I was thinking the same thing earlier today while I was out and about. "It’s such a beautiful day, and my TJ kid has to be inside studying." At least he got to enjoy plenty of those gorgeous days before high school, and he’ll have many more after, lol.

It’ll be ok, OP. DD’s a senior. Last year was TOUGH but the second hardest time was the first couple months of TJ 9th grade. Yes compared to later grades they are easing you in but it doesn’t feel like it due to the shift from MS.

Math was the toughest adjustment since it was much less of a direct instruction approach than MS. He’ll get there, OP. By Nov he’ll still be working a lot (DD has done at least some HW almost every weekend of HS) but it will feel a lot more manageable. Don’t let the schoolwork dissuade him from doing ECs. Those are so important to plug into friends and also have some fun time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will put kid in good stead for college. Everyone in my incoming MIT class expected to be in the top half of the class. This was asked at orientation. "Raise your hand if you expect to be in the top half..". Most everyone raised their hand. Speaker said, "Look around. Think about that,"
People sheepishly started lowering their hands..

I'm a fairly recent MIT grad and we had no idea what our standing was at MIT.

This was asked incoming. You have an idea during from your GPA and major GPA.
Do you get in an honor society? Etc.

What did he think it would be like?

Anonymous wrote:Will put kid in good stead for college. Everyone in my incoming MIT class expected to be in the top half of the class. This was asked at orientation. "Raise your hand if you expect to be in the top half..". Most everyone raised their hand. Speaker said, "Look around. Think about that,"
People sheepishly started lowering their hands..

I'm a fairly recent MIT grad and we had no idea what our standing was at MIT.

Freshman?

Sophomore Mom, this is the easy part...my kid had As until 2nd semester when the burnout started. It was actually Spanish that really burned.

We now have a tutor day 1 of sophomore year.

That is all high schools, no? A big leap from Middle to High school.

Will put kid in good stead for college. Everyone in my incoming MIT class expected to be in the top half of the class. This was asked at orientation. "Raise your hand if you expect to be in the top half..". Most everyone raised their hand. Speaker said, "Look around. Think about that,"
People sheepishly started lowering their hands..

I dunno, my DC's experience is that TJ really is no different, no harder, than my own high school experience, at what was admittedly a very good academically-oriented high school.

Granted, the elementary and middle school experience was much lower, and the adjustment period for DC has been a bit rough.

Junior year and first half of senior year are going to be like that. 9th and 10th are relatively low key and stress free, so it is going to be an adjustment starting junior year.

Yeah - our experience has been pretty similar.

For the kid who breezed through middle school, high school at TJ has been a rude surprise...

We believe she has the intellectual capacity to handle it, and TJ is a good challenge and kick to her system.

And…

It's saturday and my kid is studying.
He's always been an A student with no effort.
He's no longer getting perfect grades.
This is going to be an adjustment.