Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.quora.com/What-was-it-like-to-attend-the-Thomas-Jefferson-High-School-for-Science-and-Technology

Among the comments:

I met my wife at TJ. Went to homecoming with her freshman year. This random girl I met during the first week of high school turned out to be better than any girl I met while in college at Yale... the statistical chances of meeting that type of high quality person at any other high school are low... and TJ is flooded with these people.

It was really great and the first time of being in an environment where academic accomplishments were encouraged.

I had a great experience at Thomas Jefferson, and to me the benefits were well worth the sacrifices. Of any single decision in my life, the decision to go to TJ has made the biggest impact.

In a single word: awesome. I had some of my fondest memories, made some of my best friends, and learned some of my most important life lessons at TJ. My experience in Silicon Valley is the only thing that remotely compares to that which I had at TJ.

Another interesting phenomenon is the prestige that a diploma from TJ carries. Well, I can't speak for employers, but a lot of the people I met during college would look at me in awe (and maybe a tinge of envy) after I mentioned where I went to high school. I mean, we both ended up at the same college, but here they were treating me like some sort of demi-god! It's pretty funny, actually -- especially in light of all the above stuff I shared. This occurred with strangers as well. People were way more impressed with where I went to high school than my alma mater (go Tribe!). I am surprised I got into TJ. But despite everything I said, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to attend if I had to relive it all.

I’m a lot more impressed by kids who attended regular schools and ended up at Ivies than I am by TJ kids who ended up at W&M. The navel gazing within the TJ community is nauseating.

Anonymous wrote:https://www.quora.com/What-was-it-like-to-attend-the-Thomas-Jefferson-High-School-for-Science-and-Technology

Among the comments:

I met my wife at TJ. Went to homecoming with her freshman year. This random girl I met during the first week of high school turned out to be better than any girl I met while in college at Yale... the statistical chances of meeting that type of high quality person at any other high school are low... and TJ is flooded with these people.

It was really great and the first time of being in an environment where academic accomplishments were encouraged.

I had a great experience at Thomas Jefferson, and to me the benefits were well worth the sacrifices. Of any single decision in my life, the decision to go to TJ has made the biggest impact.

In a single word: awesome. I had some of my fondest memories, made some of my best friends, and learned some of my most important life lessons at TJ. My experience in Silicon Valley is the only thing that remotely compares to that which I had at TJ.

Another interesting phenomenon is the prestige that a diploma from TJ carries. Well, I can't speak for employers, but a lot of the people I met during college would look at me in awe (and maybe a tinge of envy) after I mentioned where I went to high school. I mean, we both ended up at the same college, but here they were treating me like some sort of demi-god! It's pretty funny, actually -- especially in light of all the above stuff I shared. This occurred with strangers as well. People were way more impressed with where I went to high school than my alma mater (go Tribe!). I am surprised I got into TJ. But despite everything I said, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to attend if I had to relive it all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.quora.com/What-was-it-like-to-attend-the-Thomas-Jefferson-High-School-for-Science-and-Technology

Among the comments:

I met my wife at TJ. Went to homecoming with her freshman year. This random girl I met during the first week of high school turned out to be better than any girl I met while in college at Yale... the statistical chances of meeting that type of high quality person at any other high school are low... and TJ is flooded with these people.

It was really great and the first time of being in an environment where academic accomplishments were encouraged.

I had a great experience at Thomas Jefferson, and to me the benefits were well worth the sacrifices. Of any single decision in my life, the decision to go to TJ has made the biggest impact.

In a single word: awesome. I had some of my fondest memories, made some of my best friends, and learned some of my most important life lessons at TJ. My experience in Silicon Valley is the only thing that remotely compares to that which I had at TJ.

Another interesting phenomenon is the prestige that a diploma from TJ carries. Well, I can't speak for employers, but a lot of the people I met during college would look at me in awe (and maybe a tinge of envy) after I mentioned where I went to high school. I mean, we both ended up at the same college, but here they were treating me like some sort of demi-god! It's pretty funny, actually -- especially in light of all the above stuff I shared. This occurred with strangers as well. People were way more impressed with where I went to high school than my alma mater (go Tribe!). I am surprised I got into TJ. But despite everything I said, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to attend if I had to relive it all.

Very informative.

Anonymous wrote:https://www.quora.com/What-was-it-like-to-attend-the-Thomas-Jefferson-High-School-for-Science-and-Technology

Among the comments:

I met my wife at TJ. Went to homecoming with her freshman year. This random girl I met during the first week of high school turned out to be better than any girl I met while in college at Yale... the statistical chances of meeting that type of high quality person at any other high school are low... and TJ is flooded with these people.

It was really great and the first time of being in an environment where academic accomplishments were encouraged.

I had a great experience at Thomas Jefferson, and to me the benefits were well worth the sacrifices. Of any single decision in my life, the decision to go to TJ has made the biggest impact.

