There's probably about the same amount of SAT prep at TJ now than there was before. The kids who are naturally very bright don't need any prep to earn NMSF or a 1500+ SAT/35+ ACT.

My kid is bright but not some sort of super genius. They got NMSF, a 1520 SAT, and a 36 ACT with no prep and as a one-and-done for each. Before the admissions change, the top half of the TJ kids only prepped to push their natural 1500 up to a 1580+. There was otherwise no need to prep.

A 1440 average SAT score for a school like TJ is pathetic, no matter how you spin it. Any TJ worthy kid should be able to score above a 1440, even if they took the test cold.

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Anonymous wrote:Kids from TJ get into the real world and dominate pretty much regardless of where they go to undergrad.

The differences in opportunities as far as course availability, facilities and equipment, and student groups is just so incredibly stark when compared to even the best base schools.

So yeah, it's possible that it might be a little harder to get into the most elite colleges from TJ... but as the years and decades have gone by, the value add from those schools has been depressed significantly AND you're increasing your chances of admission by a relatively small amount - it's by no means a guarantee.

This is ridiculous. Let me guess: you're sending out annual surveys that are answered by professors and employers from senior year of HS onward? No, this is what you're telling yourself. The answer is that very bright kids generally do well no matter where they are.

That's like a base HS kid who goes to an ivy league looking at the TJ kid going to VCU and saying "kids in the top of their HSs who get into the ivies dominate because their colleges are far superior to lower ranked colleges. We have more money from the endowment pouring in!!" The answer is that bright kids are bright and do well no matter where they are, and that includes middle school to base HS OR TJ and then base HS OR TJ on to x college.

- We turned TJ down for base HS and my kid is heading to an ivy next year. It is NOT "a little" harder to getting into elite schools from TJ. It's a lot harder. We strategically picked our local HS.

This is smart.

Thanks…hard decision four years ago - but we felt it was the right one for us then and we are very glad we did it.

No offense but I don't buy that it is a LOT harder to get into elite schools from TJ.

None of the kids I know that got into HYPSM from Langley would have had much trouble at TJ.
Most of the handw5ringing these days is the gross underperformance of the kids that are getting in under the new admissions process that would not have gotten in under the prior admissions process.
Aside from that there is a fairly significant effect for kids that might have gotten into UVA from their base school that will not get in from TJ.

TJ sends almost as many kids to HYPSM as the rest of FCPS combined.

-1,000

Do you even have a current 11th-12th grade TJ student or a TJ grad from ‘25?

I'd love the answer to this...

I have a TJ grad, not '25.

Year? If you don't have current information, your input needs to be viewed through that lens. College admissions are not what they were even 4 years ago.

DP. I hate to be pedantic about this but strategizing a decision about TJ around college admissions is not a great value proposition. The delta between what you're getting at TJ vs. base school in FCPS is so much greater than the delta between typical TJ destinations and HYPSM - assuming you even get in.

- access to exceptional club opportunities *during the school day*
- access to extremely advanced STEM classes
- access to equipment and facilities that exceed what exists at many universities for first and second year students
- access to a student body that is 100% focused on school
- access to far greater athletic opportunities than are available at most FCPS schools
- access to TJ's insane alumni network

Now, if your kid can't handle it, or if your kid genuinely hates STEM, then yes, it's not the right fit. But to choose not to apply or to decline the offer without even trying it for a year for other reasons... tough to understand that.

The biggest difference in college admissions between Tj and base school is probably UVA. If UVA is a target at base school it can become a reach at TJ both because of the effect TJ rigor has on GPA and because UVA gets so many TJ applications.

But if you have what it takes to be successful at TJ, then all other things being equal, having the TJ name on your application is undeniably a benefit. The primary downside is the effect of rigor on GPA.
Top schools are used to taking more students from TJ than they are getting right now so they are not saying no to TJ because they already have too many kids from TJ.

The bolded is not factual.

Your penultimate paragraph is true: IF you will be a top TJ student, that’s better for college admissions than a top base student. Obviously, there is no way to tell where your kid’s GPA will land at TJ 3 years in, until it’s too late.

Class of 2024 had significantly better college admission results than class of 2025

You need a citation on this and it can't be the instagram feeds that only had like a quarter to a fifth of the graduating classes reporting.

Of course it can be instragram feeds. Unless you have some reason to believe that they are not similarly representative those two years?
That plus the fact that the average SAT dropped like 80 points.

Why would they be? There's no reason to assume that they are. It's not like the ones that were posted out were necessarily the best in each class.

The law of large numbers implies that a sample size this large was as representative in 20243 as it was in 2025.
That combined with the fact that SAT scores dropped by 80 points is pretty good evidence that college outcomes declined.

To this poster who wrote “SAT score dropped by 80 points” multiple times in every TJ thread (I know, you just want to emphasize it to make sure everyone read it).

The SAT score dropped 80 points is because TJ kids from new admission is different kind of kids, of course they both the same kind of smart kids.

Large percentage of old TJ kids got in because of heavy and costly test prep, and certainly they continue with heavy SAT prep to continue the rat race.

It is no longer that way, and won’t be back that way pretty soon, no matter how hard you pushed to back to the glory of test prep industry.

The “dropped SAT score” that you keep repeating doesn’t dismiss the intellectual quality of present TJ kids.

SAT score is only one factor from many of college admission.

Wait. You think the kids at TJ now aren't prepping for the SAT?!?! Are you stupid?

Going from 1520 to 1440 is a pretty big drop, no matter how you try to spin it.

Almost every Ivy+ school is going test required.

DP. Oh man, this is a short post but there's a LOT to unpack here.

