Admissions Tip #6: Look to TJ’s Mission and Core Beliefs

The question on everyone’s minds is: how do we write the SIS? You may have a lot of ideas - write about extracurricular activities, show your STEM interest, write about your passions (what does that even mean?). But before any of this, you need to answer the question - what is TJ even looking for in a student?

This is where TJ’s Mission statement and core beliefs come in. First, read their mission and core beliefs at tinyurl.com/tjmissionbeliefs.

This gives you a much better idea of what they’re looking for in a student. It goes far beyond excellent students with high test scores. They’re looking for students who are going to take advantage of TJ’s resources and excellent labs in order to facilitate research and advance humanity. Another key takeaway is that TJ Admissions focuses on students who have strong collaboration and communication skills. When it comes to STEM, having background knowledge and a strong understanding of concepts is important. However, communication is absolutely essential in order to make these advancements a reality in society. Moreover, many research projects at TJ, and in the real world, are accomplished in a team setting. Demonstrating that you are able to collaborate effectively with your peers is essential to your success in the TJ Admissions process, and TJ in general.

We recommend that you focus on extracurricular activities that demonstrate these skills. For example, First Lego League (FLL) requires you to work on a team on a STEM project, placing a heavy emphasis on both communication and collaboration. Odyssey of the Mind (OM) has certain challenges that are STEM related, and places a heavy emphasis on collaborative problem solving. Placing an emphasis on your communication and collaboration skills will go a long way to help you stand out in the TJ Admissions process.

In our first video in our Round 2 course (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRaQLH81uJA), we explain in detail some of TJ’s mission/core beliefs. We recommend looking into our Round 2 SIS/Essay to get a more in-depth understanding into exactly what TJ admissions looks for in your essays.

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!