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SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR ADMISSIONS

TJHSST accepts a very limited number of students for its sophomore and junior classes each year. Students who wish to apply for the sophomore or junior classes apply at the beginning of June for entrance the following September. TJHSST does not admit students for entry at any other time during the school year.

The number of students who can be accepted to the sophomore and junior classes, which is based in part on student attrition at TJHSST, is very limited. Over the past eight years, the number of admitted sophomores has ranged from five to twenty-three. Over the past five years of junior admissions, the number of admitted juniors (if any) has ranged from one to two.

TJHSST does not admit students for the senior (12th grade) year.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2008-2009

January, 2009 - Applications available (see details below) June 1, 2009 - Absolute Application Deadline June 15, 2009 (week of) - Junior interviews (see details below) June 26, 2009 - Final Admissions Decisions postmarked

SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR SELECTION PROCESS

Sophomore and junior application packets are reviewed by a committee of TJHSST faculty and staff to identify the students who will be offered admission each year to the tenth and eleventh grades at TJHSST.

The selection committee undertakes a holistic review to determine:

Aptitude for successful study of science, mathematics, computer science, and related technological fields; Record of prior academic achievement and PSAT or SAT scores; Interest and motivation in the fields of science, mathematics, computer science, and related technologies; Readiness for research, experimentation, or independent study in one of the school's technology laboratories. This may be demonstrated by successful science fair projects and other in-school and out-of-school experiences in science, engineering, computer science, and other technological areas.

The sophomore and junior selection process is completed in its entirety in June.

ELIGIBILITY

All applicants must, at the time of application, live with a parent or legal guardian who resides full-time in, and meets the residency requirements of, a school division that participates in TJHSST. Residency must precede application. See Eligibility for more information on the residency requirement.

In addition, students may only apply to the 2009-2010 sophomore and junior classes provided that the student is applying from a school division that has not exceeded its attendance cap for the grade for which the student is applying. If you do not live in Fairfax County, you should check with the Admissions Office before you apply to make sure that applications will be allowed from that school division.

SOPHOMORE ADMISSIONS PREREQUISITES

You must be in the ninth grade to apply to the sophomore class at TJHSST. Ninth graders may apply to the sophomore class whether or not they have previously applied to TJHSST. Applicants to the sophomore class must have completed the following graduation credits by the beginning of the 2009-2010 academic year:

English - 1 credit Algebra 1 - 1 credit Geometry - 1 credit Biology - 1 credit Health/PE - 1 credit Foreign Language - 1 credit Elective - 1 credit

If your school does not offer the exact courses listed above, you must submit documentation from your prior school (such as copies of the curriculum, course syllabus, etc.) that describes in detail each course and the material covered.

If you have not taken Biology, you must submit proof of enrollment in Biology, with laboratory, during the summer of 2009 with your application. Online courses are NOT allowed to fulfill this requirement.

If you have taken Algebra 2/Trigonometry, but not Geometry, you may apply to TJHSST. You will be required to take Geometry in grade 10 if you are admitted to TJHSST.

If you have taken Algebra 2, but not Algebra 2/Trigonometry, you will be required to take Trigonometry if you are admitted to TJHSST.

JUNIOR ADMISSIONS PREREQUISITES

You must be in the tenth grade to apply to the junior class at TJHSST. Tenth graders may apply to the junior class only if they have not applied to TJHSST previously.

Applicants to the junior class must have completed the following graduation credits by the beginning of the 2009-2010 academic year:

English - 2 credits Algebra 1 - 1 credit Geometry - 1 credit Algebra 2/Trigonometry - 1 credit Biology - 1 credit Chemistry - 1 credit Health/PE - 2 credits Foreign Language - 1 or 2 credits (2 recommended) World History/Geography 2 - 1 credit Computer Science - 1 credit Elective (technology preferred) - 1 credit

Students accepted to the eleventh grade with all of the above credits would still need to take at least 13 additional credits to complete the graduation requirements for the required TJHSST diploma.

All students interested in applying to the junior class must submit a copy of their high school transcript and PSAT or SAT scores, by no later than May 1, 2009, for evaluation of eligibility before they can receive an application.

All applicants to the junior class must be available for an interview during the week of June 15, 2009, as part of the admissions process. The junior interview is required.

REQUIRED TESTING

The required testing for students applying to the sophomore and junior classes at TJHSST is the PSAT or the SAT. No other testing may be substituted.

Additional information on the testing requirement can be found by going to Testing.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

The application deadline for the sophomore and junior classes at TJHSST is Monday, June 1, 2009. This is a firm deadline. No late applications will be accepted for any reason.

Applications for the sophomore and junior classes will be available in late January 2009.

Applicants to the junior class may only obtain an application from the Admissions Office, after their high school transcript and PSAT or SAT scores have been submitted and evaluated for eligibility by the Admissions Office.

Applicants to the sophomore class may obtain application in the following ways:

If you attend a public high school in a TJHSST participating school division, you should pick up your application packets from the designated TJ liaison counselor at your high school. If you do not attend a public high school in a TJHSST participating school division, you should call the Admissions Office in late January or later to request an application packet. If you do not currently live in a TJHSST participating school division, your parent/legal guardian must contact the Admissions Director at 703-876-5282, to discuss whether or not you could be eligible to apply to TJHSST, before an application can be sent to you.

PROCESSING FEE

Applicants to the sophomore and junior classes at TJHSST must pay a $90.00 processing fee. Checks should be made payable to "Fairfax County Public Schools" or to "FCPS."

Students who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals pay a processing fee of $25.00. A waiver of the fee (no fee) also is available by calling the Admissions Office at 703-876-5265.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Detailed information on the sophomore/junior application process will be posted on this website in January 2009 when applications are available.