Andover FAQs

February 1, 2025.

With a need-blind admission program, Andover will extend its resources to offer admission to every qualified young person regardless of their families’ ability to pay the cost of an Andover education, and we are proud to say that we meet 100 percent of each admitted student’s demonstrated financial need. Andover’s commitment to “youth from every quarter” is truly representative of its historic effort to provide a world-class education to the leaders of tomorrow regardless of their families’ economic circumstances. Andover actively works to identify those students who are best able to contribute to and benefit from the Phillips Academy experience. The need-blind initiative offers broader opportunities in recruiting and access. In particular, the need-blind initiative helps to reduce a commonly held perception that the cost of an Andover education is prohibitive. The “sticker shock” of a private school education often discourages middle income families from applying. Our hope is that the need-blind initiative helps to encourage those families to apply.

The need blind initiative confirms our commitment to creating access to Andover’s educational opportunity. The reason we broadcast that Andover will support 100% of a family’s demonstrated need is to help families understand that Andover does not engage in a common financial aid practice known as “gapping.” Most NAIS member schools “gap” their financial aid awards by not fully funding the level of financial need demonstrated through the financial aid process. Many schools attempt to stretch their financial aid budgets by allocating smaller grants to more students, which restricts some families' ability to return year after year in the wake of partial funding. Also, the practice of gapping creates more pressure on the school to consider those who can afford to pay more, over those who can pay less, making ability to pay a partial factor in the enrollment decision.

Andover awards financial aid scholarship grants based upon demonstrated financial need. Parents are expected to contribute according to their available resources, taking into account total income, assets, number of dependents, and other appropriate information. Financial aid scholarship grants do not need to be paid back and are used to offset the total cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, and curriculum-related costs. We evaluate the financial need of each family based on the total cost of attendance rather than on tuition alone. Andover calculates the family contribution based on national standards for variations in size of family; number of children in tuition charging institutions; cost of living; a sliding scale for home equity for home values above $650,000; and a host of unusual family circumstances, including: child support, nursing home or assisted living support for elderly family members, natural disasters, serious illness, and loss of employment.

You must apply online by February 1.

You will receive notification of your financial aid scholarship award at the time you receive notification of admission to Phillips Academy. All newly admitted students who have submitted the PFS by February 1 will be notified on MARCH 10. Returning Students who have submitted the PFS by February 1 are notified of their financial aid award in early April.

Families must complete the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) every year. Financial Aid Scholarships Grants are renewed annually provided there is continued demonstrated financial need.

Every year, more than 200 new ninth graders, or juniors, begin their journey at Andover. They are joined by an average of 85 new peers in the 10th grade, or lower year, and 20-25 new 11th graders, or uppers. A total of 30-35 new seniors and postgraduates round out the graduating class.

Although the Andover admissions committee has no minimum grade or score requirements for acceptance, the average Andover student maintained an “A” average at their previous school.

An electronic alert system keeps key adults on the student’s support team connected. If a campus adult is concerned about a student for any reason, a message is sent to alert other team members, who then make a concerted effort to observe, interact with, and check in on the student. If concerns heighten, the full team meets to determine an appropriate course of action, which may include contacting parents/guardians.

Faculty and peers are readily available. Instructors are available several times a week during Conference Period and—because more than 90 percent of Andover faculty live right on campus—outside of scheduled hours. Informal tutoring takes place as needed, even on a Sunday morning over pancakes in the dining hall. At Andover, asking for help is a sign of strength. Faculty members and peer tutors also are on hand for weekly world language dinners to practice speaking skills, and there are weeknight study centers specifically for math and science. The popular Writing Center provides assistance with essay writing for any class, and specially trained staff at the Academic Skills Center help students—especially new students— improve their time management, organizational, and study skills.

Similar to neighborhoods, clusters make it easier for students to form friendships and feel a sense of belonging. Each cluster has its own group of adults who offer support, guidance, advice, and mentoring. All boarding and day students belong to a cluster! Clusters have their own dean, student government, traditions, and leisure time activities.

Perfectly. Their days are as busy and exciting as those of their boarding peers. The biggest difference? They go home to sleep. Day students are fully integrated into all cluster, class, athletic, special event, and social activities and are encouraged to eat all meals at Paresky Commons, known for its excellent variety of fresh and healthy foods. On weekends, day students are welcome to sleep over in a dorm with friends or host boarding students at their homes (with appropriate permissions, of course).

Yes! “Host families” provide an extra layer of support and kindness. These caring local families—who also have a child at Andover—welcome international students to campus, check in on their assigned student, and send occasional invitations to meals and family celebrations at their homes. Host families may also help with vacation overnights and transportation. Organized by Andover’s international student coordinator, this popular program is entirely optional.

Phillips Academy Campus Safety (PACS) officers are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They patrol the campus in cars, by bicycle, and on foot to ensure the safety of Andover students. Every dormitory is locked from the outside and each dorm room has an individual lock. As a result of these precautionary measures, issues of security on the Andover campus are kept to a minimum.

