Reply to How important is TJ for college?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The problem I have with TJ is that it was created to be a STEM focused HS, not just a really competitive HS with extremely challenging curriculum.  Instead, it was supposed to be a place where the science and/or math focused kids could learn the math in more detail with more in-depth resources.

[b]What killed TJ was they did a bad job on admissions:  they went for the best scores rather than the kids that would most benefit from the school.[/b]

As a result, TJ has no impact on colleges unless you re in the top 10-20%.  Because being in the top 10-20% from TJ is special.  It is much harder to stand out at TJ than any other school, and that will be noted.  For those kids, they are much more likely to get into elite schools that the top 3% at a regular school[/quote]

I disagree with the bolded statement. I am not sure what you mean by TJ being killed. Also, while I agree TJ does a bad job generally in admission, the opposite of what you said true; TJ does not go for the "best scores". TJ admissions/FCPS has been tinkering with the admissions criteria for many years in order to increase black/Hispanic students at TJ and TJ has a secret formula (akin to "holistic admission") once applicants move on to the 2nd round and, it is relatively easy to move into the 2nd round. They focus more on the subjective factors such as recommendation letters, essays to make the final admissions decisions.

There were applicants with almost perfect scores on the admissions test denied admissions and students admitted with relatively low scores. Some of the best math students in the area were denied admissions (based on AMC 10 scores and other math competitions results etc.) for years (~2009-2012 particularly)and had to enter as sophomores. The will never go to scores only admissions like Stuyvesant since FCPS has been on a mission to increase blac/Hispanic students at TJ for about 20 years and score only admissions will further reduce black and Hispanic students at TJ not increase their numbers.  [/quote]

Not now, but 20 years ago, they went for the best scores.  That did not have the desired effect.  But it permanently impacted the student enrollment -- TJ is for the very smart high achievers and not for just the STEM focus kids.  [/quote]

How is the admissions standard 20 years ago relevant now? You made it sound like you were talking about the TJ admission now. Regardless, I don't think TJ ever only used test scores for admissions so there is that as well. [/quote]

The admissions changes fundimentally altered the school from the original focus of a stem magnet to the most selective Hs in the country, creating a demand where Some parents try to get there kids to their over anything else, thinking if the kids don’t get into th, they are failures.  This pressure is the result of first generation immigrants applying the experiences in there home country to tj.

[/quote]

Maybe there is some truth to that but more significantly, most immigrants tend to be middle class not able to pay for private schools for their children and wanting to have their children receive the best possible education when they cannot pay for private schools or move to the right school zones for the right public high schools etc.

In addition, TJ is still STEM focused in the curriculum, research etc. It just happens to be a very good HS.  [/quote]

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