Few Mason District students get into TJ
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| The lobby at TJ. |
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is
one of the top high schools in the country and it’s right here in Mason District.
Yet relatively few students from Mason District are accepted to the school.
Of the 1,623 students who applied to be part of TJ’s Class
of 2023, just 274 were accepted, and only 22 of them are from Mason District
middle schools. All 22 are students at Luther Jackson Middle School, which has
an Advanced Academic Level IV Program, according to a chart from Fairfax County
Public Schools.
Neither Glasgow, Holmes, nor Poe middle schools, also in Mason
District, are sending students to TJ, despite the fact that Glasgow also
has an Advanced Academic Level IV Program.
District, are sending students to TJ, despite the fact that Glasgow also
has an Advanced Academic Level IV Program.
Carson Middle School in Herndon is sending 71 students to TJ
for the Class of 2023, the most of any middle school. The other schools where
TJ Class of 2023 students are coming from are Longfellow in Falls Church (51 students), Rocky Run in Chantilly (40), Cooper in McLean (36), Frost
in Fairfax (18), and Kilmer in Vienna (18). Lake Braddock Secondary School in
Burke is also sending 18.
for the Class of 2023, the most of any middle school. The other schools where
TJ Class of 2023 students are coming from are Longfellow in Falls Church (51 students), Rocky Run in Chantilly (40), Cooper in McLean (36), Frost
in Fairfax (18), and Kilmer in Vienna (18). Lake Braddock Secondary School in
Burke is also sending 18.
Of the 285 students admitted to TJ for the Class of 2022, 18
students are from Jackson and none are from Poe, Holmes, or Glasgow.
students are from Jackson and none are from Poe, Holmes, or Glasgow.
The TJ Class of 2021 includes 20 students from Jackson, the class of 2020 has 11 students from Jackson, and the Class of 2019 has 13 Jackson students. The FCPS chart shows no students from Poe, Holmes, or Glasgow have been admitted to TJ for the classes of 2021, 2020, or 2019.
Actually, there could have been a small number of students
admitted to TJ from those schools, as the FCPS chart does not show numbers less
than 10 as that could result in “identifiable student information.”
admitted to TJ from those schools, as the FCPS chart does not show numbers less
than 10 as that could result in “identifiable student information.”
Nevertheless, compared to schools in wealthier areas, it’s
clear that very few students from Mason District are able to take advantage of
the excellent academic resources available at TJ.
clear that very few students from Mason District are able to take advantage of
the excellent academic resources available at TJ.
It’s not about merely passing a test to get in. Many of the
students accepted to TJ have a huge advantage – parents able to pay thousands
of dollars for tutors and TJ prep courses – which is unavailable to less affluent
families.
students accepted to TJ have a huge advantage – parents able to pay thousands
of dollars for tutors and TJ prep courses – which is unavailable to less affluent
families.
27 responses to “Few Mason District students get into TJ”
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"It’s not about merely passing a test to get in. Many of the students accepted to TJ have a huge advantage – parents able to pay thousands of dollars for tutors and TJ prep courses – which is unavailable to less affluent families."
That really is the heart of the problem and the one that needs to be addressed. Affluent communities don't have proportionally more intelligent students, just more resources. I know other magnet schools in other areas (like NYC) are looking at how to bridge that gap, I hope TJ and FCPS focus on this as well.
Our children are younger but in advanced math and we will have them take the admissions test cold in middle school. If they get in, great, if they don't, they'll have a great education at Annandale.
It's important to note that Frost students can be from Annandale, many local students are sent there for the level IV magnet program.
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If Mason wasn't so full of illegals, boarding houses, crime, vacant store fronts, terrible mass transit and poor performing schools the demographics may be different. But as long as the County keeps dumping its underprivileged in Mason, building high rise homeless shelters and scaring developers away there will be continued economic decline and brain drain in Mason.
Its time for a supervisor to stop pandering and have a vision to improve local economics to attract a strong middle class to Mason so they can afford to prop up their kids and complete with the likes of McLean.
I'm interested in this article because my 8th grade son at Glasgow didn't make the cut. But he says his buddy at Glasgow WAS accepted (and I'm pretty sure will attend). It was Glasgow's student president. Therefore paragraph 3 in the article might be slightly incorrect. Not sure.
You are right. The total four Glasgow students were accepted. I am one of the parent. I met other three students' parents in TJ 2023 Wellcome Night.
