OP - based on your most recent reply - sounds like TJ is a better match. As long as he is up for the competition part of the equation....he may find it hard to suddenly be amongst other really strong students...so make sure he is mentally prepared for that sort of change.

Did your DS tour the schools? Mine is like yours (also gunning for mechanical engineering), and he came away from the private tours with a "nice, but [insert public] will clearly kick their butts in robotics." At this age, we are inclined to follow his lead (whereas the philosopher in me would have loved any of the privates). He chose public. Both are great options, so his choice really matters.

Anonymous wrote:Omg, please relax and ask your son what *his* goals and priorities are.

Can't you tell from the OP and the OP's follow-up post? OP is an immigrant and in all likelihood does not give a whit what the kid's wishes and priorities are. That doesn't factor into the equation.

Seriously OP, just do TJ. If he can get in, it is worthwhile.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. You have a six year old at this time. (?)

No, I have a 7th grader. He is brilliant in science and math, particularly at mechanical science. He has won two important awards and I know he will have a great shot at TJ (his teachers are all encouraging him to apply.) But is it better than the big 3, because it sure will be cheaper for us!!! We want to offer him the BEST education his last 4 years of school.

If can clearly define "BEST", that would help. What is the "BEST" for one kid is not for another. What is "BEST" for one family is not for another. And since we're discussing science, make sure you don't define "BEST" in terms of "most rigorous", "hardest academics", or other vague terms.

I guess by best I mean a place that will challenge him. Right now his school is doing the best they can, but most of the math and science is not challenging to him any more. He's already doing beyond 8th grade math and science but is not advanced in literature and writing, not his forte at all. By challenge I mean I want a teachers that can encourage and mentor his "creations" and ideas. So teachers with strong science and mathematics backgrounds are a must. I want a place that has more kids like him because right now he is pretty much on his own with the subjects he loves. He has plenty of friends, he is very social and happy, but his friends are not at the same level for an exchange of ideas or a partnering in projects. My husband's parents are well off (they already have college covered for all the grandchildren.), but for my son they have also offered to pay $20,000 a year toward private tuition for high school. We can sacrifice some things for 4 years and pay the rest, but if TJ is better, we'll do TJ. I just had heard some great things about the big 3 private schools, I really thought they were better schools than TJ.

My next door neighbor goes to TJ and holy cow, the stuff he studies is really, really advanced.

I'd look at the matriculation patterns and rates of the schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. You have a six year old at this time. (?)

No, I have a 7th grader. He is brilliant in science and math, particularly at mechanical science. He has won two important awards and I know he will have a great shot at TJ (his teachers are all encouraging him to apply.) But is it better than the big 3, because it sure will be cheaper for us!!! We want to offer him the BEST education his last 4 years of school.

Absolutely, TJ will be far superior in terms of peer group. The Big 3 skew more towards humanities - a generalization of course, but just look at the number of Intel Science Fair winners from TJ vs the Big 3. That's your answer.

If you were asking about a classical, well rounded education, I would say yes, Big 3, but if your focus is solely on math/science, it doesn't get much better than TJ.

Omg, please relax and ask your son what *his* goals and priorities are.

It can help the OP think about them.

My 2 cents, just go to TJ and save the money to make college easy and enjoy summer breaks, etc.

But you may want to apply to privates concurrently in case not accepted or you decide you want private.

TJ, you can't pay your way in

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. You have a six year old at this time. (?)

No, I have a 7th grader. He is brilliant in science and math, particularly at mechanical science. He has won two important awards and I know he will have a great shot at TJ (his teachers are all encouraging him to apply.) But is it better than the big 3, because it sure will be cheaper for us!!! We want to offer him the BEST education his last 4 years of school.

If can clearly define "BEST", that would help. What is the "BEST" for one kid is not for another. What is "BEST" for one family is not for another. And since we're discussing science, make sure you don't define "BEST" in terms of "most rigorous", "hardest academics", or other vague terms.

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. You have a six year old at this time. (?)

No, I have a 7th grader. He is brilliant in science and math, particularly at mechanical science. He has won two important awards and I know he will have a great shot at TJ (his teachers are all encouraging him to apply.) But is it better than the big 3, because it sure will be cheaper for us!!! We want to offer him the BEST education his last 4 years of school.

This sounds like the title of a 1950s boys' adventure story.

Let me guess. You have a six year old at this time. (?)

If your child is math and science oriented and could get into TJ for high school, would you still pay for a big 3? If so why? Do you think the big 3 are stronger academically than TJ?