I thought TJ was there for the brightest students. Do we have to teach to the test? If you're good enough to get into TJ, you shouldn't have to take test training! This smacks of efforts to lower the admission standards.

Fairfax citizen, I actually go to TJ and test preparation is not a sign of academic weakness. I and probably 80% of my classmates took test training. While it's true that the test training is probably superfluous, it doesn't lower the standards.

I agree with Student. Test preparation does not lower the admission standards, per se. After all, the prospective students still have to perform when they take that test - and they are on their own then.

For example, I took the bar exam 15 years ago. The very next day after graduation, I started bar review. Everyone I know did that. No one wants to have to take that test twice -- so you do what you can to ensure that you are familiar with the format of the test, that you will not be shocked by anything you see, etc.

For those of us who are competitive athletes, we practice our sport, don't we? And we try to practice under conditions that mimic the competition we are entering. That doesn't mean we don't understand our sport or we're not skilled in it. But we are trying to get the edge over another competitor through gaining a comfort level.

To me, test preparation is just giving the diligent student a chance to practice and to know what the test will be like and to gain a comfort level with it. They still have to have the knowledge, skills, experience and talent to succeed.

Congratulations, Student, on going to TJ!

My son is a bright 6th grader and I want him to go to TJ. I am having him do extra reading, some reasoning exercises and also some math. Since we have 2 years, I think he will be ready when the time comes. Any ideas on what else I should/should not be doing?