1) Yeah, the kids at TJ are still prepping for the SAT. But categorically I can tell you they're not doing so nearly as obsessively, and they also don't have the same resources to afford the same quality of bespoke prep as their predecessors (on balance because we're talking about a group-wide average). The SAT and all standardized tests have been demonstrably shown to favor affluent students even when controlling for intellect, so it should come as no surprise that a class that is significantly less wealthy would score worse (but still AMAZINGLY WELL!) on standardized exams.

2) Because test-taking ability is no longer a hard and fast requirement to get into TJ, you're far more likely to have a few kids who are bringing down that average significantly as a function of their lack of experience in the standardized testing universe. My SAT score improved by 100 points - to over 1500 - the second time I took it, and I did no additional prep from round 1 to round 2.

3) With regard to almost every Ivy school going test-required... that's fine, but the deeply experienced admissions officers there aren't simply making decisions based on a student's SAT scores. They are paid handsomely to look at the student's entire profile, of which testing is one small part that feeds into a broader narrative including the student's personal circumstances.

And lastly - your original point was that "TJ college admissions outcomes are declining". And a big part of the evidence you're citing is those Instagram accounts. As embarrassing as that choice is on its face, it also has an additional flaw: You cannot assume - especially in today's less-wealthy TJ environment - that TJ students are matriculating to the most prestigious school to which they're admitted.

More and more TJ families are making college choices based on the value proposition, and some TJ students are accepting scholarships to go to less-prestigious schools or are simply choosing less expensive in-state options. GMU is becoming more popular at TJ, partly because of its rapidly growing cybersecurity program but also because kids can stay home rather than paying to live on or near campus.

You can't assume that TJ kids aren't getting admitted to elite schools just because they're not choosing to attend them.

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Anonymous wrote:Kids from TJ get into the real world and dominate pretty much regardless of where they go to undergrad.

The differences in opportunities as far as course availability, facilities and equipment, and student groups is just so incredibly stark when compared to even the best base schools.

So yeah, it's possible that it might be a little harder to get into the most elite colleges from TJ... but as the years and decades have gone by, the value add from those schools has been depressed significantly AND you're increasing your chances of admission by a relatively small amount - it's by no means a guarantee.

This is ridiculous. Let me guess: you're sending out annual surveys that are answered by professors and employers from senior year of HS onward? No, this is what you're telling yourself. The answer is that very bright kids generally do well no matter where they are.

That's like a base HS kid who goes to an ivy league looking at the TJ kid going to VCU and saying "kids in the top of their HSs who get into the ivies dominate because their colleges are far superior to lower ranked colleges. We have more money from the endowment pouring in!!" The answer is that bright kids are bright and do well no matter where they are, and that includes middle school to base HS OR TJ and then base HS OR TJ on to x college.

- We turned TJ down for base HS and my kid is heading to an ivy next year. It is NOT "a little" harder to getting into elite schools from TJ. It's a lot harder. We strategically picked our local HS.

This is smart.

Thanks…hard decision four years ago - but we felt it was the right one for us then and we are very glad we did it.

No offense but I don't buy that it is a LOT harder to get into elite schools from TJ.

None of the kids I know that got into HYPSM from Langley would have had much trouble at TJ.
Most of the handw5ringing these days is the gross underperformance of the kids that are getting in under the new admissions process that would not have gotten in under the prior admissions process.
Aside from that there is a fairly significant effect for kids that might have gotten into UVA from their base school that will not get in from TJ.

TJ sends almost as many kids to HYPSM as the rest of FCPS combined.

-1,000

Do you even have a current 11th-12th grade TJ student or a TJ grad from ‘25?

I'd love the answer to this...

I have a TJ grad, not '25.

Year? If you don't have current information, your input needs to be viewed through that lens. College admissions are not what they were even 4 years ago.

So you're saying that 4 years going to TJ was possibly a good idea but it isn't today? Why?

DP - College admissions should not be the end-stage outcome nor should it be considered a pre-requisite for the end-stage outcome.

Even if it is slightly harder to get to certain schools from TJ than it is elsewhere (and I'm not convinced it is except in certain cases), it doesn't matter because college admissions just isn't that big a deal anymore.

TJ kids are increasingly exiting college early to found their companies that they'll sell for 7-8 figures and start over again. And the colleges they're leaving aren't Harvard or Princeton.

Don't screw your kid over because you're stuck in a 2005 mindset.

I think what a lot of parents don't understand is that undergrad is not really a terminal degree anymore.

Spot on. Or how easy transferring can be in a lot of cases, especially in-state.

I don't think people go to TJ thinking that college options will be worse for many (had they just stayed at their base school) but they realize they can just transfer. Our friends with current seniors are all disappointed right now (ED rejections, UVA deferrals).

I think a lot of people (including the FCPS board) have the wrong idea about TJ
It's not an award, it's an opportunity.
It's an opportunity in a "that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger" sort of way.
Admitting kids along hierarchies of equity rather than hierarchies of competency was a disservice to everyone.

It's been said on this board a thousand times and it is not controversial to say that you shouldn't go to TJ to improve college admissions results.

Yeah, why do merely smart kids deserve opportunity?

Because they are the [b]only ones that can take advantage of that opportunity. The only ones it won't kill but will actually make stronger.

🤦‍♀️ people believe this.

Because it's true.

Place an unprepared kid at TJ and they drown and fail.

Lots of smart kids don't attend TJ. Lots and lots and lots.

The questions was why the opportunity was limited to smart kids.

It may not catch all smart kids but that is an argument for expanding the program not lowering standards.

Are you implying that TJ catches the majority of smart kids in FCPS?

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Anonymous wrote:Kids from TJ get into the real world and dominate pretty much regardless of where they go to undergrad.

