Despite Recession, PA Announces Largest Applicant Pool, Highest Yield in History

Record figures attributed in part to need-blind admission policy

May 14, 2009 —Fresh from the most intense and competitive admission cycle in Phillips Academy’s 231-year history, Dean of Admission Jane Fried announced to the Andover Board of Trustees at their spring meeting last weekend that the Academy received  2,711 completed applications this year, its highest number in history, resulting in an all-time low admission rate of 17 percent. The Academy’s yield, which is the number of admitted students who accept admission to the school, was a record-setting 78 percent, up from last year’s record of 74 percent.

Under the second year of Andover’s need-blind admission program, the Academy enrolled 145 new students on financial aid, which represents 41 percent of the entering class. These new students were awarded a total of $4,716,000, said Fried.

“During this time of economic uncertainty, Andover’s reputation for excellence and access attracted the largest applicant pool in the history of the school and yielded a record high matriculation rate,” said Fried. “Families are inspired by the Academy’s mission to educate youth from every quarter to serve as leaders of the future.”

The Academy’s need-blind admission policy admits students without regard to their families’ ability to pay for their education and fully meets the demonstrated financial need of each student in the admitted pool. For the 2009–2010 academic year the financial aid budget is $15.6 million, allowing Andover to carry 44 percent of the total student body on financial aid. The average financial aid award for a boarding student is $34,300 per year, and 12 percent of the student body is on full scholarship.

The incoming class of 164 girls and 186 boys represents a median class rank in the top one percent and a median SSAT total score of 94 percent. They will arrive on the Andover campus in September from 36 states and 24 foreign countries.

Eight newly-admitted students are inaugural designees as Davis Scholars, a need-based scholarship designed to increase diversity at secondary boarding schools and colleges by selecting highly motivated, potential leaders—domestically and abroad—who have the most to benefit. Phillips Academy is one of five U.S. schools in this pilot program, which offers continued scholarship support to students who graduate from these high schools and matriculate into colleges and universities that also participate in the Davis United World College Scholars program.