TJHSST Admissions

ADMISSIONS TESTING

All applicants to the freshman class at TJHSST must take the Thomas Jefferson Admissions Test (see details below). There is no substitute test.

Applicants to the sophomore and junior classes at TJHSST must take either the PSAT or the SAT as their required testing (see details below at the end of this section under "Sophomore and Junior Testing"). Applicants to the sophomore and junior classes do not take the TJ Admissions Test.

FRESHMAN TESTING: THE THOMAS JEFFERSON ADMISSIONS TEST

Submission of the application form by no later than October 24, 2008 registers the applicant to the freshman class for the Thomas Jefferson Admissions Test. Students must have applied to TJHSST in order to take the admissions test. Enrollment in a test preparation course or other program does not constitute application to TJHSST.

The TJHSST test will be administered on Saturday, December 6, 2008, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 12:30 p.m. at the local schools listed below. The admissions examination begins with a two hour standardized test (the "TJ Test"). Students take a short break and then are given one hour to write two essays to provide a writing sample. More information regarding the test is provided below.

Test Center Selection: Applicants indicate their choice of a test center (or test site) on the application form. You may choose whichever site is most convenient for you and your family on test day, regardless of where you live or attend school. Applicants are assigned to the test site that they select on their application. If you did not select a test site on your application, you will be assigned to the test site closest to your home.

Test Center Verification: A newsletter that verifies your test center and provides you with your I.D. number to be used for testing will be mailed to every applicant's home the week of November 17, 2008. If the verification newsletter is not received prior to December 1, 2008, please call the Admissions Office (703-876-5265).

Testing Accommodations: Testing accommodations and an alternate test date are available for students who require (1) testing accommodations due to identified disabilities (e.g., IEP or 504 plan; medical testing or medication required during testing), or (2) an alternate test date due to religious reasons.

If your child requires testing accommodations for an IEP or 504 plan, or because he or she may require medication during testing, you must complete the Request for Testing Accommodations Form available on this website and send it to the Admissions Director before the October 24, 2008 application deadline. Attach a copy of the portion of the IEP or 504 plan that addresses testing accommodations or, in the case of medical accommodations, a medication authorization form and/or physician's letter. The Admissions Director will contact you to confirm the testing accommodation and test date for the applicant. Students enrolled in a public school in a participating school division must have an IEP or 504 plan that addresses testing accommodations in order to receive testing accommodations.

If your child cannot attend the Saturday, December 6, 2008 test day for religious reasons, you must complete the Request for Alternate Date Testing Form available on this website and send it to the Admissions Director before the October 24, 2008 application deadline. Attach a copy of requested documentation. The Admissions Director will contact you to confirm the alternate test date for the applicant.

TEST CENTERS

Benton Middle 7411 Hoadly Road Manassas, VA 22112	Carson Middle 13618 McLearen Road Herndon, VA 20171	Frost Middle 4101 Pickett Road Fairfax, VA 22032
Harper Park Middle 701 Potomac Station Dr, NE Leesburg, VA 20176	Hughes Middle 11401 Ridge Heights Rd Reston, VA 22091	Irving Middle 8100 Old Keene Mill Rd Springfield, VA 22152
Jackson Middle 3020 Gallows Road Falls Church, VA 22042	Kilmer Middle 8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182	Liberty Middle 6801 Union Mill Road Clifton, VA 20124
Longfellow Middle 2000 Westmoreland St Falls Church, VA 22043	Poe Middle 7000 Cindy Lane Annandale, VA 22003	Rocky Run Middle 4400 Stringfellow Road Chantilly, VA 22021
Sandburg Middle 8428 Fort Hunt Road Alexandria, VA 22308	Swanson Middle 5800 N Washington Bv Arlington, VA 22205	Twain Middle 4700 Franconia Road Alexandria, VA 22310

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology IS NOT a test site for the TJ Admissions Test.

TEST DAY INSTRUCTIONS FROM INDIVIDUAL TEST CENTERS

The following information is provided by individual test centers regarding their procedures for December 6, 2008. They include instructions for: Kilmer, Harper Park, Poe, and Swanson. Not all test centers have site-specific instructions. Please otherwise follow the instructions on your pink testing newsletter.

Kilmer MS Test Center

Site instructions for Kilmer:

Students will not have access to their lockers on testing day.
Students must bring their snack. They will not have access to vending machines.
No electronic devices are permitted at the test site, including calculators, cell phones, iPods, portable CD players, etc.
Students may be dropped off starting at 8:00 a.m. and must enter the building at the front of the school.
Parents are not allowed to enter the building at any point on the testing day. Please make arrangements to meet your student outside the building at the end of the test at 12:30 PM sharp.