The differences in opportunities as far as course availability, facilities and equipment, and student groups is just so incredibly stark when compared to even the best base schools.

So yeah, it's possible that it might be a little harder to get into the most elite colleges from TJ... but as the years and decades have gone by, the value add from those schools has been depressed significantly AND you're increasing your chances of admission by a relatively small amount - it's by no means a guarantee.

This is ridiculous. Let me guess: you're sending out annual surveys that are answered by professors and employers from senior year of HS onward? No, this is what you're telling yourself. The answer is that very bright kids generally do well no matter where they are.

That's like a base HS kid who goes to an ivy league looking at the TJ kid going to VCU and saying "kids in the top of their HSs who get into the ivies dominate because their colleges are far superior to lower ranked colleges. We have more money from the endowment pouring in!!" The answer is that bright kids are bright and do well no matter where they are, and that includes middle school to base HS OR TJ and then base HS OR TJ on to x college.

- We turned TJ down for base HS and my kid is heading to an ivy next year. It is NOT "a little" harder to getting into elite schools from TJ. It's a lot harder. We strategically picked our local HS.

This is smart.

Thanks…hard decision four years ago - but we felt it was the right one for us then and we are very glad we did it.

No offense but I don't buy that it is a LOT harder to get into elite schools from TJ.

None of the kids I know that got into HYPSM from Langley would have had much trouble at TJ.
Most of the handw5ringing these days is the gross underperformance of the kids that are getting in under the new admissions process that would not have gotten in under the prior admissions process.
Aside from that there is a fairly significant effect for kids that might have gotten into UVA from their base school that will not get in from TJ.

TJ sends almost as many kids to HYPSM as the rest of FCPS combined.

-1,000

Do you even have a current 11th-12th grade TJ student or a TJ grad from ‘25?

I'd love the answer to this...

I have a TJ grad, not '25.

Year? If you don't have current information, your input needs to be viewed through that lens. College admissions are not what they were even 4 years ago.

DP. I hate to be pedantic about this but strategizing a decision about TJ around college admissions is not a great value proposition. The delta between what you're getting at TJ vs. base school in FCPS is so much greater than the delta between typical TJ destinations and HYPSM - assuming you even get in.

- access to exceptional club opportunities *during the school day*
- access to extremely advanced STEM classes
- access to equipment and facilities that exceed what exists at many universities for first and second year students
- access to a student body that is 100% focused on school
- access to far greater athletic opportunities than are available at most FCPS schools
- access to TJ's insane alumni network

Now, if your kid can't handle it, or if your kid genuinely hates STEM, then yes, it's not the right fit. But to choose not to apply or to decline the offer without even trying it for a year for other reasons... tough to understand that.

The biggest difference in college admissions between Tj and base school is probably UVA. If UVA is a target at base school it can become a reach at TJ both because of the effect TJ rigor has on GPA and because UVA gets so many TJ applications.

But if you have what it takes to be successful at TJ, then all other things being equal, having the TJ name on your application is undeniably a benefit. The primary downside is the effect of rigor on GPA.
Top schools are used to taking more students from TJ than they are getting right now so they are not saying no to TJ because they already have too many kids from TJ.

The bolded is not factual.

Your penultimate paragraph is true: IF you will be a top TJ student, that’s better for college admissions than a top base student. Obviously, there is no way to tell where your kid’s GPA will land at TJ 3 years in, until it’s too late.

Class of 2024 had significantly better college admission results than class of 2025

You need a citation on this and it can't be the instagram feeds that only had like a quarter to a fifth of the graduating classes reporting.

Of course it can be instragram feeds. Unless you have some reason to believe that they are not similarly representative those two years?
That plus the fact that the average SAT dropped like 80 points.

Why would they be? There's no reason to assume that they are. It's not like the ones that were posted out were necessarily the best in each class.

The law of large numbers implies that a sample size this large was as representative in 20243 as it was in 2025.
That combined with the fact that SAT scores dropped by 80 points is pretty good evidence that college outcomes declined.

To this poster who wrote “SAT score dropped by 80 points” multiple times in every TJ thread (I know, you just want to emphasize it to make sure everyone read it).

The SAT score dropped 80 points is because TJ kids from new admission is different kind of kids, of course they both the same kind of smart kids.

Large percentage of old TJ kids got in because of heavy and costly test prep, and certainly they continue with heavy SAT prep to continue the rat race.

It is no longer that way, and won’t be back that way pretty soon, no matter how hard you pushed to back to the glory of test prep industry.

The “dropped SAT score” that you keep repeating doesn’t dismiss the intellectual quality of present TJ kids.

SAT score is only one factor from many of college admission.

Wait. You think the kids at TJ now aren't prepping for the SAT?!?! Are you stupid?

Going from 1520 to 1440 is a pretty big drop, no matter how you try to spin it.

Almost every Ivy+ school is going test required.

I am the (stupid) poster your are referring too.

I did not say TJ kids now aren’t prep for SAT, and I did not try to spin anything.
TJ kids now is less of students that trained to test, as prior.

And even though I am stupid, I know that in order to apply to Ivy you need to submit SAT score, but you also need to show your GPA, your HS, your rigor, classes taken, your achievement, essay, extracurricular, rec letter, economy background, social background, geography, and etc.

Do you see my point?

NP: I don’t see your point. You said: “The SAT score dropped 80 points is because TJ kids from new admission is different kind of kids, of course they both the same kind of smart kids. Large percentage of old TJ kids got in because of heavy and costly test prep, and certainly they continue with heavy SAT prep to continue the rat race. It is no longer that way, and won’t be back that way pretty soon, no matter how hard you pushed to back to the glory of test prep industry. The “dropped SAT score” that you keep repeating doesn’t dismiss the intellectual quality of present TJ kids.”