Could you please post a link to the chart? Thanks!
While there may be some logic in blaming the Mason District supervisor for the economic condition of Mason District (I completely agree that more needs to be done to make it more prosperous); should not the school board representative for Mason District be called into account for this disparity? I think that person would now be embarrassed to attend school board meetings, and certainly needs to answer to Mason district voters.
This article isn't correct – and needs to be corrected. If a school sends under 10 students they don't report it. Glasgow had at least 4 that I know of this year. While that isn't a lot of students – you state that none did in tow paragraphs then say "Actually, there could have been a small number of students admitted to TJ from those schools, as the FCPS chart does not show numbers less than 10 as that could result in “identifiable student information.” Please correct your article to make it more accurate. I agree with the sentiment, but it is factually incorrect.
Rather than totals, I would be interested in knowing what percentage of applicants were from Mason. If only 22 came from Mason district, how many applied? Were those 22 all that applied, or half, etc.? And how does that percentage compare to other Fairfax County areas. Also there are 9 districts in Fairfax county — 274 students accepted, 22 in Mason–that does not seem quite as bad when you take other districts into account separately since 274 divided by 9 is 30.
It also doesn't account for private schools in Mason District that have students going to TJ. There is a Queen of Apostles student going and I am not sure about the other private schools.
My son met the numeric scores, but the letter said, Thanks but no thanks you were not selected for the next phase in the application process.
I think it is wrong that students are required to put their race on the test application. What happen to just being a smart kid and including everyone who makes the cut regardless of where they are from? If you apply for a job, it's illegal for an employer to take that info into consideration for hiring someone, so how can the school board get away with being selective by race to make up this school with the demographics they want.
I think most students at TJ are of Asian descent – are you saying that they favor Asian students?
Basing admittance on merit sounds nice but, as you say, in reality it's nothing more than a much more subtle way of segregating children of affluent parents from those of poor families.
James, I think you misunderstood how TJ uses race to decide if a student is admitted. It is the opposite of segregating. They factor in the applicant's race to increase the diversity of the student body. If they kept it fully merit-based, the student body would be mostly Korean, Indian, and White. That's how it was for a long time, and then they instituted this measure to diversify approximately 5 years ago (Washington Post article). I have mixed feelings about this. I do sympathize with Anonymous 12:44 AM.
Luther Jackson is in the Providence District.
Yes but students from Annandale go there.
The same is true of Frost, yet you barely mention that school.
Holmes is another local middle school with few if any students matriculating to TJ.
TJ's enrollment as of 2017-2018 was 1.69% black (compare to 10.29% across all FCPS HS), 1.86% Hispanic/Latino (vs 25% across all FCPS HS), and 2.09% Free and Reduced Meals (vs 28% across all FCPS HS).
What about transgender, I bet that was a whopping zero?
So, A) What is the average age to come out? Middle school? I would think later.
and B) Can they really make quotas for every conceivable type of human? Such an admissions chart would be a coordination nightmare. "*Gasp* There is not a single Asexual student this year. How could admissions have let this happen?!"
Do admissions even ask that question? How would they even know?
My daughter is a rising sophomore & at least 80% of her friends are declaring they are gay or bi & my daughter doesn't even know what she is yet. To be hetero is now the minority & I think I have become asexual..sorry, getting off topic.
They might flirt!
I occasionally substitute teach at TJ, and the students there are polite, quiet, attentive and an all-around pleasure to supervise. They work in the classroom as instructed and never give an attitude. The facilities there are excellent, too… I wish I had access to an electronics lab like that when I was in high school. I know a day substituting at TJ will be more almost always be more satisfying than substituting at one of the other local schools.
Oh right, cus rich & super smart kids are just better people. Subbing in the wretched "other" subpar schools full of dumb worthless idiots from mostly working class & poor families must be an abominable & degrading experience.
So Snooty of you.
Actually, Anonymous 4:08, students tend to manifest the values that their parents foster, which costs zero dollars. Not sure where you're getting "snooty" from. More than anything, though, I'm surprised that you seem to think the behavior of students would be identical across all schools. Wouldn't that be weird? Don't blame Bob Kovacs for spotting the pattern.
The reference to 1623 applicants and 274 admitted students must be to FCPS students. Students from other public school systems (APS, LCPS, FCCPS, and PWCPS) and from private schools also apply to and are accepted to TJHSST. Usually about 475 kids are admitted in total every year.