Anonymous
09/16/2025 14:03
Subject: When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Will put kid in good stead for college. Everyone in my incoming MIT class expected to be in the top half of the class. This was asked at orientation. "Raise your hand if you expect to be in the top half..". Most everyone raised their hand. Speaker said, "Look around. Think about that,"
People sheepishly started lowering their hands..
College is different.
My kid went through Stuyvesant HS half asleep. Boy, was he humbled by the math department at UChicago.
I hate to be arrogant, but this is not a thing that happens coming from TJ. The only schools where TJ kids generally find things more difficult than high school are MIT and Caltech. Otherwise, kids almost universally report that things are MUCH easier in college than at TJ
You're an arrogant, ignorant fool.
No, I agree with the earlier PP. Some rigorous high schools can be much harder than regular undergrad.
My kids went to a different magnet (not TJ) and I have heard them saying this too (i.e., HS was harder than college). But that doesn't mean your kid will do exceedingly well in college. Many of these high performing kids will continue with post college education - PhD, med school, law school...etc. and high accomplishments in college is a must. And that is very difficult. Also, your kid will find out there are a lot of smart kids in college (not just magnet kids) but from regular public schools. Competition to rise to the top is fierce.
Anonymous
09/16/2025 13:44
Subject: When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
Anonymous wrote:
Hard work but good grades.
It's hard work for Bs in some cases.
Of course, Bs are good grades - that's what "B" means...
Anonymous
09/16/2025 13:17
Subject: Re:When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I was thinking the same thing earlier today while I was out and about. "It’s such a beautiful day, and my TJ kid has to be inside studying." At least he got to enjoy plenty of those gorgeous days before high school, and he’ll have many more after, lol.
Why can't he study outside?
I was too lazy to set up a table outside?
The days of doing just mental math (without writing) are gone.
Anonymous
09/16/2025 12:45
Subject: When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
You're confusing floors and ceilings. The previous poster was not referring to the easiest math courses at UChicago.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Will put kid in good stead for college. Everyone in my incoming MIT class expected to be in the top half of the class. This was asked at orientation. "Raise your hand if you expect to be in the top half..". Most everyone raised their hand. Speaker said, "Look around. Think about that,"
People sheepishly started lowering their hands..
College is different.
My kid went through Stuyvesant HS half asleep. Boy, was he humbled by the math department at UChicago.
I hate to be arrogant, but this is not a thing that happens coming from TJ. The only schools where TJ kids generally find things more difficult than high school are MIT and Caltech. Otherwise, kids almost universally report that things are MUCH easier in college than at TJ
Anonymous
09/16/2025 12:32
Subject: When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Will put kid in good stead for college. Everyone in my incoming MIT class expected to be in the top half of the class. This was asked at orientation. "Raise your hand if you expect to be in the top half..". Most everyone raised their hand. Speaker said, "Look around. Think about that,"
People sheepishly started lowering their hands..
College is different.
My kid went through Stuyvesant HS half asleep. Boy, was he humbled by the math department at UChicago.
I hate to be arrogant, but this is not a thing that happens coming from TJ. The only schools where TJ kids generally find things more difficult than high school are MIT and Caltech. Otherwise, kids almost universally report that things are MUCH easier in college than at TJ
You're an arrogant, ignorant fool.
Perhaps, but on this I'm also correct and backed by decades of experience
Anonymous
09/16/2025 12:09
Subject: When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Will put kid in good stead for college. Everyone in my incoming MIT class expected to be in the top half of the class. This was asked at orientation. "Raise your hand if you expect to be in the top half..". Most everyone raised their hand. Speaker said, "Look around. Think about that,"
People sheepishly started lowering their hands..
College is different.
My kid went through Stuyvesant HS half asleep. Boy, was he humbled by the math department at UChicago.
I hate to be arrogant, but this is not a thing that happens coming from TJ. The only schools where TJ kids generally find things more difficult than high school are MIT and Caltech. Otherwise, kids almost universally report that things are MUCH easier in college than at TJ
You are certainly arrogant alright.
Anonymous
09/16/2025 12:03
Subject: When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Will put kid in good stead for college. Everyone in my incoming MIT class expected to be in the top half of the class. This was asked at orientation. "Raise your hand if you expect to be in the top half..". Most everyone raised their hand. Speaker said, "Look around. Think about that,"
People sheepishly started lowering their hands..
College is different.
My kid went through Stuyvesant HS half asleep. Boy, was he humbled by the math department at UChicago.
I hate to be arrogant, but this is not a thing that happens coming from TJ. The only schools where TJ kids generally find things more difficult than high school are MIT and Caltech. Otherwise, kids almost universally report that things are MUCH easier in college than at TJ
You're an arrogant, ignorant fool.
No, I agree with the earlier PP. Some rigorous high schools can be much harder than regular undergrad.
T10 schools aren't "regular undergrad" unless the student chooses to avoid rigorous classes.
