Reply to TJ admissions related - how to get student interested in STEM?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We are being strongly suggested to consider enrolling in TJHSST after having submitted the application and the high likelihood of receiving an offer based on our middle school 1.5% quota allocation.  DC is reasonable with grades and is currently enrolled in Algebra 1.  But DC is lacking strong motivation to accept a TJ offer, with the understanding that it will be more demanding than their base high school and may leave little time for activities like playing their favorite basketball or continuing saxophone practice outside of school. On one hand I hear people saying a C grade at TJ is worth more than an A at base school, and will more or less require the same effort.  Is this true from a college admission standpoint?  Also how does one motivate their student to be interested in STEM when they are more interested in basketball and saxophone?    Are subjects like math, physics, chemistry, etc., more difficult at TJ than at base school, and why?[/quote]

tldr: If your child is gifted and up to the task, TJ is worth considering, it is more than just a STEM school.  If your kid is going to get Cs at TJ, they really shouldn't go.

There is going to be a chorus of people telling you not to apply if your kid doesn't have a "passion" for STEM, etc.  This is bullshit.
They [b]MUST[/b] be academically advanced enough to be able to handle the courseload and rigor; a TJ "C" is [b]NOT[/b] as good as a base school "A"
If you are FARM eligible, then coming from a place like TJ with a good test score and solid grades will make your child very attractive to top colleges.
But make no mistake.  A TJ "B" is likely more work than a base school "A" if you are coming from a school that is sending the minimum 1.5%
But if they can handle that and keep up their grades with maybe half A's and half B's, then TJ does not require some burning passion for STEM for you to get a lot out of the experience.

The talent and curriculum at TJ is not exclusively focused on STEM.
It's not like everyone is on the math team or participating in a science bowl.
There is higher participation than at other schools but it's not 20% or anything like that.

The benefits that TJ offers is that the level of rigor is high enough that a TJ "A" is worth more than a base school "A"
It is an opportunity to challenge yourself and prove yourself in a way that you cannot at base schools.
The rigor will also better prepare you for college.

TJ also has a senior research project that can really give the best students a head start on academic research.  But if you aren't there academically, it is a wasted opportunity.

Additional comments:
If your child is good at basketball, they will likely have a better chance at making the varsity basketball team than at any other school in fairfax.
If your child is a good saxophone player, TJ has one of the best marching bands in the area.  It's really quite competitive.
If you aren't part of a community that really understands the college application process but you have a gifted child that could be go to a great school if you only knew a bit more about the process, there is a lot of information available in the TJ community to help steer your gifted child on the best pathway forward.  
But if your kid is academically most well suited for a place like UVA, TJ offers few college placement benefits.

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