TJ Prep
What are TJ admissions officers looking for? Clear thinkers and curious minds (not perfect students)! Our approach coaches students to clearly show what they know and how they are unique—no matter the prompt.
With access to over 70 skill-building handouts and weekly timed practice tests on our online portal—plus personalized feedback and guided revision recommendations on each test—your student will show up to test day prepared and confident.
What Do TJ Sessions at Principia Look Like?
For the Student Portrait Sheet, we cover:
How to plan, structure, draft, and revise effectively and quickly
Development of core stories that flex across multiple prompts without sounding like canned responses
Ways to highlight FCPS’ Portrait of a Graduate traits that don’t sound cliche
How to make students’ individuality shine through specificity and storytelling
How to manage time without sacrificing quality
Confusion-causing grammar slip-ups to avoid
Live, in-class writing activities, practice, and discussion
For the Problem-Solving Essay, we focus on:
Clear thinking and step-by-step math writing
Review of key math and science topics likely to appear in prompts
Problem-solving skills to support students when they encounter problems they aren’t sure how to solve
Strategies that showcase creative and critical thinking
Highlighting students’ individual creativity and strengths, including providing—but not forcing—a template
Pacing strategies that keep students calm and in control
Live, in-class writing activities, practice, and discussion
Proven Results
Last cycle, about 70% of our students were offered admission to TJ — a number we’re proud of, knowing there are school-based quotas and experience factors outside anyone’s control.
The Timeline
Each fall, TJ opens its application for students to submit basic demographic information and confirm eligibility. Testing typically happens in early February, but dates can shift — the most up-to-date timeline is always available on TJ’s website here.
Curious about packages?
Our tutoring packages are available in 20, 40, and 80 hours, with savings of 10%, 15%, and 20%, respectively. Whether you're looking for academic support, AP tutoring, or test prep, we've got options to fit your goals.
Our Services
We offer both small-group classes and private 1:1 tutoring for TJ Prep. Not sure what’s best for your student? Click here to book a free consult — we’ll help you find the right fit. Ready to jump in? Group class sign-ups are just below.
7th Grade Spring TJ Prep 2025
This course is perfect for 7th graders who want to level up their writing skills and get a head start on building essential tools for the TJ admissions exam. The course covers the following:
SPS: brainstorming and writing about personal experiences, personal essay structure, grammar, and sentence structure basics
PSE: foundational math concepts likely to appear on the exam, problem-solving skills, problem-solving essay structures, writing about solution steps with clarity
Students also complete four practice tests and additional SPS and PSE practice prompts as part of this class, and receive individualized feedback on each.
15 Weeks | McLean, VA | $1,950 (includes all materials)
Class Dates:
February 6 – May 24, 2025
No class April 12–17 for Spring Break
Choose Your Section:
Thursdays, 4:30-6:30 pm
Saturdays, 3:30-5:30 pm
Class Size:
6 students max
Includes:
Weekly instruction, digital TJ practice tests, and all course materials.
For Rising & Current 8th Graders
This course is designed for 8th graders who are ready to get serious about their TJ preparation. The course covers the following:
SPS: guidance choosing which personal experiences to include and how to balance experiences across the entire application, multiple options for personal essay structure, time management and revision guidelines, grammar and sentence structure tools to enhance clarity and interest
PSE: foundational and advanced math concepts likely to appear on the exam; problem-solving skills; problem-solving essay structure options; practice developing critical insights, discussing assumptions, and writing with clarity; time management and revision guidelines
Students also complete six practice tests and additional SPS and PSE practice prompts as part of this class and receive individualized feedback on each.
Summer TJ Prep 2025
8 Weeks | McLean, VA | $1,795 (includes all materials)
Class Dates:
June 21 - August 10th
Choose Your Section:
Saturdays, 2:30-5:30 pm
Sundays, 2:30-5:30 pm
Class Size:
6 students max
Includes:
Weekly instruction, digital TJ practice tests, and all course materials
Fall TJ Prep 2025
8 Weeks | McLean, VA | $1,795 (includes all materials)
Class Dates:
September 13 – November 2nd, 2025
Choose Your Section:
Saturdays, 2:30-5:30 pm
Sundays, 2:30-5:30 pm
Class Size:
6 students max
Includes:
Weekly instruction, digital TJ practice tests, and all course materials
Winter TJ Prep 2025
8 Weeks | McLean, VA | $1,795 (includes all materials)
Class Dates:
November 6, 2025 – January 18, 2026
No class November 26-30 and December 20-January 2
Choose Your Section:
Thursdays, 4-7 pm
Saturdays, 2:30-5:30 pm
Sundays, 2:30-5:30 pm
Class Size:
6 students max
Includes:
Weekly instruction, digital TJ practice tests, and all course materials
Applying to TJ as a 10th Grader?
