Write with Confidence for TJ Admissions

Prepare for the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology admissions process—with focused practice on the essays that matter most.

Why Fairfax Collegiate?

TJ attracts students across Northern Virginia who want a rigorous STEM and research environment. The admissions process asks them to show who they are and how they think—under time pressure. Self-paced videos and generic writing tips rarely provide the coaching students need when a prompt is hard or a draft falls flat.

Fairfax Collegiate has helped Northern Virginia families prepare for selective admissions for more than thirty years. Our school-year TJHSST Prep course gives students live instruction, structured practice, and personalized feedback on the same essay types used in our summer TJ Admissions Prep courses.

Enroll in TJHSST Prep and build the writing strategies TJ admissions expects.

What Will You Learn?

Student Portrait Sheet essays

• Practice a variety of personal-statement style prompts
• Learn what the TJ Admissions Committee looks for in strong responses
• Develop narrative and reflective writing that highlights your strengths clearly

Problem-Solving Essay

• Use a clear framework for explaining mathematics or science problem-solving in writing
• Organize answers so they are informative, correct, and easy to follow under time limits
• Practice timed responses that combine reasoning with clear explanation

Writing under time constraints

• Analyze prompts quickly and plan before you write
• Produce organized, grammatically correct essays efficiently
• Revise with instructor and peer feedback so your strategies improve week to week

How Do We Help You?

Each class meets live online via Zoom. Instructors who know the TJ admissions process teach strategies, lead discussion, and give feedback that helps students highlight strengths within time constraints. At the end of the course, each student receives an individual evaluation describing strengths and areas to improve.

Students work through lecture material, discussion, and independent practice with multiple prompts. Course materials include a TJHSST Prep workbook—the same content used in our summer TJ Admissions Prep courses.

Open class sections for this course are listed below. Looking for a summer intensive first? See Summer TJ and ACL Prep, including TJHSST Admissions Prep.

Ready for more essay practice after this course? Continue with Advanced TJHSST Prep.

Find a TJHSST Prep section that fits your schedule—and approach the application with clearer strategies and greater confidence.