+1 PP. Between OP's insufferable, passive aggressive humble rags and the class of 94 TJ alums whose reflections we all get to bask in, not to mention the legendary Tiger Mom preppers, it's good to know that there's a community of public school parents and students who are every bit the smug, entitled people "big 3" parents and alums are reputed to be.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. You have a six year old at this time. (?)

No, I have a 7th grader. He is brilliant in science and math, particularly at mechanical science. He has won two important awards and I know he will have a great shot at TJ (his teachers are all encouraging him to apply.) But is it better than the big 3, because it sure will be cheaper for us!!! We want to offer him the BEST education his last 4 years of school.

If can clearly define "BEST", that would help. What is the "BEST" for one kid is not for another. What is "BEST" for one family is not for another. And since we're discussing science, make sure you don't define "BEST" in terms of "most rigorous", "hardest academics", or other vague terms.

I guess by best I mean a place that will challenge him. Right now his school is doing the best they can, but most of the math and science is not challenging to him any more. He's already doing beyond 8th grade math and science but is not advanced in literature and writing, not his forte at all. By challenge I mean I want a teachers that can encourage and mentor his "creations" and ideas. So teachers with strong science and mathematics backgrounds are a must. I want a place that has more kids like him because right now he is pretty much on his own with the subjects he loves. He has plenty of friends, he is very social and happy, but his friends are not at the same level for an exchange of ideas or a partnering in projects. My husband's parents are well off (they already have college covered for all the grandchildren.), but for my son they have also offered to pay $20,000 a year toward private tuition for high school. We can sacrifice some things for 4 years and pay the rest, but if TJ is better, we'll do TJ. I just had heard some great things about the big 3 private schools, I really thought they were better schools than TJ.

OP, what you are sharing should guide you and also I'd be pretty content with the TJ choice. Yet, for reasons unknown here you on this forum with one brag alert after the next . So much so that one has to ask : what are you missing in life that you find it necessary to engage in this. pretty sad .

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP If you are Hispanic that is a real help in admissions at TJ.

Not really, it would help w/ big 3. TJ has no racial quotas and that's why its mostly Asian.

So not true. they are always looking for qualified AA and Hispanic students.

but they have to be REALLY qualified I hope. So sick of schools trying so hard for diversity that gifted Asian or White kids are not getting in so a mediocre Hispanic child can be a token. It should be the best of the best. If 100% of them are Asian so be it. Guess you have to try a little harder.

Name these schools that you are so sick of that are not admitting gifted Asian or white kids so a mediocre Hispanic child can be a token. And do you mean try a little harder or go to the Asian run prep classes.

Anonymous wrote:I'd bet that 99% of parents in the DC area have never heard of the Big 3. And only a tiny portion of TJ families could afford $35k/year tuition. If your child is smart enough to get in and you are wealthy enough to consider both options and live in Virginia then you pick the school that fits best. That's what I call a first world problem and no one is terribly troubled by how hard the choice is in your head, since you can't go wrong either way.

Exactly. First world problem. Can't go wrong with either.

Anonymous wrote:A brief summary of some grads now out in the workforce from online info, just to further dispel the "widgets" and "coding" stereotypes:

owner of a trendy DC restaurant
Female Associate Professor of Philosophy at large state University
Supreme Court clerk, now lawyer at large DC firm
CEO of charity that uses soccer to engage in outreach with child soldiers and other disadvantaged youth all over the world
Novelist now working on a TV pilot regarding Los Alamos
Principal Horn of a very large symphony
Foreign Service officer in South America
Broadway singer/actor
Professor of public health at a large state university, running large study of sleep in teenagers
Female Olympic Gold Medalist
MD, worked with HIV patients in Africa & NY, White House Fellow focused on public health issues involving returning veterans from Iraq, Professor of Public Health, and creator of a nonprofit which has produced an award winning (Sundance & Berlin film festivals) movie about how the practice of abducting women for marriage in Ethiopia was outlawed
Libertarian Senate candidate
Hollywood screenwriter
Disney science/technology guru
First woman to command a US Coast Guard ship in a combat zone (also White House fellow, with masters degree in Public Policy)
Air Force Captain awarded a Silver Star
MD/Ph.D. geneticist who discovered and mapped an X-linked disorder
TJ couple that has moved family off the grid in Hawaii to homestead
Stanford Physics Professor and recipient of Sloan Research Fellowship given to “the most promising scientific researchers working today” whose “achievements and potential place them among the next generation of scientific leaders.”
Singer/Songwriter touring the US
Officer of nonprofit involved in freedom of music
Homeland Security legal expert
Expert in privacy issues and policy

The vast majority of these are from my class. Go class of '94!! We just had our 20 year reunion, so I'm assuming a classmate gleaned this info from the copious FB postings. There are also many, many doctors, research scientists and engineers to add to this list, as well as teachers, yoga instructors and stay home parents. Such a smart, interesting group of people.

