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NEWS

The TJHSST Admissions Office has Moved! See our new contact information at Contact.

FINAL ADMISSIONS DECISIONS FOR APPLICANTS TO THE SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR CLASSES AT TJHSST WILL BE MAILED ON FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2008.

The Admissions Office does not provide information regarding final admissions decisions via telephone or e-mail.

If you have not received your letter by Friday, July 4, 2008, please call the Admissions Office (703-876-5265) on Monday, July 7, 2008, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Fairfax County Public Schools Modifies TJHSST Admissions Test

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will modify the admissions test for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) beginning with the December 2008 test session. (Note: This will not affect summer round testing on July 8, 2008.)

The TJHSST admissions test is a standardized mathematics and verbal reasoning test that assesses the knowledge and skills needed for success in a high school program for high-achieving students. Changes are planned for the mathematics and verbal sections that will align the test with the new Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) and admission tests given at comparable selective high schools for high-achieving students nationwide.

Quantitative comparisons will be eliminated in the mathematics section, which now will be composed solely of 50 word problems and computation questions. Analogies and word meaning questions will be eliminated in the verbal section, which will retain logical reasoning questions and reading comprehension exercises and add scrambled paragraph problems. The changes to the verbal section will reduce that section from 70 to 45 questions. The total testing time for the mathematics and verbal sections now will be two hours; this time frame will better serve students who also must complete a one-hour essay writing exercise on the day of testing.

Students and parents can obtain more information regarding the TJ admissions test by viewing the new Student Handbook for the Admissions Test. This 56-page handbook describes the test, offers test-taking strategies, and includes a complete sample test. You can download and print the handbook, but you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer to do so.

The Fairfax County Public Schools Student Handbook for the Admissions Test for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology © NCS Pearson, Inc. is posted on this internet site with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

Students without computer access will be able to obtain copies of the handbook from middle schools in all school divisions that participate in TJHSST. Please ask a counselor to print a copy of the handbook for you.

PLEASE NOTE: THE NEW ADMISSIONS TEST WILL BE ADMINISTERED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECEMBER 2008. STUDENTS APPLYING DURING SUMMER ROUND, WHO WILL TAKE THE ADMISSIONS TEST ON JULY 8, 2008, WILL NOT TAKE THE NEW TEST.

APPLICATION FOR SUMMER ROUND ADMISSIONS

SUMMER ROUND APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JUNE 30, 2008

The application deadline for all summer round applicants is Monday, June 30, 2008. This is a firm deadline - no exceptions!!

Applications may be hand delivered to the Admissions Office at Devonshire Center, but will not be accepted there after 4:00 p.m. on Monday, June 30, 2008. The Admissions Office will close promptly at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, June 30, 2008.

DO NOT leave applications with anyone other than Admissions Office staff at Devonshire Center.

DO NOT leave applications at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Holmes Middle School, or the Holmes Annex.

You must either submit your application to the Admissions Office before 4:00 p.m. on June 30, 2008 or you must mail the application to the Admissions Office at:

TJHSST Admissions Office
P.O. Box 3300
Merrifield, VA 22116-3300

If you mail your application, make a copy of the application for your records and bring your completed application to a post office and have a clerk hand-cancel the envelope so that the postmark clearly reads "June 30, 2008." DO NOT just put the envelope in a mail drop.

If your application is postmarked after June 30, 2008, we will NOT accept the application.

If you want proof that we received the application, ask for delivery confirmation or send the application by certified mail, return receipt requested.

Application for summer-round admission for the freshman class is limited to students who did not reside in a school division that participates in TJHSST before September 30, 2007. Information regarding summer-round can be found at Summer Round.

Summer Round applications for the freshman class (9th grade) class at TJHSST are now available.

If you (parent and student) currently reside in a TJHSST participating school division: Application packets are available from the Admissions Office. Call 703-876-5265 to request an application packet.

If you do not currently reside in a TJHSST participating school division: Please have your parent(s) contact the admissions director at 703-876-5282 to discuss eligibility. If you (the student) do not currently live in a TJHSST participating school division, your parent/legal guardian must speak with the admissions director before you can receive an application.

TEST PREPARATION

Additional information about the TJ Admissions Test and test preparation can be found at Testing and at Resources.

Information regarding the TJHSST Admissions Test Prep Seminar offered by the FCPS Office of Adult & Community Education during the summer of 2008 is now available. Information about this seminar was included in ACE Classes, which was mailed to all Fairfax County homes in March 2008. Information also is available at www.fcps.edu/aceclasses.

The TJ Admissions Office is not involved with, or administer, any test preparation programs and does not have any additional information about these programs.