1 TJ is still a rat race (one reason for rampant cheating)

2. Your explanation makes zero sense. Kids under the old admission standard prepped for the sat/act and so do the new. The scores after ‘24 graduates finished are significantly down from prior scores.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids from TJ get into the real world and dominate pretty much regardless of where they go to undergrad.

The differences in opportunities as far as course availability, facilities and equipment, and student groups is just so incredibly stark when compared to even the best base schools.

So yeah, it's possible that it might be a little harder to get into the most elite colleges from TJ... but as the years and decades have gone by, the value add from those schools has been depressed significantly AND you're increasing your chances of admission by a relatively small amount - it's by no means a guarantee.

This is ridiculous. Let me guess: you're sending out annual surveys that are answered by professors and employers from senior year of HS onward? No, this is what you're telling yourself. The answer is that very bright kids generally do well no matter where they are.

That's like a base HS kid who goes to an ivy league looking at the TJ kid going to VCU and saying "kids in the top of their HSs who get into the ivies dominate because their colleges are far superior to lower ranked colleges. We have more money from the endowment pouring in!!" The answer is that bright kids are bright and do well no matter where they are, and that includes middle school to base HS OR TJ and then base HS OR TJ on to x college.

- We turned TJ down for base HS and my kid is heading to an ivy next year. It is NOT "a little" harder to getting into elite schools from TJ. It's a lot harder. We strategically picked our local HS.

This is smart.

Thanks…hard decision four years ago - but we felt it was the right one for us then and we are very glad we did it.

No offense but I don't buy that it is a LOT harder to get into elite schools from TJ.

None of the kids I know that got into HYPSM from Langley would have had much trouble at TJ.
Most of the handw5ringing these days is the gross underperformance of the kids that are getting in under the new admissions process that would not have gotten in under the prior admissions process.
Aside from that there is a fairly significant effect for kids that might have gotten into UVA from their base school that will not get in from TJ.

TJ sends almost as many kids to HYPSM as the rest of FCPS combined.

-1,000

Do you even have a current 11th-12th grade TJ student or a TJ grad from ‘25?

I'd love the answer to this...

I have a TJ grad, not '25.

Year? If you don't have current information, your input needs to be viewed through that lens. College admissions are not what they were even 4 years ago.

DP. I hate to be pedantic about this but strategizing a decision about TJ around college admissions is not a great value proposition. The delta between what you're getting at TJ vs. base school in FCPS is so much greater than the delta between typical TJ destinations and HYPSM - assuming you even get in.

- access to exceptional club opportunities *during the school day*
- access to extremely advanced STEM classes
- access to equipment and facilities that exceed what exists at many universities for first and second year students
- access to a student body that is 100% focused on school
- access to far greater athletic opportunities than are available at most FCPS schools
- access to TJ's insane alumni network

Now, if your kid can't handle it, or if your kid genuinely hates STEM, then yes, it's not the right fit. But to choose not to apply or to decline the offer without even trying it for a year for other reasons... tough to understand that.

The biggest difference in college admissions between Tj and base school is probably UVA. If UVA is a target at base school it can become a reach at TJ both because of the effect TJ rigor has on GPA and because UVA gets so many TJ applications.

But if you have what it takes to be successful at TJ, then all other things being equal, having the TJ name on your application is undeniably a benefit. The primary downside is the effect of rigor on GPA.
Top schools are used to taking more students from TJ than they are getting right now so they are not saying no to TJ because they already have too many kids from TJ.

The bolded is not factual.

Your penultimate paragraph is true: IF you will be a top TJ student, that’s better for college admissions than a top base student. Obviously, there is no way to tell where your kid’s GPA will land at TJ 3 years in, until it’s too late.

Class of 2024 had significantly better college admission results than class of 2025

You need a citation on this and it can't be the instagram feeds that only had like a quarter to a fifth of the graduating classes reporting.

Of course it can be instragram feeds. Unless you have some reason to believe that they are not similarly representative those two years?
That plus the fact that the average SAT dropped like 80 points.

Why would they be? There's no reason to assume that they are. It's not like the ones that were posted out were necessarily the best in each class.

The law of large numbers implies that a sample size this large was as representative in 20243 as it was in 2025.
That combined with the fact that SAT scores dropped by 80 points is pretty good evidence that college outcomes declined.

To this poster who wrote “SAT score dropped by 80 points” multiple times in every TJ thread (I know, you just want to emphasize it to make sure everyone read it).

The SAT score dropped 80 points is because TJ kids from new admission is different kind of kids, of course they both the same kind of smart kids.

Large percentage of old TJ kids got in because of heavy and costly test prep, and certainly they continue with heavy SAT prep to continue the rat race.

It is no longer that way, and won’t be back that way pretty soon, no matter how hard you pushed to back to the glory of test prep industry.

The “dropped SAT score” that you keep repeating doesn’t dismiss the intellectual quality of present TJ kids.

SAT score is only one factor from many of college admission.

Wait. You think the kids at TJ now aren't prepping for the SAT?!?! Are you stupid?

Going from 1520 to 1440 is a pretty big drop, no matter how you try to spin it.

Almost every Ivy+ school is going test required.

I am the (stupid) poster your are referring too.

I did not say TJ kids now aren’t prep for SAT, and I did not try to spin anything.
TJ kids now is less of students that trained to test, as prior.

And even though I am stupid, I know that in order to apply to Ivy you need to submit SAT score, but you also need to show your GPA, your HS, your rigor, classes taken, your achievement, essay, extracurricular, rec letter, economy background, social background, geography, and etc.