We’ve Got You.
Yes, it’s possible — and no, there’s no test this time around. Read more about our TJ Sophomore Admissions Process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Principia’s TJ prep classes unique?
Our classes are held in-person—not only have we found that this helps instructors personalize their coaching for each class and student, we’ve also noted that this helps increase engagement and allows students to interact and encourage each other more effectively.
We also build lots of practice and feedback opportunities into the course—regular practice tests through our digital portal are included in tuition costs, and students receive feedback on every test that they complete on time. If students would like even more individualized guidance, they can add additional 1:1 sessions either during or after the completion of the course.
How often do students take practice tests?
That depends on the student and course!
Spring 7th grade classes: Students complete four full practice tests by the end of the course and see multiple additional practice prompts for both SPS and PSE.
Summer, fall, and winter 8th grade classes: After the first week of class, students take practice tests weekly.
1:1 sessions: Instructors will decide on the best cadence of practice tests depending on the individual student, when the student’s prep begins, and the student’s revision efforts. The vast majority of 1:1 students begin taking weekly practice exams in October and continue up until the official test day.
Access to full-length practice tests through our online test portal is included in tuition costs.
When Should We Start Preparing?
That depends on your student. Some begin early — in elementary school — while others start in 8th grade. Our TJ-specific group classes officially begin in 7th grade and run all the way up to test day.
Before then, we recommend private 1:1 tutoring to target key academic skills and encourage deeper intellectual exploration. Whether it’s building writing confidence or digging into math competition problems, we meet students where they are — and help them grow from there.
What’s Your Refund Policy?
Once the class begins, we don’t offer refunds — so we recommend checking in with your student beforehand to make sure they’re excited to participate. Our best classes are filled with students who are motivated and ready to work hard (yes, there’s homework!).
That said, if plans change before the course begins, we offer:
100% refund minus a $100 registration fee if canceled 3+ weeks in advance
50% refund minus the registration fee if canceled 2 weeks in advance
No refund if canceled within 1 week of the start date
Can You Guarantee Admission to TJ?
We wish we could — but no. There are too many factors outside anyone’s control (school quotas, holistic review, etc.). What we can promise: your student will become a sharper thinker, a stronger writer, and more confident walking into the exam.
Our goal? Students walking out of test day saying, I nailed it.
What’s the Difference Between Summer, Fall, and Winter Courses?
To be honest, summer, fall, and winter courses are quite similar - we’ve designed things this way to ensure that, no matter what course students take, they are all equally ready for test day. The main difference between these courses lies in the assigned practice prompts and tests. Each course includes a couple of official practice prompts that are repeated across all 8th grade courses. The rest of the prompts are unique to that course. All other handouts and instruction are the same across the summer, fall, and winter courses.
Some students choose to take all group classes offered, as they find they go deeper into each topic, apply lessons more effectively under time conditions, and remember more strategies with each course iteration. Others choose to take just one group class, then supplement with a few 1:1 sessions.
At the end of each course, families receive a detailed progress report with honest recommendations for next steps, whether that’s another group class, private 1:1 tutoring, or just some independent targeted practice. We’re happy to work with you to determine the best plan of action for your student.
What If My Student Misses a Class?
We don’t offer makeups for group classes, but we recommend students still complete the homework ahead of their missed class so they can receive any feedback. Students can stay on track by reviewing all materials from the missed class and completing the assigned homework for the following class.
About the TJ Test
The Student Portrait Sheet (SPS)
This isn’t just a form — and it’s definitely not just a list of extracurricular activities.
The SPS is TJ’s way of asking, “Who are you, really?” Students have four short-answer prompts (with a 1,500-character limit each) to share the experiences, interests, and goals that make them a strong match for TJ.
We help students move past the obvious and dig into the good stuff: self-reflection, aspirations, and moments that connect their story to TJ’s values and FCPS’s Portrait of a Graduate. With a little structure and the right strategy, students learn to write answers that show they are curious, reflective, ready to grow—and stick with TJ admissions.
The Problem-Solving Essay (PSE)
This isn’t just a math problem — it’s a thinking problem. In 30 minutes, students are asked to tackle a multi-step math or science prompt and explain how they got there. The best responses do more than just show the steps — they connect to real-world ideas or even ethical dilemmas. (Yes, all that in half an hour.)
We train students for whatever version of the PSE shows up. Whether it leans science-y, math-y, or somewhere in between, they’ll be ready to think clearly, write cleanly, and show off the kind of flexible thinking TJ loves.