Anonymous wrote:A brief summary of some grads now out in the workforce from online info, just to further dispel the "widgets" and "coding" stereotypes:

owner of a trendy DC restaurant
Female Associate Professor of Philosophy at large state University
Supreme Court clerk, now lawyer at large DC firm
CEO of charity that uses soccer to engage in outreach with child soldiers and other disadvantaged youth all over the world
Novelist now working on a TV pilot regarding Los Alamos
Principal Horn of a very large symphony
Foreign Service officer in South America
Broadway singer/actor
Professor of public health at a large state university, running large study of sleep in teenagers
Female Olympic Gold Medalist
MD, worked with HIV patients in Africa & NY, White House Fellow focused on public health issues involving returning veterans from Iraq, Professor of Public Health, and creator of a nonprofit which has produced an award winning (Sundance & Berlin film festivals) movie about how the practice of abducting women for marriage in Ethiopia was outlawed
Libertarian Senate candidate
Hollywood screenwriter
Disney science/technology guru
First woman to command a US Coast Guard ship in a combat zone (also White House fellow, with masters degree in Public Policy)
Air Force Captain awarded a Silver Star
MD/Ph.D. geneticist who discovered and mapped an X-linked disorder
TJ couple that has moved family off the grid in Hawaii to homestead
Stanford Physics Professor and recipient of Sloan Research Fellowship given to “the most promising scientific researchers working today” whose “achievements and potential place them among the next generation of scientific leaders.”
Singer/Songwriter touring the US
Officer of nonprofit involved in freedom of music
Homeland Security legal expert
Expert in privacy issues and policy

Yay Mandu!!

I'd bet that 99% of parents in the DC area have never heard of the Big 3. And only a tiny portion of TJ families could afford $35k/year tuition. If your child is smart enough to get in and you are wealthy enough to consider both options and live in Virginia then you pick the school that fits best. That's what I call a first world problem and no one is terribly troubled by how hard the choice is in your head, since you can't go wrong either way.

The number of people who have the enormous amount of money it would take to influence admissions decisions at any area school is tiny. (The number of such people who are white is even smaller, although the reference to race was gratuitous.). I think any negative views of TJ are almost certainly due to something other than that.

The rich whites hate on tj cause they can't get in using money

PP here - I deliberately excluded the traditional math/science alums that there was quickly accessible info about online, because I was trying to make the point that the school is not just "widgets" and "coding." Point is that it is a good, all around, education (not somehow deficient compared to Big 3) and the students go on to do many different things. But there are many who have started software, database, etc. firms in Silicon Valley and around DC. I know several MDs (surgeons and internists). Etc. However, I am sure that further comments will just incite more negativity because people seem to like TJ bashing about as much as some others like Big 3 bashing. So be it.

Strikes me you are just bragging about your block?

Strikes me that the list indicates that TJHSST seems to losing some of its focus on science and technology. (By the way, there are 3 former Supreme Court clerks and 2 ambassadors on my block) I think Vern Williams, a very well respected math educator, is right when he complains that TJ is trying to just be an exclusive high school for prestige seeking families who don't want to pay for private school or admit black and hispanic students. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/27/AR2011022704827.html

Anonymous wrote:A brief summary of some grads now out in the workforce from online info, just to further dispel the "widgets" and "coding" stereotypes:

owner of a trendy DC restaurant
Female Associate Professor of Philosophy at large state University
Supreme Court clerk, now lawyer at large DC firm
CEO of charity that uses soccer to engage in outreach with child soldiers and other disadvantaged youth all over the world
Novelist now working on a TV pilot regarding Los Alamos
Principal Horn of a very large symphony
Foreign Service officer in South America
Broadway singer/actor
Professor of public health at a large state university, running large study of sleep in teenagers
Female Olympic Gold Medalist
MD, worked with HIV patients in Africa & NY, White House Fellow focused on public health issues involving returning veterans from Iraq, Professor of Public Health, and creator of a nonprofit which has produced an award winning (Sundance & Berlin film festivals) movie about how the practice of abducting women for marriage in Ethiopia was outlawed
Libertarian Senate candidate
Hollywood screenwriter
Disney science/technology guru
First woman to command a US Coast Guard ship in a combat zone (also White House fellow, with masters degree in Public Policy)
Air Force Captain awarded a Silver Star
MD/Ph.D. geneticist who discovered and mapped an X-linked disorder
TJ couple that has moved family off the grid in Hawaii to homestead
Stanford Physics Professor and recipient of Sloan Research Fellowship given to “the most promising scientific researchers working today” whose “achievements and potential place them among the next generation of scientific leaders.”
Singer/Songwriter touring the US
Officer of nonprofit involved in freedom of music
Homeland Security legal expert
Expert in privacy issues and policy

Only a quarter of that sample are involved in science or engineering. Is that representative?

Also 8 Rhodes scholars!

A brief summary of some grads now out in the workforce from online info, just to further dispel the "widgets" and "coding" stereotypes:

owner of a trendy DC restaurant
Female Associate Professor of Philosophy at large state University
Supreme Court clerk, now lawyer at large DC firm
CEO of charity that uses soccer to engage in outreach with child soldiers and other disadvantaged youth all over the world
Novelist now working on a TV pilot regarding Los Alamos
Principal Horn of a very large symphony
Foreign Service officer in South America
Broadway singer/actor
Professor of public health at a large state university, running large study of sleep in teenagers
Female Olympic Gold Medalist
MD, worked with HIV patients in Africa & NY, White House Fellow focused on public health issues involving returning veterans from Iraq, Professor of Public Health, and creator of a nonprofit which has produced an award winning (Sundance & Berlin film festivals) movie about how the practice of abducting women for marriage in Ethiopia was outlawed
Libertarian Senate candidate
Hollywood screenwriter
Disney science/technology guru
First woman to command a US Coast Guard ship in a combat zone (also White House fellow, with masters degree in Public Policy)
Air Force Captain awarded a Silver Star
MD/Ph.D. geneticist who discovered and mapped an X-linked disorder
TJ couple that has moved family off the grid in Hawaii to homestead
Stanford Physics Professor and recipient of Sloan Research Fellowship given to “the most promising scientific researchers working today” whose “achievements and potential place them among the next generation of scientific leaders.”
Singer/Songwriter touring the US
Officer of nonprofit involved in freedom of music
Homeland Security legal expert
Expert in privacy issues and policy