Do you see my point?

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids from TJ get into the real world and dominate pretty much regardless of where they go to undergrad.

The differences in opportunities as far as course availability, facilities and equipment, and student groups is just so incredibly stark when compared to even the best base schools.

So yeah, it's possible that it might be a little harder to get into the most elite colleges from TJ... but as the years and decades have gone by, the value add from those schools has been depressed significantly AND you're increasing your chances of admission by a relatively small amount - it's by no means a guarantee.

This is ridiculous. Let me guess: you're sending out annual surveys that are answered by professors and employers from senior year of HS onward? No, this is what you're telling yourself. The answer is that very bright kids generally do well no matter where they are.

That's like a base HS kid who goes to an ivy league looking at the TJ kid going to VCU and saying "kids in the top of their HSs who get into the ivies dominate because their colleges are far superior to lower ranked colleges. We have more money from the endowment pouring in!!" The answer is that bright kids are bright and do well no matter where they are, and that includes middle school to base HS OR TJ and then base HS OR TJ on to x college.

- We turned TJ down for base HS and my kid is heading to an ivy next year. It is NOT "a little" harder to getting into elite schools from TJ. It's a lot harder. We strategically picked our local HS.

This is smart.

Thanks…hard decision four years ago - but we felt it was the right one for us then and we are very glad we did it.

No offense but I don't buy that it is a LOT harder to get into elite schools from TJ.

None of the kids I know that got into HYPSM from Langley would have had much trouble at TJ.
Most of the handw5ringing these days is the gross underperformance of the kids that are getting in under the new admissions process that would not have gotten in under the prior admissions process.
Aside from that there is a fairly significant effect for kids that might have gotten into UVA from their base school that will not get in from TJ.

TJ sends almost as many kids to HYPSM as the rest of FCPS combined.

-1,000

Do you even have a current 11th-12th grade TJ student or a TJ grad from ‘25?

I'd love the answer to this...

I have a TJ grad, not '25.

Year? If you don't have current information, your input needs to be viewed through that lens. College admissions are not what they were even 4 years ago.

DP. I hate to be pedantic about this but strategizing a decision about TJ around college admissions is not a great value proposition. The delta between what you're getting at TJ vs. base school in FCPS is so much greater than the delta between typical TJ destinations and HYPSM - assuming you even get in.

- access to exceptional club opportunities *during the school day*
- access to extremely advanced STEM classes
- access to equipment and facilities that exceed what exists at many universities for first and second year students
- access to a student body that is 100% focused on school
- access to far greater athletic opportunities than are available at most FCPS schools
- access to TJ's insane alumni network

Now, if your kid can't handle it, or if your kid genuinely hates STEM, then yes, it's not the right fit. But to choose not to apply or to decline the offer without even trying it for a year for other reasons... tough to understand that.

The biggest difference in college admissions between Tj and base school is probably UVA. If UVA is a target at base school it can become a reach at TJ both because of the effect TJ rigor has on GPA and because UVA gets so many TJ applications.

But if you have what it takes to be successful at TJ, then all other things being equal, having the TJ name on your application is undeniably a benefit. The primary downside is the effect of rigor on GPA.
Top schools are used to taking more students from TJ than they are getting right now so they are not saying no to TJ because they already have too many kids from TJ.

The bolded is not factual.

Your penultimate paragraph is true: IF you will be a top TJ student, that’s better for college admissions than a top base student. Obviously, there is no way to tell where your kid’s GPA will land at TJ 3 years in, until it’s too late.

Class of 2024 had significantly better college admission results than class of 2025

You need a citation on this and it can't be the instagram feeds that only had like a quarter to a fifth of the graduating classes reporting.

Of course it can be instragram feeds. Unless you have some reason to believe that they are not similarly representative those two years?
That plus the fact that the average SAT dropped like 80 points.

Why would they be? There's no reason to assume that they are. It's not like the ones that were posted out were necessarily the best in each class.

The law of large numbers implies that a sample size this large was as representative in 20243 as it was in 2025.
That combined with the fact that SAT scores dropped by 80 points is pretty good evidence that college outcomes declined.

To this poster who wrote “SAT score dropped by 80 points” multiple times in every TJ thread (I know, you just want to emphasize it to make sure everyone read it).

The SAT score dropped 80 points is because TJ kids from new admission is different kind of kids, of course they both the same kind of smart kids.

Large percentage of old TJ kids got in because of heavy and costly test prep, and certainly they continue with heavy SAT prep to continue the rat race.

It is no longer that way, and won’t be back that way pretty soon, no matter how hard you pushed to back to the glory of test prep industry.

The “dropped SAT score” that you keep repeating doesn’t dismiss the intellectual quality of present TJ kids.

SAT score is only one factor from many of college admission.

Wait. You think the kids at TJ now aren't prepping for the SAT?!?! Are you stupid?

Going from 1520 to 1440 is a pretty big drop, no matter how you try to spin it.

Almost every Ivy+ school is going test required.

Go to TJ if your kid loves learning.
TJ provides opportunities to do and learn more than what base school offers.

Don’t go to TJ if your goal is college prestige.
Standard is high, classes are hard, curriculum is advanced, peers is very strong.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Kids from TJ get into the real world and dominate pretty much regardless of where they go to undergrad.

The differences in opportunities as far as course availability, facilities and equipment, and student groups is just so incredibly stark when compared to even the best base schools.

So yeah, it's possible that it might be a little harder to get into the most elite colleges from TJ... but as the years and decades have gone by, the value add from those schools has been depressed significantly AND you're increasing your chances of admission by a relatively small amount - it's by no means a guarantee.

