Anonymous
Post 02/26/2013 12:17     Subject: Longfellow, Carson, etc % admitted to TJ?
Anonymous wrote:

There is more to life than TJ. The areas that feed into Longfellow and Kilmer AAP are the most expensive parts of Fairfax and convenient to both DC and Tysons. The areas that feed into Carson and Rocky Run AAP are also nice areas that are convenient to tech jobs along Route 28 and the DTR corredor. Not saying there may not be some people who specifically seek out, say, the Carson MS district for the AAP/TJ potential in the same way that others seek out the Haycock ES district, but that's just a fraction of the people who live there.




Seems like it might be a good investment, though, especially if you've got smart kids.

I was brought up in Southern Maryland and I specifically moved to Fairfax County because I knew I wanted to start a family here where there are great public schools. Icing on the cake for my kids is the chance to get into one of the best high schools in the country! If not TJ, the High Schools in FX are still the best in the state and still rate high nationally. ...
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2013 10:05     Subject: Longfellow, Carson, etc % admitted to TJ?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I find it fascinating that four schools have roughly 10% of their 8th graders going to TJ every year. I'm sure those are great middle schools, and it's not surprising that roughly 80% of those kids are in the GT program at those schools.

It seems that while TJ surely enrolls many super smart and talented kids, it must also pull in a ton of just average-smart kids.

But I don't know much about it and don't live in VA. Can anyone with more experience school me about this situation?


People move and buy into these school districts for the TJ admit rate. It creates a positive feedback loop.


There is more to life than TJ. The areas that feed into Longfellow and Kilmer AAP are the most expensive parts of Fairfax and convenient to both DC and Tysons. The areas that feed into Carson and Rocky Run AAP are also nice areas that are convenient to tech jobs along Route 28 and the DTR corredor. Not saying there may not be some people who specifically seek out, say, the Carson MS district for the AAP/TJ potential in the same way that others seek out the Haycock ES district, but that's just a fraction of the people who live there.
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2013 06:09     Subject: Longfellow, Carson, etc % admitted to TJ?
Anonymous wrote:I find it fascinating that four schools have roughly 10% of their 8th graders going to TJ every year. I'm sure those are great middle schools, and it's not surprising that roughly 80% of those kids are in the GT program at those schools.

It seems that while TJ surely enrolls many super smart and talented kids, it must also pull in a ton of just average-smart kids.

But I don't know much about it and don't live in VA. Can anyone with more experience school me about this situation?


People move and buy into these school districts for the TJ admit rate. It creates a positive feedback loop.
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2013 05:38     Subject: Longfellow, Carson, etc % admitted to TJ?
Anonymous wrote:I find it fascinating that four schools have roughly 10% of their 8th graders going to TJ every year. I'm sure those are great middle schools, and it's not surprising that roughly 80% of those kids are in the GT program at those schools.

It seems that while TJ surely enrolls many super smart and talented kids, it must also pull in a ton of just average-smart kids.

But I don't know much about it and don't live in VA. Can anyone with more experience school me about this situation?


"Race to Nowhere" on steriods.
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2013 05:20     Subject: Longfellow, Carson, etc % admitted to TJ?
I find it fascinating that four schools have roughly 10% of their 8th graders going to TJ every year. I'm sure those are great middle schools, and it's not surprising that roughly 80% of those kids are in the GT program at those schools.

It seems that while TJ surely enrolls many super smart and talented kids, it must also pull in a ton of just average-smart kids.

But I don't know much about it and don't live in VA. Can anyone with more experience school me about this situation?
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2013 21:03     Subject: Re:Longfellow, Carson, etc % admitted to TJ?
Anonymous wrote:Some children do not do better under the pressure - they come to feel that school is not much fun. We are keeping our DC out of AAP for this reason. I think DC would be miserable with the heavy workload at such a young age.


Pressure at school? School is not much fun? Heavy workload? Where might this be happening? It's certainly not at an AAP Center.
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2013 15:05     Subject: Re:Longfellow, Carson, etc % admitted to TJ?
Anonymous wrote:My strategy was/is to get my kids in with the highest performing kids possible. They will just get better. Almost like osmosis. Same reason kids want to go to Harvard - to be around the brightest, to be challenged, to do important work. Sure it's possible if they aren't in these groups, but a whole lot more possibilities open up in they are in these groups...


