Anonymous wrote:

donalan wrote:Whoever thinks being smart will get you into TJ is deluded. My son is straight A's, all AAP, taking Honors Geometry in 8th grade tested in the top 25% of the finalist test for TJ and did not get in. You need to go to prep classes where adults train the kids to memorize the answer type the admissions wants. Also you need to pad your child's resume years in advance so they pass the 'STEM Passion' qualifiers.

Know that your child, however hard working and smart, will be compared to hundreds of kids that have been professionally prepared by trained adults for the TJ test literally for years of their young lives. Again, not saying this is good or bad but it is reality. My son would have loved TJ (we didnt care if he went or not but he wanted to go), we failed to understand the competition.

What "finalist" test? Are you talking about the SIS? Those results are not given at the end of the admissions cycle, only test results from the initial TJ test are released at the time of acceptance/denial.

donalan wrote:Whoever thinks being smart will get you into TJ is deluded. My son is straight A's, all AAP, taking Honors Geometry in 8th grade tested in the top 25% of the finalist test for TJ and did not get in. You need to go to prep classes where adults train the kids to memorize the answer type the admissions wants. Also you need to pad your child's resume years in advance so they pass the 'STEM Passion' qualifiers.

Know that your child, however hard working and smart, will be compared to hundreds of kids that have been professionally prepared by trained adults for the TJ test literally for years of their young lives. Again, not saying this is good or bad but it is reality. My son would have loved TJ (we didnt care if he went or not but he wanted to go), we failed to understand the competition.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

donalan wrote:Whoever thinks being smart will get you into TJ is deluded. My son is straight A's, all AAP, taking Honors Geometry in 8th grade tested in the top 25% of the finalist test for TJ and did not get in. You need to go to prep classes where adults train the kids to memorize the answer type the admissions wants. Also you need to pad your child's resume years in advance so they pass the 'STEM Passion' qualifiers.

Know that your child, however hard working and smart, will be compared to hundreds of kids that have been professionally prepared by trained adults for the TJ test literally for years of their young lives. Again, not saying this is good or bad but it is reality. My son would have loved TJ (we didnt care if he went or not but he wanted to go), we failed to understand the competition.

This is utter nonsense, obviously overblown by someone disappointed their kid didn't get in.

NP. Wouldn't you be disappointed if your child had all As in AAP and scored in the top 25 percent of finalists on the test and wasn't accepted? It would seem like less objective factors are used to determine the final cut. I can see where that would be frustrating.

Anonymous wrote:

donalan wrote:Whoever thinks being smart will get you into TJ is deluded. My son is straight A's, all AAP, taking Honors Geometry in 8th grade tested in the top 25% of the finalist test for TJ and did not get in. You need to go to prep classes where adults train the kids to memorize the answer type the admissions wants. Also you need to pad your child's resume years in advance so they pass the 'STEM Passion' qualifiers.

Know that your child, however hard working and smart, will be compared to hundreds of kids that have been professionally prepared by trained adults for the TJ test literally for years of their young lives. Again, not saying this is good or bad but it is reality. My son would have loved TJ (we didnt care if he went or not but he wanted to go), we failed to understand the competition.

This is utter nonsense, obviously overblown by someone disappointed their kid didn't get in.

donalan wrote:Whoever thinks being smart will get you into TJ is deluded. My son is straight A's, all AAP, taking Honors Geometry in 8th grade tested in the top 25% of the finalist test for TJ and did not get in. You need to go to prep classes where adults train the kids to memorize the answer type the admissions wants. Also you need to pad your child's resume years in advance so they pass the 'STEM Passion' qualifiers.

Know that your child, however hard working and smart, will be compared to hundreds of kids that have been professionally prepared by trained adults for the TJ test literally for years of their young lives. Again, not saying this is good or bad but it is reality. My son would have loved TJ (we didnt care if he went or not but he wanted to go), we failed to understand the competition.

Anonymous wrote:Some good TJ Test Prep classes are Fairfax Collegiate (Summer Course), Best Academy in Springfield VA, and TJ Diversity course (for Eighth graders taking the test)

I would not bother with test prep.
Instead I would encourage my child to continue with the educational activities she already enjoys and also make sure she has lots of interesting books to read. Some STEM-focused kids don't read as much as humanities-focused kids, so reading a broad variety of fiction and non-fiction can help with comprehension and writing ability. I think the child who is good at math and science *and* can write well will stand out in the application group. The best way to improve one's writing is by reading. Your child's English teacher or your local librarian might be able to suggest a list of good literature that a young teen would enjoy.
Add up the number of hours you'd be willing to put in for test prep and ensure that your child reads good works of literature during that time and you will have a child who is well on her way to a great education- whether she goes to TJ or not.