Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 8th grader who will be taking the virtual exam next week. It is sickening reading all these posts about potential cheating as we have no plan of cheating. I also didn't check the free lunch question on his application. So I guess he will have no chance in getting into TJ. It is so sad that the honest hardworking smart kids are those that will be penalized at the end.

Same. I had no idea that DS was allowed the check yes for the meals questions. She gets lunch everyday for free this year, so is “eligible” but we normally would not qualify.

They mentioned 'if she is eligible for free lunch'. It is not that 'if she gets free lunch this year'. Also i think one need to show proof of eligibility.

No proof required.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virtual? What could go wrong.

Oh gee, next you will tell us we should further disenfranchise minorities and not let people vote online, because there could be vote fraud, even though there is ZERO evidence of past vote fraud.

There is fraud in every election. Not sure where you got your "ZERO evidence" statement. Also, please note that people do not vote "online" and not sure what makes you think that disenfranchises anyone.

Yup. A few Republicans always try.

Just like I’m sure they will help their kids cheat on the test.

How the heck does this discussion become political? As a professor, I can assure you that our number of cheating cases went way up during our online semesters. It's not about politics and it's not a particularly controversial point.

I am sure part of it is to make sure that the kids are interested in the curriculum and have an idea of how they see themselves using the education that they are getting. It is about the only opportunity for kids to discuss why they want to attend TJ. They all have to meet specific requirements and look pretty similar.

I wonder if the essays are meant to give the kids a chance to actually be honest about if they want to attend TJ. I graded AP exams and there were a decent number of kids who left things blank, wrote about their Proms, or just said that they were only there because the school or parent made them take the test. I would estimate 15% of the tests fit into this category.

Since this is done without parents, in a regular year, it gives kids who are applying because their parents made them. Now parents can complain that their kid didn’t get accepted and the kids can shrug and say the tried.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 8th grader who will be taking the virtual exam next week. It is sickening reading all these posts about potential cheating as we have no plan of cheating. I also didn't check the free lunch question on his application. So I guess he will have no chance in getting into TJ. It is so sad that the honest hardworking smart kids are those that will be penalized at the end.

Same. I had no idea that DS was allowed the check yes for the meals questions. She gets lunch everyday for free this year, so is “eligible” but we normally would not qualify.

They mentioned 'if she is eligible for free lunch'. It is not that 'if she gets free lunch this year'. Also i think one need to show proof of eligibility.

Every child is actually eligible for free lunch this school year. The admissions office is not requiring any additional documentation. It was an incredibly dumb way to run the experience factors, but it is what it is.

Appearing multiple times on the FCPS website:
“ All FCPS students (regardless of age) are eligible for free meals, as well as other county children that are eighteen (18) years and under.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 8th grader who will be taking the virtual exam next week. It is sickening reading all these posts about potential cheating as we have no plan of cheating. I also didn't check the free lunch question on his application. So I guess he will have no chance in getting into TJ. It is so sad that the honest hardworking smart kids are those that will be penalized at the end.

Same. I had no idea that DS was allowed the check yes for the meals questions. She gets lunch everyday for free this year, so is “eligible” but we normally would not qualify.

They mentioned 'if she is eligible for free lunch'. It is not that 'if she gets free lunch this year'. Also i think one need to show proof of eligibility.

Anonymous wrote:I have a 8th grader who will be taking the virtual exam next week. It is sickening reading all these posts about potential cheating as we have no plan of cheating. I also didn't check the free lunch question on his application. So I guess he will have no chance in getting into TJ. It is so sad that the honest hardworking smart kids are those that will be penalized at the end.

Same. I had no idea that DS was allowed the check yes for the meals questions. She gets lunch everyday for free this year, so is “eligible” but we normally would not qualify.

The essay questions are silly - no one cares about POG! If people cheat, it might be because the questions are ridiculous.

Totally agree that there will be cheating. Will a majority of kids cheat? I don’t think so. But plenty will and the TJ admissions office honestly doesn’t seem to care at this point. They don’t care about getting the low income preference to kids that are actually low income. Why would they care if kids cheat?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 8th grader who will be taking the virtual exam next week. It is sickening reading all these posts about potential cheating as we have no plan of cheating. I also didn't check the free lunch question on his application. So I guess he will have no chance in getting into TJ. It is so sad that the honest hardworking smart kids are those that will be penalized at the end.

Lazy fools have turned TJ into a morass of medicocrity.

Mediocrity? Yep. That's it

Anonymous wrote:I have a 8th grader who will be taking the virtual exam next week. It is sickening reading all these posts about potential cheating as we have no plan of cheating. I also didn't check the free lunch question on his application. So I guess he will have no chance in getting into TJ. It is so sad that the honest hardworking smart kids are those that will be penalized at the end.

Lazy fools have turned TJ into a morass of medicocrity.