This is a good strategy. Only you know your children and what motivates them. I'm sure you can appreciate that some parents feel their children would not do better in AAP. Being around the brightest for some children is very intimidating. Some children do not do better under the pressure - they come to feel that school is not much fun. We are keeping our DC out of AAP for this reason. I think DC would be miserable with the heavy workload at such a young age. I do think that as DC matures, then the Honors/AAP route may be more benficial. I'm not sure that any more possibilites open up in AAP in elementary, but if you have the type of child that is quirky, I've heard that AAP can be a welcoming environment.
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2013 14:53     Subject: Re:Longfellow, Carson, etc % admitted to TJ?
My strategy was/is to get my kids in with the highest performing kids possible. They will just get better. Almost like osmosis. Same reason kids want to go to Harvard - to be around the brightest, to be challenged, to do important work. Sure it's possible if they aren't in these groups, but a whole lot more possibilities open up in they are in these groups...
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2013 14:48     Subject: Longfellow, Carson, etc % admitted to TJ?
Exactly - it is a self-selecting group. The students who go to the center are already talented. They have very high test scores and achievement. These students may do well even if they didn't go to the center. It seems that the ones electing the center are the types that are "TJ or bust." They already have it in their mind in elementary/middle school that they would want to go to TJ if given the option.
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2013 14:46     Subject: Re:Longfellow, Carson, etc % admitted to TJ?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
something like 80% of the students admitted from Longfellow were in AAP and 20% were not.


The PP had a point. If 20% of the Longfellow admissions to TJ were non-AAP, then that would be around 14 students. 14 is still more than most of the MS in Fairfax.



It may be true in that one school (and "something like" is not really a source) but just look at the numbers going to TJ in NON-GT Center schools. Maybe 1 or 2 a year, if that.

If you want your child to attend TJ, the best chance is gained by getting them into a GT Center. The numbers speak for themselves...
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2013 14:44     Subject: Re:Longfellow, Carson, etc % admitted to TJ?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

Acutally, it proves my point that not ALL students accepted to TJ from Longfellow were AAP. My point was not an opinion.



Nobody said ONLY AAP students go to TJ. The FACT is that the VAST majority of the kids that go to TJ are in the GT Centers. It's as simple as that and it's backed up by facts.

So, if you want to optimize the chances of your child going to TJ, one of the best things you can do is get them into a GT Center. The challenging work and high expectations in a GT Center are obviously paying off for the vast majority of the students attending the GT Centers. Being around other high performing students obviously is paying off because most of the ones getting in are from GT Centers, by a large number....

Sure a few others who are not in GT Centers will get in but they are in the small minority. (just look at Liberty MS!!!)


Correlation does not imply causation.
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2013 14:40     Subject: Re:Longfellow, Carson, etc % admitted to TJ?
Anonymous wrote:

Acutally, it proves my point that not ALL students accepted to TJ from Longfellow were AAP. My point was not an opinion.



Nobody said ONLY AAP students go to TJ. The FACT is that the VAST majority of the kids that go to TJ are in the GT Centers. It's as simple as that and it's backed up by facts.

So, if you want to optimize the chances of your child going to TJ, one of the best things you can do is get them into a GT Center. The challenging work and high expectations in a GT Center are obviously paying off for the vast majority of the students attending the GT Centers. Being around other high performing students obviously is paying off because most of the ones getting in are from GT Centers, by a large number....

Sure a few others who are not in GT Centers will get in but they are in the small minority. (just look at Liberty MS!!!)
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2013 14:32     Subject: Re:Longfellow, Carson, etc % admitted to TJ?
Anonymous wrote:
something like 80% of the students admitted from Longfellow were in AAP and 20% were not.



Thank you. The 80% number above sounds sort of low but it still proves the point....

Just compare Liberty MS to Rocky Run MS: Liberty MS (which has Honors nut no GT Center) is far larger and yet they are lucky if they send 1 or 2 students to TJ every year. However Rocky Run, which has a GT Center, sends about 50 students to TJ every year. It ain't just coincidence!

To the person who thought my comment several messages above was defensive: NOT AT ALL, I 'm simply tired of people giving opinions without the facts to back them up.


The PP had a point. If 20% of the Longfellow admissions to TJ were non-AAP, then that would be around 14 students. 14 is still more than most of the MS in Fairfax.