Anonymous
09/16/2025 12:02
Subject: When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Will put kid in good stead for college. Everyone in my incoming MIT class expected to be in the top half of the class. This was asked at orientation. "Raise your hand if you expect to be in the top half..". Most everyone raised their hand. Speaker said, "Look around. Think about that,"
People sheepishly started lowering their hands..
College is different.
My kid went through Stuyvesant HS half asleep. Boy, was he humbled by the math department at UChicago.
I hate to be arrogant, but this is not a thing that happens coming from TJ. The only schools where TJ kids generally find things more difficult than high school are MIT and Caltech. Otherwise, kids almost universally report that things are MUCH easier in college than at TJ
Parent of TJ grad who went to a T10. Definitely said TJ was harder.
It depends on if you want to get by or be academically rigorous. Colleges offer a wide range of options from easy to hard, and generally assign less homework and leave it to the student to decide how much effort to put in and how much to learn.
Some T10 students graduate with the level of coursework that other T10 students do sophomore year
Anonymous
09/16/2025 11:59
Subject: When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Will put kid in good stead for college. Everyone in my incoming MIT class expected to be in the top half of the class. This was asked at orientation. "Raise your hand if you expect to be in the top half..". Most everyone raised their hand. Speaker said, "Look around. Think about that,"
People sheepishly started lowering their hands..
College is different.
My kid went through Stuyvesant HS half asleep. Boy, was he humbled by the math department at UChicago.
I hate to be arrogant, but this is not a thing that happens coming from TJ. The only schools where TJ kids generally find things more difficult than high school are MIT and Caltech. Otherwise, kids almost universally report that things are MUCH easier in college than at TJ
You're an arrogant, ignorant fool.
No, I agree with the earlier PP. Some rigorous high schools can be much harder than regular undergrad.
Anonymous
09/16/2025 11:58
Subject: When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
I went to a selective private high school and worked really hard for my grades, so I've never raised my kids to expect an easy high school experience. It's come as a shock that some high schools are so lax, actually. I was in a bubble before and didn't realize that.
Anonymous
09/16/2025 11:55
Subject: When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
Anonymous wrote:I have 2 kids at Langley. They were both studying this weekend. Both did not study in middle school either.
My junior is studying for his SATs and has a full AP course load. He is trying to get 1500 and gets 700-750 on subjects but can’t seem to consistently score 1500 so is stressed out.
The difference between 1500 and 1600 is luck and speed. College admissions don't care. Don't waste time on SAT instead of doing well in classes and ECS.
Anonymous
09/16/2025 11:51
Subject: Re:When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
Anonymous wrote:I was thinking the same thing earlier today while I was out and about. "It’s such a beautiful day, and my TJ kid has to be inside studying." At least he got to enjoy plenty of those gorgeous days before high school, and he’ll have many more after, lol.
Why can't he study outside?
Anonymous
09/16/2025 11:49
Subject: Re:When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
Anonymous wrote:TJ parent, and I agree. My son loves TJ! But it’s challenging.
For the parents of 7th and 8th graders, consider: DS took the required freshman Intro to Research Statistics (RS) last year; TJ teaches that year-long course in one semester.
RS2 is AP statistics. It’s just as intense for classes such as first-year English. For example, here is an assigned English work from his class last year (no, I am not joking. Read it):
https://www.psmjournals.org/index.php/biolres/article/view/72/44
Please apply for TJ because your child is truly ready. But most of all: please apply only if your child truly wants to take on the challenge TJ offers.
Everyone else in AP statistics takes it with no prerequisite class. How can RS 1 be a "year-long class" that doesn't meet the par of AP statistics?
Anonymous
09/16/2025 11:47
Subject: When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Will put kid in good stead for college. Everyone in my incoming MIT class expected to be in the top half of the class. This was asked at orientation. "Raise your hand if you expect to be in the top half..". Most everyone raised their hand. Speaker said, "Look around. Think about that,"
People sheepishly started lowering their hands..
I'm a fairly recent MIT grad and we had no idea what our standing was at MIT.
That's the next topic of orientation: MIT does not have a GPA honor roll or award.
Anonymous
09/16/2025 10:30
Subject: When people talk about academic rigor at TJ, it's no joke
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Will put kid in good stead for college. Everyone in my incoming MIT class expected to be in the top half of the class. This was asked at orientation. "Raise your hand if you expect to be in the top half..". Most everyone raised their hand. Speaker said, "Look around. Think about that,"
People sheepishly started lowering their hands..
College is different.
My kid went through Stuyvesant HS half asleep. Boy, was he humbled by the math department at UChicago.
I hate to be arrogant, but this is not a thing that happens coming from TJ. The only schools where TJ kids generally find things more difficult than high school are MIT and Caltech. Otherwise, kids almost universally report that things are MUCH easier in college than at TJ
Parent of TJ grad who went to a T10. Definitely said TJ was harder.