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[quote=Anonymous]Here are a couple things

First, almost everyone would agree that TJ is an amazing school.  The academics are excellent. And IMO the peer group is amazing.  Second, anyone who is being honest would agree that it comes at a cost.  The whole no such thing as a free lunch idea?  Applies to TJ too.  The question is how the cost/benefit analysis works for your kid and your family.  Kids on TJ vents are mad about everything from having a pencil stolen (this month) to being miserable. It seems like the kids who are miserable are the ones whose parents have bought into the school, but the kids have not, but feel pressured or forced to stay.  There was a suicide there this week. There are definitely unhappy kids.

In our house, we only commit to TJ one year at a time. And both parents and kids have to sign on to return after freshman and sophomore year.  (I can’t imagine a kid making it through junior year then bailing when things start to get easier).  But everyone was onboard with attending in the first place.

Second, I shudder every time I see a TJ parent on here advising the parent of a kid who is reluctant to attend to push the kid to try it for a year.  I did not realize until I had a kid at TJ how hard it was for kids to leave. Everyone in their family and community knows they attend TJ and they put a lot of pressure on themselves to stay. They don’t want to look like they couldn’t hack TJ. They don’t want to feel like they had a miserable year or two of HS for no reason. They don’t want to start over as a sophomore or junior at a new school. 
I would never, ever, allow a kid to attend who was not enthusiastic about going. Forget willing. They need to want it badly enough to make the sacrifice worth it.

Finally, for many kids, a base school is not fewer problems. It’s different problems. Very few people have a problem free HS experience.

The black and white thinking about TJ is a real problem. TJ is a grey area. You have to know your family and know your kid and listen to your kid. People who act like TJ is all fantastic or all terrible don’t have a kid there or aren’t being honest. [/quote]

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