This is ridiculous. Let me guess: you're sending out annual surveys that are answered by professors and employers from senior year of HS onward? No, this is what you're telling yourself. The answer is that very bright kids generally do well no matter where they are.

That's like a base HS kid who goes to an ivy league looking at the TJ kid going to VCU and saying "kids in the top of their HSs who get into the ivies dominate because their colleges are far superior to lower ranked colleges. We have more money from the endowment pouring in!!" The answer is that bright kids are bright and do well no matter where they are, and that includes middle school to base HS OR TJ and then base HS OR TJ on to x college.

- We turned TJ down for base HS and my kid is heading to an ivy next year. It is NOT "a little" harder to getting into elite schools from TJ. It's a lot harder. We strategically picked our local HS.

This is smart.

Thanks…hard decision four years ago - but we felt it was the right one for us then and we are very glad we did it.

No offense but I don't buy that it is a LOT harder to get into elite schools from TJ.

None of the kids I know that got into HYPSM from Langley would have had much trouble at TJ.
Most of the handw5ringing these days is the gross underperformance of the kids that are getting in under the new admissions process that would not have gotten in under the prior admissions process.
Aside from that there is a fairly significant effect for kids that might have gotten into UVA from their base school that will not get in from TJ.

TJ sends almost as many kids to HYPSM as the rest of FCPS combined.

-1,000

Do you even have a current 11th-12th grade TJ student or a TJ grad from ‘25?

I'd love the answer to this...

I have a TJ grad, not '25.

Year? If you don't have current information, your input needs to be viewed through that lens. College admissions are not what they were even 4 years ago.

DP. I hate to be pedantic about this but strategizing a decision about TJ around college admissions is not a great value proposition. The delta between what you're getting at TJ vs. base school in FCPS is so much greater than the delta between typical TJ destinations and HYPSM - assuming you even get in.

- access to exceptional club opportunities *during the school day*
- access to extremely advanced STEM classes
- access to equipment and facilities that exceed what exists at many universities for first and second year students
- access to a student body that is 100% focused on school
- access to far greater athletic opportunities than are available at most FCPS schools
- access to TJ's insane alumni network

Now, if your kid can't handle it, or if your kid genuinely hates STEM, then yes, it's not the right fit. But to choose not to apply or to decline the offer without even trying it for a year for other reasons... tough to understand that.

The biggest difference in college admissions between Tj and base school is probably UVA. If UVA is a target at base school it can become a reach at TJ both because of the effect TJ rigor has on GPA and because UVA gets so many TJ applications.

But if you have what it takes to be successful at TJ, then all other things being equal, having the TJ name on your application is undeniably a benefit. The primary downside is the effect of rigor on GPA.
Top schools are used to taking more students from TJ than they are getting right now so they are not saying no to TJ because they already have too many kids from TJ.

The bolded is not factual.

Your penultimate paragraph is true: IF you will be a top TJ student, that’s better for college admissions than a top base student. Obviously, there is no way to tell where your kid’s GPA will land at TJ 3 years in, until it’s too late.

Class of 2024 had significantly better college admission results than class of 2025

You need a citation on this and it can't be the instagram feeds that only had like a quarter to a fifth of the graduating classes reporting.

Of course it can be instragram feeds. Unless you have some reason to believe that they are not similarly representative those two years?
That plus the fact that the average SAT dropped like 80 points.

Why would they be? There's no reason to assume that they are. It's not like the ones that were posted out were necessarily the best in each class.

The law of large numbers implies that a sample size this large was as representative in 20243 as it was in 2025.
That combined with the fact that SAT scores dropped by 80 points is pretty good evidence that college outcomes declined.

To this poster who wrote “SAT score dropped by 80 points” multiple times in every TJ thread (I know, you just want to emphasize it to make sure everyone read it).

The SAT score dropped 80 points is because TJ kids from new admission is different kind of kids, of course they both the same kind of smart kids.

Large percentage of old TJ kids got in because of heavy and costly test prep, and certainly they continue with heavy SAT prep to continue the rat race.

It is no longer that way, and won’t be back that way pretty soon, no matter how hard you pushed to back to the glory of test prep industry.

The “dropped SAT score” that you keep repeating doesn’t dismiss the intellectual quality of present TJ kids.

SAT score is only one factor from many of college admission.

Anonymous wrote:If your kid is not exceptionally talented in math, think fast and accurate- then don’t even think of going to TJ

U are then much better off at base school.

TJ math exams are a booklet of hard problems in 60 min.

This person would like to make it easier for their kid to get in

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids from TJ get into the real world and dominate pretty much regardless of where they go to undergrad.

The differences in opportunities as far as course availability, facilities and equipment, and student groups is just so incredibly stark when compared to even the best base schools.

So yeah, it's possible that it might be a little harder to get into the most elite colleges from TJ... but as the years and decades have gone by, the value add from those schools has been depressed significantly AND you're increasing your chances of admission by a relatively small amount - it's by no means a guarantee.

This is ridiculous. Let me guess: you're sending out annual surveys that are answered by professors and employers from senior year of HS onward? No, this is what you're telling yourself. The answer is that very bright kids generally do well no matter where they are.

That's like a base HS kid who goes to an ivy league looking at the TJ kid going to VCU and saying "kids in the top of their HSs who get into the ivies dominate because their colleges are far superior to lower ranked colleges. We have more money from the endowment pouring in!!" The answer is that bright kids are bright and do well no matter where they are, and that includes middle school to base HS OR TJ and then base HS OR TJ on to x college.

- We turned TJ down for base HS and my kid is heading to an ivy next year. It is NOT "a little" harder to getting into elite schools from TJ. It's a lot harder. We strategically picked our local HS.

This is smart.

