Reply to TJ admissions now verifying free and reduced price meal status for successful 2026 applicants

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
My objection is the parents (there are quite a few parents like this, but certainly not everyone who has a kid at RSM and Kumon) who do it not because their kid needs the reinforcement or because their kid likes it, but because they want to push their kid ahead for the bragging rights or out of fear that their kid won’t get their piece of the economic pie as an adult.  Honest to God, your career is not dependent on whether you took Algebra in 6th grade or even (gasp) 9th grade.  It just isn’t.  Your kid would be much better off trying a bunch of things and seeing what they like and are good at.  You can force math and science but for some kids, it’s downright painful.  You can’t bend their strengths and interests to your will as much as you may want to.
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My kids attend AoPS.  AoPS isn't set up to get kids into Algebra early.  I don't think RSM is, either.  The AoPS general sequence has Algebra in 7th grade, and that's assuming that the kid does well enough in pre-Algebra in 6th to move up.  Kids are not often skipped ahead unless they're already way beyond the AoPS curriculum.

For the most part, FCPS doesn't allow kids to skip ahead, either.  They have very specific criteria for Algebra in 6th, and simply being ahead isn't one of them.  Most of the kids taking Algebra II in 8th are there due to taking summer Geometry.    [/quote]

Kumon isn't for every kid. For one thing, it is not designed to teach critical thinking. The goal is to learn math concepts and learn to do them very fast. Thats all there is to it. Its monotonous and could be boring for the kids. However, it does serve a purpose. I like kumon because, doing mental math fast and not depending on calculators or paper all the time for simple math or basic algebra is important to me. I didn't do any kumon back then, but I love being able to do lots of math, probabilities, estimations etc mentally and I would like my kids do the same. However, my older kid never got hooked to kumon and dropped out of few months, but my younger kid holding on and starting to get bored but wants to keep at it at least until the pre-algebra. It should be noted that kumon isn't really in line with school math, such as word problems and school touches a variety of concepts that kumon doesn't really teach. Having said, kumon does serve a purpose, though not for everyones liking.

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Thank you for your honesty.  Can you see how doing this is messing with learning things traditionally in school.

Also, there is 0 reason to take geometry over the summer, that needs to stop as well.

Again when you are applying for a job none of this matters, APP doesn't matter, TJ doesn't matter, where you went to college doesn't matter.

The sooner folks on these boards learn how the world actually works the better it is for everyone and we can have an accurate picture of who should be actually going to TJ.[/quote]

Agreed.

That said, many parents who are looking at TJ have kids who are interested in STEM and who are ahead in Math. There is a reason that parents are looking at TJ. I am following the TJ threads because my child might be interested in TJ in a few years. It is helpful for me to understand how the application process is working so I can guide my child as needed.

I will admit that I used to think that the kids in RSM and AoPS and other programs were mainly pushy parents but I have a kid who asks for these programs and enjoys them. It wasn't on my radar because I never had that interest as a child and none of my siblings did these types of programs until they were in high school.

I can understand parents who have kids who are into STEM and who are ahead in math feeling frustrated with changes to the admissions process given that they changed so drastically so quickly and were not done in a smooth fashion. The meals questions is a great example. It was meant to be a proxy for families who were eligible for FARMs but was written in a way that allowed anyone to check yes.

I have no problem with people discussing getting the balance of scoring evened out. I think that the discussion can be good. The level of frustration with how the changes were made and how poorly the transition has been handled. Kids who have worked hard in school and did everything they needed to do to be seen as a strong candidate 2 years ago had the rug pulled out from under their feet. The disappointment is real and understandable.

I do think that the criteria needs to include Geometry and that the essays need to be written in person and not at home. I like the idea of the math solution problem but it sounds like it needs to be a more challenging problem and that it needs to be better balanced.

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