TJHSST Admissions 2026–27 Calendar: Key Dates to Remember

The official TJHSST admissions calendar for the Class of 2031 is finally here. For families, the headline is simple: the application opens in October, but the SPS and PSE writing day arrives early, on January 9. Here are the dates to save, what each one actually means, and where students should focus their preparation.

Monday, October 5, 2026: Applications Available (4:00 PM)

The application portal opens for students applying to enter TJHSST as freshmen in fall 2027. The student must complete the initial login before the parent or guardian. During that first step, the student enters a parent name and email address.

Pro Tip: The October application is really closer to a registration and eligibility form than the part students spend months preparing for. It gets your student into the process, confirms the required coursework, and collects the needed signatures. The SPS and PSE in January are the pieces students actually need to practice. Do not overthink the form, but do start it early and make sure every detail is accurate.

The parent account link expires, and a school liaison counselor must verify the student's math course before the family can finish the application. FCPS says to allow at least 24 to 48 hours for that verification.

What happens after the student begins?

1. The parent receives an automated email and creates the parent account.
2. The student's school liaison counselor verifies the student's math course.
3. FCPS emails the student and parent when they may continue the application.
4. Both the student and parent electronically sign the application.
5. The family submits the application and keeps the confirmation email.

Wednesday, October 28, 2026: Last Day to Begin (4:00 PM)

This is the final day to start your application. If you haven't initiated the process by this date, you won't be able to apply for this cycle.

Friday, October 30, 2026: Submission Deadline (4:00 PM)

The completed application is due two days after the deadline to begin. All required signatures and application steps must be complete by 4:00 PM. This is also the deadline for:

• Accommodation requests, if applicable
• Alternate writing day requests, if applicable

Thursday, December 17, 2026: Eligibility Notification (6:00 PM)

FCPS will notify applicants who do not meet the minimum honors-course and GPA requirements. Families should review the official TJHSST eligibility requirements before starting the application.

Saturday, January 9, 2027: SPS and Essay Writing Administration

This is the part of the process students are actually preparing for. Eligible applicants complete the two written components used in the holistic review:

• Student Portrait Sheet (SPS): Applicants demonstrate FCPS Portrait of a Graduate attributes, including collaboration, communication, creative and critical thinking, ethical and global citizenship, and goal-directed resilience. Our plain-English SPS guide explains what the task looks like and how students can approach it.
• Problem-Solving Essay (PSE): Applicants respond in essay format to a math or science problem involving multiple variables or steps. The response should include both a solution and an explanation of the process. See our PSE guide for examples and a closer look at what strong reasoning involves.

Pro Tip: Students do not need to memorize perfect answers. They need enough practice with the thinking and writing process to respond clearly to a prompt they have never seen before. For the SPS, that means choosing specific experiences and explaining what they reveal. For the PSE, it means showing the reasoning, not just arriving at an answer.

This is also where structured preparation can help. We work with students on finding meaningful SPS examples, explaining PSE reasoning clearly, practicing under realistic conditions, and using feedback to improve while keeping the student's own voice.

FCPS has not yet published question counts, response lengths, or timing details for this cycle on the freshman application page. Families should rely on instructions sent directly by the TJHSST Admissions Office for those specifics.

Thursday, January 14, 2027: Accommodations and Alternate Writing Day

Students with approved accommodations or alternate-day requests will complete the SPS and Problem-Solving Essay on this date.

Saturday, January 23, 2027: Weather Date for January 9

If FCPS cancels the January 9 administration because of inclement weather, January 23 is the scheduled backup date.

Thursday, February 4, 2027: Weather Date for January 14

This is the inclement-weather backup for the accommodations and alternate writing day.

How the Class of 2031 Will Be Selected

FCPS says 550 seats will be offered after a holistic review. Evaluators consider the applicant's core GPA, Student Portrait Sheet, Problem-Solving Essay, and experience factors. No single deadline or writing component tells the whole story.

For public-school applicants, each participating middle school is presumptively allocated seats equal to 1.5% of its eighth-grade enrollment. Remaining eligible public-school applicants, along with applicants outside those public schools, compete for unallocated seats.

April 30, 2027: Final Decisions Released

Every applicant will receive one of three outcomes on or before this date: Offer, Waitpool, or No Offer. Students who receive an offer must accept or decline by the stated deadline, and TJHSST does not permit deferrals.

What Families Should Do Now

• Confirm eligibility before the portal opens.
• Save October 5, October 28, and October 30 as separate reminders.
• Use a parent email address that is checked frequently.
• Build in at least two school days for counselor verification.
• Submit before the final afternoon whenever possible.
• Bookmark both this guide and the official FCPS page.

The 2026–27 application window is earlier and shorter than last year's cycle. Starting promptly on October 5 is the simplest way to avoid problems with account setup, counselor verification, signatures, or accommodation requests.