Thanks…hard decision four years ago - but we felt it was the right one for us then and we are very glad we did it.

No offense but I don't buy that it is a LOT harder to get into elite schools from TJ.

None of the kids I know that got into HYPSM from Langley would have had much trouble at TJ.
Most of the handw5ringing these days is the gross underperformance of the kids that are getting in under the new admissions process that would not have gotten in under the prior admissions process.
Aside from that there is a fairly significant effect for kids that might have gotten into UVA from their base school that will not get in from TJ.

TJ sends almost as many kids to HYPSM as the rest of FCPS combined.

-1,000

Do you even have a current 11th-12th grade TJ student or a TJ grad from ‘25?

I'd love the answer to this...

I have a TJ grad, not '25.

Year? If you don't have current information, your input needs to be viewed through that lens. College admissions are not what they were even 4 years ago.

DP. I hate to be pedantic about this but strategizing a decision about TJ around college admissions is not a great value proposition. The delta between what you're getting at TJ vs. base school in FCPS is so much greater than the delta between typical TJ destinations and HYPSM - assuming you even get in.

- access to exceptional club opportunities *during the school day*
- access to extremely advanced STEM classes
- access to equipment and facilities that exceed what exists at many universities for first and second year students
- access to a student body that is 100% focused on school
- access to far greater athletic opportunities than are available at most FCPS schools
- access to TJ's insane alumni network

Now, if your kid can't handle it, or if your kid genuinely hates STEM, then yes, it's not the right fit. But to choose not to apply or to decline the offer without even trying it for a year for other reasons... tough to understand that.

The biggest difference in college admissions between Tj and base school is probably UVA. If UVA is a target at base school it can become a reach at TJ both because of the effect TJ rigor has on GPA and because UVA gets so many TJ applications.

But if you have what it takes to be successful at TJ, then all other things being equal, having the TJ name on your application is undeniably a benefit. The primary downside is the effect of rigor on GPA.
Top schools are used to taking more students from TJ than they are getting right now so they are not saying no to TJ because they already have too many kids from TJ.

The bolded is not factual.

Your penultimate paragraph is true: IF you will be a top TJ student, that’s better for college admissions than a top base student. Obviously, there is no way to tell where your kid’s GPA will land at TJ 3 years in, until it’s too late.

Class of 2024 had significantly better college admission results than class of 2025

You need a citation on this and it can't be the instagram feeds that only had like a quarter to a fifth of the graduating classes reporting.

Of course it can be instragram feeds. Unless you have some reason to believe that they are not similarly representative those two years?
That plus the fact that the average SAT dropped like 80 points.

Why would they be? There's no reason to assume that they are. It's not like the ones that were posted out were necessarily the best in each class.

The law of large numbers implies that a sample size this large was as representative in 20243 as it was in 2025.
That combined with the fact that SAT scores dropped by 80 points is pretty good evidence that college outcomes declined.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids from TJ get into the real world and dominate pretty much regardless of where they go to undergrad.

The differences in opportunities as far as course availability, facilities and equipment, and student groups is just so incredibly stark when compared to even the best base schools.

So yeah, it's possible that it might be a little harder to get into the most elite colleges from TJ... but as the years and decades have gone by, the value add from those schools has been depressed significantly AND you're increasing your chances of admission by a relatively small amount - it's by no means a guarantee.

This is ridiculous. Let me guess: you're sending out annual surveys that are answered by professors and employers from senior year of HS onward? No, this is what you're telling yourself. The answer is that very bright kids generally do well no matter where they are.

That's like a base HS kid who goes to an ivy league looking at the TJ kid going to VCU and saying "kids in the top of their HSs who get into the ivies dominate because their colleges are far superior to lower ranked colleges. We have more money from the endowment pouring in!!" The answer is that bright kids are bright and do well no matter where they are, and that includes middle school to base HS OR TJ and then base HS OR TJ on to x college.

- We turned TJ down for base HS and my kid is heading to an ivy next year. It is NOT "a little" harder to getting into elite schools from TJ. It's a lot harder. We strategically picked our local HS.

This is smart.

Thanks…hard decision four years ago - but we felt it was the right one for us then and we are very glad we did it.

No offense but I don't buy that it is a LOT harder to get into elite schools from TJ.

None of the kids I know that got into HYPSM from Langley would have had much trouble at TJ.
Most of the handw5ringing these days is the gross underperformance of the kids that are getting in under the new admissions process that would not have gotten in under the prior admissions process.
Aside from that there is a fairly significant effect for kids that might have gotten into UVA from their base school that will not get in from TJ.

TJ sends almost as many kids to HYPSM as the rest of FCPS combined.

-1,000

Do you even have a current 11th-12th grade TJ student or a TJ grad from ‘25?

I'd love the answer to this...

I have a TJ grad, not '25.

Year? If you don't have current information, your input needs to be viewed through that lens. College admissions are not what they were even 4 years ago.

So you're saying that 4 years going to TJ was possibly a good idea but it isn't today? Why?

DP - College admissions should not be the end-stage outcome nor should it be considered a pre-requisite for the end-stage outcome.

Even if it is slightly harder to get to certain schools from TJ than it is elsewhere (and I'm not convinced it is except in certain cases), it doesn't matter because college admissions just isn't that big a deal anymore.

TJ kids are increasingly exiting college early to found their companies that they'll sell for 7-8 figures and start over again. And the colleges they're leaving aren't Harvard or Princeton.

Don't screw your kid over because you're stuck in a 2005 mindset.

I think what a lot of parents don't understand is that undergrad is not really a terminal degree anymore.

Spot on. Or how easy transferring can be in a lot of cases, especially in-state.