Harper Park MS Test Center

Our regulations for testing day are as follows:

Only students taking the test (no parents) will be allowed in the building.
Students will be allowed into the building at 7:45 a.m.
Students will NOT have access to lockers.
All coats will be placed at the back of the testing room.
All outside doors will be locked when testing begins.
There will be a white-board outside the designated entrance door.
Parents can pick up their students around 12:30 p.m. at the same door as the drop-off earlier.

Poe MS Test Center

Site specific instructions for Poe Middle School December 6, 2008:

Student who will be taking the TJ Admissions Test at Poe Middle School will be allowed admittance to the building beginning at 8am and not before.
Students will report immediately to the cafeteria for check-in and will then sit in an assigned location till dismissal to their testing room.
Students will not be allowed to wear jackets/coats while taking the test, please bring a sweater or sweatshirt to wear. Coats and jackets will be kept at the front of the classroom and will be picked up on dismissal.
will not be allowed to access lockers before or after the test. This rule must be followed. Parents may drop students off at the front of the school.
Parents will not be allowed to enter Poe Middle School on testing day. After all students have completed testing, students will be dismissed to meet their parents outside of the school.

Students can be dropped off at Swanson.s main door located at the side parking lot under the portico no earlier than 8:00 a.m. Parents/guardians may walk their students to the test entrance; however, parents/guardians may not enter the test site or wait for students at the test site.
Students will check in at the front door and be reminded that no electronic devices are permitted at the TJHSST testing site including: No Cell Phones; No Calculators; No Calculator watches or watches with alarms; No I-Pods or other music devices.
Swanson students are NOT permitted access to their lockers for any reason.
Students are advised that they will not be permitted to wear coats during the testing time. Coats will be stored in the back of the testing classroom. However, students are reminded that environmental conditions fluctuate from room to room, and they are advised to dress in layers, including sweaters or sweatshirts.
Students are permitted to bring a small snack to the test site. Snacks and drinks will be collected before testing begins and maintained by the test administrator until the 10 minute break time. There is no access to purchasing snacks on site.
Students are reminded that they are not permitted anything on their desk except for testing materials, pens, and pencils. Students are NOT permitted to read books or engage in other activities if they finish testing early. All students must remain seated quietly until test administration concludes.
All students will be dismissed at approximately 12:30 p.m. Parents/Guardians are not permitted in the building to pick up students at the conclusion of the test administration period. Parents/guardians may wait outside in the side parking lot to meet students.
In case of snow on December 6, 2008, the Swanson Middle School Arlington Public Schools TJHSST test site will follow the decisions of Fairfax County Public Schools. Notices and emergency announcements about retesting will be posted at the Arlington Public Schools Web site: www.apsva.us The APS toll free hot-line emergency number is 1-866-322-4APS (4277). Messages are posted in English & Spanish. Finally, students testing at Swanson Middle School can check Arlington Cable Channel 40 or Arlington Fios Channel 41 if there is an emergency announcement.

SNOW DAYS/INCLEMENT WEATHER

In case of inclement weather and the closure of schools on December 6, 2008, the examination will be held on December 13, 2008, at the same time and same locations. A make-up testing date will be scheduled for applicants with legitimate medical reasons for missing the regular test date.

WRITING SAMPLE

On test day, applicants are given 60 minutes after the admissions test to respond to two essay questions during the morning of the exam. This writing sample is not part of the test score, but will be used as part of the selection process if the applicant is included in the semifinalist pool. See the Q & A section below for more information regarding the writing sample, including sample essay questions.

FAQ'S ABOUT THE ADMISSIONS TEST

Test Content
Q: What kind of a test is the admissions test?
A: It is a math and verbal reasoning test, measuring not what a student knows but how well he/she can use knowledge gained over the previous 7 years of schooling.

Q: How many items are on the test?
A: There are 95 items on the test 45 verbal and 50 math.

Q: What kinds of items are asked on the test?
A: The verbal items include scrambled paragraphs, logical reasoning, and reading comprehension. The math items include word and computational problems. The math items include some algebra and geometry questions related to material covered in fifth through seventh grade mathematics.

Q: Who has developed and provided the test?
A: Pearson Assessments has custom made the test for Fairfax County Public Schools. Pearson provides similar tests for other magnet schools in the country.

TEST PREPARATION

Q: How can you prepare on your own for the test?
A: Go to Test Prep and Resources for information.

ESSAYS

Q: What types of essays are students asked to write?
A: Students write two essays at the time of testing in December. One essay focuses on real-world problem solving, often with an ethical component. The other essay requires self-assessment or self-reflection by the applicant.

Q: What might an essay question ask?
A: An example of the question that focuses on real-world problem solving, possibly with an ethical component, is the following: "As a member of a U.S. research team seeking to develop a vaccine for a common form of cancer, you have the option of working with a lab in another country that is doing the same research and is interested in collaboration. Do you choose to work as a single U.S. research team (which may take longer to produce results but bring prestige to your team) or to work with the other country's team (which may bring earlier but shared success)? Include your reasons and ramifications of your choice."

