School
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology
- A+Overall Grade
- Public, Magnet
- 9-12
- Alexandria, VA
- 451 reviews
- AcademicsA+
- DiversityA-
- TeachersA
- College PrepA+
- Clubs & ActivitiesA+
- Health & SafetyA
- AdministrationB+
- SportsB+
- FoodB
- Resources & FacilitiesA-
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Rankings
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Academics
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- Crime & SafetyNG
- DiversityA+
- Cost of LivingC-
- Good for FamiliesA-
Area Feel
Urban
Median Household Income
$80,717
National
$55,322Median Rent
$1,625
National
$949Median Home Value
$445,300
National
$184,700Culture & Safety
Health & Safety
A
Based on chronic student absenteeism, suspensions/expulsions, and survey responses on the school environment from students and parents.
Poll
- 98%
- of students agree that they feel safe at their school.51 responses
Poll
- 86%
- of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there.51 responses
Students
Diversity
A-
Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents.
Students
1,823
Free or Reduced Lunch
2%
- 95%
- of students and parents agree that students at this school are competitive.58 responses
- 60%
- of students and parents agree that students at this school are creative and artsy.58 responses
- 28%
- of students and parents agree that students at this school are athletic.58 responses
Teachers
- 77%
- of students and parents agree that the teachers give engaging lessons.71 responses
- 79%
- of students and parents agree that the teachers genuinely care about the students.71 responses
- 82%
- of students and parents agree that the teachers adequately lead and control the classroom.71 responses
Clubs & Activities
Clubs & Activities
A+
Based on student and parent reviews of clubs and activities.
Girls Athletic Participation
High
Boys Athletic Participation
High
Expenses Per Student
$15,526/ year
National
$12,239- 93%
- of students and parents agree that there are plenty of clubs and organizations for students to get involved in.72 responses
- 74%
- of students and parents agree that clubs and organizations get the funding they need.72 responses
- 92%
- of students and parents agree that lots of students participate in clubs and organizations.72 responses
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Reviews
451 reviews
All Categories
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, also known more succinctly by locals as "TJ," is a school of extremes. While opportunities to participate in extracurriculars and take advanced classes abound, these same opportunities lead to a significant downside of TJ, which is that it is somewhere between common and the absolute norm to get fewer than eight hours of sleep on a daily basis. The culture has its good and bad sides as well. On one hand, every student here is incredibly passionate about something -- whether it be biology or music. On the other hand, TJ is also plagued by a consistent mix of complaints about teachers and schoolwork (which are at times exaggerated, but almost always have a valid foundation) and "humble bragging", where students brag while simultaneously framing their accomplishments as nothing much.
TJHSST was the perfect place for me to spend the most important parts of my development. My experience taught me a lot about myself; my interests, my passions, and my weaknesses. The school provided so many experiences for me to really find my passion and explore different paths through the courses offered. The teachers are so kind and helpful and the students are so diverse and accepting. However, academics can get tough and my time at the school has been stressful and challenging. But I learned from my experience; it prepared me to college and taught me tips on how to stay efficient and organized.
Overall, I enjoyed my time at TJ. There were definitely times when the workload became stressful, but the student community is very kind and supportive. How difficult classes are depends a lot on which teachers you get. For the same class, one teacher may give 30 minutes of hw while another may give 2-3 hours. One thing I loved about the school is the wide variety of STEM classes available, ranging from AI and parallel computing to bionanotechnology and DNA. There are also a lot more math classes available that aren't offered in base schools, although I personally never took any of these as I was more of a bio kid. My one complaint about the school is that it can become challenging to arrange your schedule to fit in non-STEM classes, such as music or foreign language. While I understand that ultimately, it is a science and tech school, I do wish that the scheduling was more flexible.