I don't think people go to TJ thinking that college options will be worse for many (had they just stayed at their base school) but they realize they can just transfer. Our friends with current seniors are all disappointed right now (ED rejections, UVA deferrals).

I think a lot of people (including the FCPS board) have the wrong idea about TJ
It's not an award, it's an opportunity.
It's an opportunity in a "that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger" sort of way.
Admitting kids along hierarchies of equity rather than hierarchies of competency was a disservice to everyone.

It's been said on this board a thousand times and it is not controversial to say that you shouldn't go to TJ to improve college admissions results.

Yeah, why do merely smart kids deserve opportunity?

Because they are the [b]only ones that can take advantage of that opportunity. The only ones it won't kill but will actually make stronger.

🤦‍♀️ people believe this.

Because it's true.

Place an unprepared kid at TJ and they drown and fail.

Lots of smart kids don't attend TJ. Lots and lots and lots.

The questions was why the opportunity was limited to smart kids.

It may not catch all smart kids but that is an argument for expanding the program not lowering standards.

Go to TJ if you are Asian American. You will find it hard to get into top colleges from base HS even if you are top performers anywhere.

My kid had perfect grades, SATs, APs, ECs, research paper performance from a magnet school. He was top 1% in HS. Going to a TJ type of school for HS was amazing for him.

Did not get into the top schools but got into a good enough school with merit aid. College, internships and job offers came easy to him. So, going to best HS is amazing. You are also cultivating a cohort of high achievers in HS who will be going to top colleges - even if you are not. These are your future network.

In my opinion, yes.

You can handle college after TJ. But, figure out your whole strategy and how to make better use of your education dollars. Have your plan Bs ready.

What is the point of being a top performer in an average school, get into good college and then not being able to handle the hard majors or the rigor. No point in crashing and burning in college.

If your kid is not exceptionally talented in math, think fast and accurate- then don’t even think of going to TJ

U are then much better off at base school.

TJ math exams are a booklet of hard problems in 60 min.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids from TJ get into the real world and dominate pretty much regardless of where they go to undergrad.

The differences in opportunities as far as course availability, facilities and equipment, and student groups is just so incredibly stark when compared to even the best base schools.

So yeah, it's possible that it might be a little harder to get into the most elite colleges from TJ... but as the years and decades have gone by, the value add from those schools has been depressed significantly AND you're increasing your chances of admission by a relatively small amount - it's by no means a guarantee.

This is ridiculous. Let me guess: you're sending out annual surveys that are answered by professors and employers from senior year of HS onward? No, this is what you're telling yourself. The answer is that very bright kids generally do well no matter where they are.

That's like a base HS kid who goes to an ivy league looking at the TJ kid going to VCU and saying "kids in the top of their HSs who get into the ivies dominate because their colleges are far superior to lower ranked colleges. We have more money from the endowment pouring in!!" The answer is that bright kids are bright and do well no matter where they are, and that includes middle school to base HS OR TJ and then base HS OR TJ on to x college.

- We turned TJ down for base HS and my kid is heading to an ivy next year. It is NOT "a little" harder to getting into elite schools from TJ. It's a lot harder. We strategically picked our local HS.

This is smart.

Thanks…hard decision four years ago - but we felt it was the right one for us then and we are very glad we did it.

No offense but I don't buy that it is a LOT harder to get into elite schools from TJ.

None of the kids I know that got into HYPSM from Langley would have had much trouble at TJ.
Most of the handw5ringing these days is the gross underperformance of the kids that are getting in under the new admissions process that would not have gotten in under the prior admissions process.
Aside from that there is a fairly significant effect for kids that might have gotten into UVA from their base school that will not get in from TJ.

TJ sends almost as many kids to HYPSM as the rest of FCPS combined.

-1,000

Do you even have a current 11th-12th grade TJ student or a TJ grad from ‘25?

I'd love the answer to this...

I have a TJ grad, not '25.

Year? If you don't have current information, your input needs to be viewed through that lens. College admissions are not what they were even 4 years ago.

So you're saying that 4 years going to TJ was possibly a good idea but it isn't today? Why?

DP - College admissions should not be the end-stage outcome nor should it be considered a pre-requisite for the end-stage outcome.

Even if it is slightly harder to get to certain schools from TJ than it is elsewhere (and I'm not convinced it is except in certain cases), it doesn't matter because college admissions just isn't that big a deal anymore.

TJ kids are increasingly exiting college early to found their companies that they'll sell for 7-8 figures and start over again. And the colleges they're leaving aren't Harvard or Princeton.

Don't screw your kid over because you're stuck in a 2005 mindset.

I think what a lot of parents don't understand is that undergrad is not really a terminal degree anymore.

Spot on. Or how easy transferring can be in a lot of cases, especially in-state.

I don't think people go to TJ thinking that college options will be worse for many (had they just stayed at their base school) but they realize they can just transfer. Our friends with current seniors are all disappointed right now (ED rejections, UVA deferrals).

I think a lot of people (including the FCPS board) have the wrong idea about TJ
It's not an award, it's an opportunity.
It's an opportunity in a "that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger" sort of way.
Admitting kids along hierarchies of equity rather than hierarchies of competency was a disservice to everyone.

It's been said on this board a thousand times and it is not controversial to say that you shouldn't go to TJ to improve college admissions results.

Yeah, why do merely smart kids deserve opportunity?

I do think it is unfair TJ kids get tax payer funded things like the labs and then dedicated school time for ECs which could possibly help things like job apps, internships, and college apps.

The 8th period at TJ is because TJ is not a neighborhood school.

I am not confused. It is still unfair.

Different poster in reply here (DP) - can you lend some more insight into why you feel it's unfair?