An example of the question that focuses on self-assessment or self-reflection is the following: "Please discuss in detail an activity in science, mathematics, or technology in which you have been involved in the 6th, 7th, or 8th grade that has had a significant impact on your interest in science, mathematics, or technology."

Q: How much time and space is allowed for the essays?
A: Students have one hour to write two essays. Each essay is written on a special one-page form provided to the applicant. Applicants must write their essays in the lined box provided on the form.

Q: How are essays evaluated?
A: Each semifinalist's essays are read and scored by two trained readers. The essays are scored according to specific rubrics designed for each essay, and students receive a score between 0 and 5. An essay with a score of 5 is an outstanding essay, while an essay with a score of 0 is non-responsive, irrelevant to the topic, incomplete, and/or illegible.

Q: When are essays evaluated?
A: Essays are evaluated by trained readers/educators after the semifinalist pool is determined in early February 2008. The readers read and score only the essays of semifinalists.

TEST DAY QUESTIONS

Q: What if an applicant is sick on the day of the test?
A: Do not attend on the test day, December 6, 2008, if you are ill. There will be a makeup day later that week on a school day. If a student misses the test day because of illness, the applicant's parent must call the Admissions Office (703-876-5265) the Monday following test day (December 8, 2008) to explain the absence and to arrange for the student to take the test on the makeup day.

Q: What if it is snowing on test day?
A: Listen to your radio or tune to TV Cable Channel 21 (the FCPS Red Apple channel) beginning at 6:00 a.m., or call the Fairfax County Public Schools Hotline at 1-800-839-3277, for any announcements regarding the TJ Admissions Test. If there is a heavy snowstorm, the admissions test may be postponed. If school buildings are open, however, the test will proceed. Check the sources listed above first before heading out to the test site.

Q: What if the test is postponed because of the weather?
A: If the test is postponed, it will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2008, at the same time and at the same locations scheduled for December 6, 2008. No additional notification is sent regarding the snow date.

Q: What should I bring to the test?
A: You should bring the testing newsletter you received in the mail the week before the test, three #2 pencils with erasers, and two ballpoint pens (blue or black ink only). You also may bring an extra eraser, a watch (with NO alarm, calculator, or memory features), Kleenex, sweater or sweatshirt, and a small snack (to be consumed during the break only). Do not bring anything else with you.

Q: Can I bring a calculator?
A: No. Calculators are not allowed during the admissions test. Possession of a calculator during testing can result in an applicant's disqualification from the admissions process.

Q: Can I bring a cell phone with me?
A: Cell phones are not allowed at test sites. Applicants may not leave the test site earlier than the 12:30 p.m. dismissal time, and parents can easily make arrangements for transportation home prior to the test. If you bring a cell phone with you, the phone will be collected from you before testing begins and you may pick it up after students are dismissed. Possession of a cell phone during testing can result in an applicant's disqualification from the admissions process.

Q: Is the test offered at other times during the year?
A: The TJ test is administered only in December (on December 6, 2008 or on the date the week following for students requesting testing accommodations or alternate-date testing) for winter-round applicants and in June (on June 8, 2009) for summer-round applicants only.

Q: Do applicants to the sophomore and junior classes take the TJ admissions test?
A: No. The required testing for applicants to the sophomore and junior classes is the PSAT or the SAT. See the information below regarding that testing.

SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR TESTING: PSAT OR SAT

The required testing for applicants to the sophomore and junior classes at TJHSST is the PSAT/NMSQT (the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) or the SAT. Sophomore and junior applicants do not take the TJ Admissions Test.

We do not accept or consider ACT, EXPLORE, or any other standardized tests as a substitution for the PSAT or SAT.

The PSAT is offered in October each year through local high schools. In 2008, the test days are either Wednesday, October 15, 2008 or Saturday, October 18, 2008. High schools determine which day they will administer the PSAT and most of the schools in this area do so on the Wednesday test day. Contact your current school's student services/guidance office for information about test date and registration for that testing. Make sure that you will receive an official score report (you will need to send a copy of the report you receive with your application).

If your school does not offer the PSAT and you cannot make arrangements to take it elsewhere in October 2008, you must take the SAT.

The SAT will be offered on the following dates in 2008-2009:

October 4, 2008
November 1, 2008
December 6, 2008
January 24, 2009
March 14, 2009 (no international testing available)
May 2, 2009

The latest date that you can take the SAT and be insured that the test scores will arrive in time for the selection process this year is May 2, 2009.

The College Board administers the SAT. Go to www.collegeboard.com to obtain information about the SAT and to register for that test. Your current school's student services/guidance office can assist you with this process.

When you register, DO NOT request that the scores be sent to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. We will not receive the scores. You must make a copy of the official score report you receive (either in the mail or online) and include a copy with your application. Make sure that the copy clearly shows your name.

Faculty Curator: Richard Washer