatic in. Apparently a lot of parents push really hard for their marginal kids to get in. Not sure why they would do that. I mean why would you put your normal kid in with sort of odd balls like my son - they are not normal. They are literally smarter than me, my Phd wife and virtually all the people I meet.
A lot of people say 'you must be so proud of him' - I am but not because he is smart. It would be like being proud of him because he is really tall. I dont get it. he has a good heart and is kind - im proud of that sure enough. The fact that he memorizes every single thing he sees, reads or does - thats just luck of the draw...
PS teachers have little or nothing to do with this process as I understand it. The fact that people are trying, for their kids, to force them into this program is alien to me. Whom do they think they are helping pushing an unprepared student into an accelerated learning environment? Self esteem is far more important than APP.
PPS sorry to for the poor choice of the word 'marginal' - sounds like the cut off is absurdly high. I understand the frustration having a very smart kid and having to deal with some teachers and admin on that issue. There is nothing 'marginal' about any of our children. I apologize for the gaff.
I was surprised when they told us we should basically embellish his score with our observations in applying for app. I mean I would have though 99 percentile was an automatic in. Apparently a lot of parents push really hard for their marginal kids to get in. Not sure why they would do that. I mean why would you put your normal kid in with sort of odd balls like my son - they are not normal. They are literally smarter than me, my Phd wife and virtually all the people I meet.
A lot of people say 'you must be so proud of him' - I am but not because he is smart. It would be like being proud of him because he is really tall. I dont get it. he has a good heart and is kind - im proud of that sure enough. The fact that he memorizes every single thing he sees, reads or does - thats just luck of the draw...
PS teachers have little or nothing to do with this process as I understand it. The fact that people are trying, for their kids, to force them into this program is alien to me. Whom do they think they are helping pushing an unprepared student into an accelerated learning environment? Self esteem is far more important than APP.
PPS sorry to for the poor choice of the word 'marginal' - sounds like the cut off is absurdly high. I understand the frustration having a very smart kid and having to deal with some teachers and admin on that issue. There is nothing 'marginal' about any of our children. I apologize for the gaff.