Admissions Tip #7: Do not make athletics your main focus

Throughout elementary and middle school, many students religiously participate in athletics, from house Basketball to Soccer, to Tae Kwon Do and Tennis. These are excellent for personal development and general fitness, but they are not appropriate for the TJ Admissions process.

During round 2 of the admissions process, in the instructions, students are explicitly told not to discuss sports in their application. This often comes as a shock to many students, who have spent most of their time outside of school on sports.

This is not to say that you should not participate in sports. They are great for when you get to TJ, and help maintain good health in the process. In fact, there are many sports at TJ, such as Tennis, and Swim/Dive that require years of practice and development prior to making it onto the team. However, sports in middle school do not have a place in the TJ Admissions process. During middle school, we recommend focusing on extracurriculars that will truly boost your chances on getting admitted to TJ, and simultaneously expand your interest in STEM fields.

Check back in soon for another insider application tip!

Questions? We are happy to chat with you about your application. Please reach out to prep4tj@gmail.com!