Free readiness report

Free TJ Admissions SPS/PSE Diagnostic

Do not buy TJ prep before you know what problem you are solving.

  • Your student completes one SPS response and one PSE response.
  • We show what is strong, what is weak, and what to fix first.
  • No obligation. Just clarity before a high-stakes decision.
Start the Free Diagnostic See what you get
  • 45 minutes
  • SPS + PSE sample
  • report in 3-7 business days
  • no obligation

How it works

A short TJHSST diagnostic, not a full practice exam

The goal is to see how your student currently thinks and writes before TJ prep begins, then show your family what targeted SPS and PSE feedback actually looks like.

  1. 01

    Complete one SPS-style response

    Students answer a short prompt that reveals story selection, reflection, and Portrait of a Graduate alignment.

  2. 02

    Complete one compact PSE response

    Students work through a focused math/science reasoning prompt and explain their thinking in writing.

  3. 03

    Receive a parent-ready report

    We summarize readiness, highlight strengths and gaps, and recommend the next prep path if your student needs support.

What the report includes

Specific feedback parents can actually use

The report is designed to answer the practical question most TJ families have: is my student ready for the SPS and PSE, and what should we work on first?

  • Overall readiness band based on current writing and reasoning.
  • SPS notes on story quality, specificity, POG alignment, reflection, and clarity.
  • PSE notes on reasoning, setup, explanation quality, structure, and precision.
  • Top improvement priorities for the next few weeks of prep.
  • A recommended next step: TJ Prep Flex, small group coaching, or practice exams.

Personalized feedback on your student's actual work

The diagnostic report is written after reviewing your student's actual SPS and PSE responses. Parents get a clear readiness snapshot, specific strengths, and the next few priorities to work on.

  • Readiness band A plain-English view of whether the student looks early, developing, competitive, or advanced for this stage.
  • SPS priorities What is working in the story, where the response gets vague, and what would make the reflection more convincing.
  • PSE priorities Where the setup, reasoning chain, math/science explanation, or written structure needs attention.
  • Next prep path Whether the student should focus on foundations, feedback cycles, timed practice, or a more advanced polish plan.
Start the Free Diagnostic

Why this helps

See the feedback before buying the prep

TJ prep is hard to evaluate from a course description alone, and families should not have to guess before making an important decision. The free diagnostic gives Northern Virginia families a zero-obligation way to experience how TJTestPrep analyzes SPS writing, PSE reasoning, and student readiness.

Parents see our feedback quality

The report makes the invisible part of prep visible: how we diagnose weak writing, unclear reasoning, and missed opportunities.

Students learn what to improve first

Families leave with a clearer sense of whether the student needs structure, repeated feedback, test simulation, or all three.

Start the diagnostic

Find out where your student stands

A parent fills in Parts 1 and 2. Your student then writes one SPS response and one PSE response right here on this page. The report comes by email within 3-7 business days, and there is no obligation to enroll.

Answers save in this browser as you type, so your student can come back to finish.

Part 1Parent and student

The report goes to this address.

Part 2Your student's background

Optional, but the more we know, the more specific the report can be.

For each activity, include the student’s role, how long they have participated, approximate time commitment, and any notable awards, outcomes, or accomplishments.

If available, include GPA in core classes and world language. If GPA is not available, provide the best estimate of grades by subject, especially math, science, English, social studies, and world language.

Part 3The diagnostic

This part is for your student. Set aside about 45 minutes total. Suggested timing: 15 minutes for the SPS response, 25 minutes for the PSE response, and 5 minutes for review. Students should complete this independently without outside help so the diagnostic report reflects current readiness.

  • Scratch paper and a pen or pencil are fine for planning.
  • No calculator. Work the math out by hand and show it in the response.
  • No help from anyone else. This is individual work.

Student Portrait Sheet (SPS)

Communicator: Effective communication is vital in a collaborative and rigorous academic environment like TJHSST. Explain what "active listening" means to you and why it is as important as speaking clearly. Describe a situation where your ability to actively listen (or someone else's lack thereof) significantly impacted the outcome of a group project or discussion. What did you learn from this experience about effective two-way communication? Please respond in short answer/essay format and include specific details. (1500 characters max)

0 / 1,500 characters

Problem Solving Essay (PSE)

A city is establishing a new rectangular community garden measuring 40 feet by 100 feet. Organizers are considering two watering systems: Option A is a sprinkler system with a one-time installation cost of $1,000, which uses 0.5 gallons of water per square foot per week. Option B is a drip irrigation system with a one-time installation cost of $2,500, which uses 0.2 gallons of water per square foot per week. The cost of water is $0.01 per gallon.

First, calculate the total cost (installation + water) for each system over an initial 20-week growing season. Then, factor in new conditions for a second 20-week season: the city offers a 20% rebate on the installation cost of any new drip irrigation system, and the cost of water doubles to $0.02 per gallon. Assuming Option B qualifies for the rebate, which system is the more cost-effective choice over the entire two-season (40-week) period? Finally, beyond cost, provide two other reasons, grounded in scientific or ethical principles, why one system might be preferable.

Please respond in essay format. Use full sentences, clearly state your assumptions, show calculations with units, and explain your reasoning step by step. (3700 characters max)

0 / 3,700 characters

Part 4Before you submit

This diagnostic is not official TJHSST scoring and does not guarantee any admissions outcome. It is a free, zero-obligation readiness snapshot.

FAQ

Common parent questions

Yes. The diagnostic and readiness report are free for families exploring TJ prep. Students complete one SPS-style response and one PSE-style response.

No. This is a zero-obligation diagnostic. We want families to understand where their student stands before being asked to commit to a prep program.

No. This is a TJTestPrep readiness diagnostic based on our prep rubric. It is not official TJHSST scoring and does not guarantee an admissions outcome.

Plan for about 45 minutes total: roughly 15 minutes for the SPS response, 25 minutes for the PSE response, and 5 minutes for review.

Parents should expect the TJ admissions readiness report by email within 3-7 business days.

Rising 7th and 8th grade families are the best fit, along with advanced younger students who are starting to explore TJHSST admissions.

You can use the feedback independently or compare the recommended next step against TJ Prep Flex, small group coaching, and practice exams.