International Student Welcome

Dear International Student,

As the school’s international student coordinator, I want to offer my personal CONGRATULATIONS on your admission to Phillips Academy!

I know what a big decision it is to attend boarding school, and it is certainly an even bigger decision when you will be coming to Andover from so far away. As you contemplate which school you will attend next year, I would like to provide some information that may help you with this important decision. Of course, I also invite you to contact me directly at any time.

• At Phillips Academy, as at most other independent schools, we define “international student” as any non-U.S. citizen. At this time, all of our international students live outside the United States. This year, we have 81 international students.
• There are also many students who either are U.S. citizens living abroad or have joint U.S. citizenships. Currently, we have 21 U.S. citizens coming to Andover from abroad and 18 students with joint U.S. citizenships.
• The total number of students with an international perspective—including U.S. citizens living abroad, joint U.S. citizens, and U.S. permanent residents with international experience—is 169. They represent 43 countries by residence and 38 different citizenships outside the United States.
• Andover’s international students have the additional support of a designated “international student coordinator,” who serves as an advocate, a resource, and a helping hand. Among other responsibilities, the international student coordinator organizes the optional “host family program” and is the faculty advisor to the International Club, a student organization.
• A special orientation is designed specifically for international and other students mentioned above who join the Andover community from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

In a time when global understanding is needed more than ever, Phillips Academy continues to believe in the importance of “youth from every quarter” and sees the international community as integral in making Andover the diverse, exciting, and forward-thinking school that it is.

I encourage you to e-mail me at storabi@andover.edu if you have any questions! If appropriate, I may forward your e-mail to one of our International Club student leaders; current leaders are from Taiwan, Jordan, China, South Africa, England, Korea, and India.

Also, please feel free to visit our International Club Web site, where you can view photos from various international student events.

Good luck with your decision, and I hope to see you in September!

Sincerely,
Susanne A. Torabi
International Student Coordinator