In a single word: awesome. I had some of my fondest memories, made some of my best friends, and learned some of my most important life lessons at TJ. My experience in Silicon Valley is the only thing that remotely compares to that which I had at TJ.

Another interesting phenomenon is the prestige that a diploma from TJ carries. Well, I can't speak for employers, but a lot of the people I met during college would look at me in awe (and maybe a tinge of envy) after I mentioned where I went to high school. I mean, we both ended up at the same college, but here they were treating me like some sort of demi-god! It's pretty funny, actually -- especially in light of all the above stuff I shared. This occurred with strangers as well. People were way more impressed with where I went to high school than my alma mater (go Tribe!). I am surprised I got into TJ. But despite everything I said, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to attend if I had to relive it all.

Anonymous wrote: For every positive TJ comment you could also find negative comments too.

Anonymous wrote:https://www.quora.com/What-was-it-like-to-attend-the-Thomas-Jefferson-High-School-for-Science-and-Technology

Among the comments:

I met my wife at TJ. Went to homecoming with her freshman year. This random girl I met during the first week of high school turned out to be better than any girl I met while in college at Yale... the statistical chances of meeting that type of high quality person at any other high school are low... and TJ is flooded with these people.

It was really great and the first time of being in an environment where academic accomplishments were encouraged.

I had a great experience at Thomas Jefferson, and to me the benefits were well worth the sacrifices. Of any single decision in my life, the decision to go to TJ has made the biggest impact.

In a single word: awesome. I had some of my fondest memories, made some of my best friends, and learned some of my most important life lessons at TJ. My experience in Silicon Valley is the only thing that remotely compares to that which I had at TJ.

Another interesting phenomenon is the prestige that a diploma from TJ carries. Well, I can't speak for employers, but a lot of the people I met during college would look at me in awe (and maybe a tinge of envy) after I mentioned where I went to high school. I mean, we both ended up at the same college, but here they were treating me like some sort of demi-god! It's pretty funny, actually -- especially in light of all the above stuff I shared. This occurred with strangers as well. People were way more impressed with where I went to high school than my alma mater (go Tribe!). I am surprised I got into TJ. But despite everything I said, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to attend if I had to relive it all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd love to know everyone's thoughts 15 years from now. Are there any parents on the board with kids who excelled in math and science, but didn't apply to TJ because, despite having great grades in those classes, weren't really passionate about them. If so, what schools did your kids get into? Does your DC regret not applying to TJ, in retrospect? Just curious.

In 15 years no one will care if their kid went to TJ. And neither will the kids who went there quite frankly! No one cares about high school.

Maybe not. TJ has an incredibly active and engaged alumni association (that raises a lot of money). Many kids stay involved at some level after they leave.

LOL! You are too much!!!

Personally I would hope they would be more involved at a college level.

Imagine a world where kids can be very involved in their college, AND still come back and volunteer at TJ during school breaks or donate money to the alumni association.

Mind blown, right?

Non-TJ parents do not understand how a high school alumni association can be so active and useful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd love to know everyone's thoughts 15 years from now. Are there any parents on the board with kids who excelled in math and science, but didn't apply to TJ because, despite having great grades in those classes, weren't really passionate about them. If so, what schools did your kids get into? Does your DC regret not applying to TJ, in retrospect? Just curious.

In 15 years no one will care if their kid went to TJ. And neither will the kids who went there quite frankly! No one cares about high school.

Maybe not. TJ has an incredibly active and engaged alumni association (that raises a lot of money). Many kids stay involved at some level after they leave.

LOL! You are too much!!!

Personally I would hope they would be more involved at a college level.

Imagine a world where kids can be very involved in their college, AND still come back and volunteer at TJ during school breaks or donate money to the alumni association.

Mind blown, right?

Anonymous wrote:Here is the reality: in the sciences and engineering, once in college, no one cares about HS. Once in Grad School, no one cares about college. And once one has been working for a few years, no one cares about where you went to grad school (the research you did follows you).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd love to know everyone's thoughts 15 years from now. Are there any parents on the board with kids who excelled in math and science, but didn't apply to TJ because, despite having great grades in those classes, weren't really passionate about them. If so, what schools did your kids get into? Does your DC regret not applying to TJ, in retrospect? Just curious.

In 15 years no one will care if their kid went to TJ. And neither will the kids who went there quite frankly! No one cares about high school.

Maybe not. TJ has an incredibly active and engaged alumni association (that raises a lot of money). Many kids stay involved at some level after they leave.

LOL! You are too much!!!

Personally I would hope they would be more involved at a college level.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd love to know everyone's thoughts 15 years from now. Are there any parents on the board with kids who excelled in math and science, but didn't apply to TJ because, despite having great grades in those classes, weren't really passionate about them. If so, what schools did your kids get into? Does your DC regret not applying to TJ, in retrospect? Just curious.

In 15 years no one will care if their kid went to TJ. And neither will the kids who went there quite frankly! No one cares about high school.