Phillips Academy is strongly committed to providing an accessible, supportive and challenging environment for students with disabilities. We encourage students to become active partners in the accommodation process and to take ownership of their educational experience. Through ongoing collaborative efforts between individual learners and Student Accessibility Services (SAS), we aim to develop the self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-advocacy that are critical life skills essential to finding success at Andover and beyond. SAS provides appropriate and reasonable accommodations to students with documented disabilities, in order to ensure equal access to the educational program. These accommodations are designed to reduce or eliminate any disadvantage that may exist due to the individual’s disability and permit an otherwise qualified individual access to all of the Academy’s programs without fundamentally altering the essential elements of the curriculum or other graduation requirements. Students requesting accommodations of either an academic or residential need must present appropriate documentation, which assists us in understanding the extent to which a disability may impact a student, and allows us to make consistent, informed decisions with regard to accommodations. Accommodation eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis after a thorough documentation review. Please note that use of accommodations at a previous school is not a guarantee of accommodations at Andover.

There are many people on campus who can assist parents. For general questions, the Office of Family Engagement is available to support families and will assist in connecting you with the appropriate department. Contact Jennifer Vasquez, Director, Office of Family Engagement, by email at [email protected], or by phone 978-749-4068. You may also reach out directly to a specific department. Residential Life - Dean of Students Office Academics - Dean of Studies Office Tuition - Comptrollers Office Health and Wellness - Sykes Wellness Center Athletics - Athletics Office For questions or concerns specific to your child, parents should communicate with the students Point Person. All students are assigned a point person (the primary adult communication contact for students and families) and an advisor (the person who oversees and supports a student’s progress through our program). Each day student is assigned a Day Student Advisor, who serves as both point person and advisor. For boarding student, their house counselor serves as point person. For some boarding students, the house counselor might also serve as their advisor. Other students will have a second adult assigned in the role of advisor, because not all house counselors advise, and not all advisors live in dormitories. The point person coordinates communication among the various adults on a student’s team.

Yes, the Parents of Students of Phillips Academy (PSPA) meets once a month when PA is in session. All parents are invited to become members of the PSPA and are welcome at the monthly meetings. For further information, please call the PSPA voice-mail box at 978-749-4576 or e-mail at [email protected]. Or visit the PSPA Website at www.pspaandover.org.

Licensed day students may drive to school with parental permission. Parents can give this permission on the Travel Permission form (available on the HIVE). Day students with permission MUST register all vehicles that will be driven to campus with Phillips Academy Campus Safety and display the blue student registration sticker on the vehicle(s) on the driver’s side, back seat window. Students who do not register their vehicle(s) or park in non-student areas, will be issued a parking ticket and a $10 fine. If parked in certain restricted areas, such as a fire lane, handicapped space without a placard, or blocking a driveway, the vehicle will be towed. Students may park only in these student designated parking areas: • Row of parking spaces that faces Highland Rd. in the Stuart House lot. • Row of parking spaces that boarders Graves Field in the Graves Hall parking lot. • Head-in parking spaces at the Pink Knoll Cluster circle.

It is important for parents to understand that there are no extra beds in dormitory rooms. However, on occasion it is possible for a day student to spend a weekend night on campus, but only after a house counselor has given permission well in advance. A house counselor may refuse permission for a variety of reasons, and day student parents should be understanding. It is school policy not to allow overnight visitors on nights before class days, except in very rare cases. These special exceptions must be granted by the cluster dean.

There are no classes on weekends, but students often have other obligations, such as performances, athletics, testing, and trips.

We offer over 300 courses. Take a look at our Course of Study and Academic Curriculum to learn more.

When planning a program of study, students are reminded to include all diploma requirement courses. Each term, Juniors must take five or six courses. Lowers may take five or six courses. Uppers and seniors must take five courses and accumulate a minimum of 27 credits.

We have hundreds of friendly, caring faculty and staff members, including more than 200 classroom teachers—nearly all of whom live on campus. They have interesting lives and complex, colorful histories. They’re versatile, inspirational, and ever-present as teachers, coaches, academic advisors, house counselors, mentors, and lifelong resources. Most of all, they were once like you: brainy, insatiably curious, multi-dimensional high school students. So they see you for who you are, and they help you discover who you’ll become.

A student’s advisor supports their navigation of Andover’s program, which includes the selection of courses and extracurriculars three times per year and the development of skills throughout the year that are needed to succeed in those courses and activities. In weekly meetings with their advisees, advisors strive to know students well, helping them develop their independence, resilience, communication skills, and study habits.

Andover does not have a formal dress code. Students are expected to be neat and clean and to dress appropriately for each occasion while embracing their own personal style.

In the spring or early summer, after a student’s acceptance and matriculation, the student will receive a housing questionnaire, which asks about housing preferences, habits, and activities. In summer, the residential life deans and the admission committee collaborate and make roommate and housing assignments based on the information provided.

Andover students may use the card-operated washing machines and dryers located in each dorm to launder their own clothes, or they may sign up for the E&R laundry service, which returns cleaned, ironed, and folded clothes to students once a week. Students who choose to do their own laundry, can purchase laundry cards ($5) and add funds to the card from card dispensers located in the basement of George Washington Hall and Paresky Commons.

The interfaith ministry of Andover seeks to be responsive to the spiritual needs of the school community. The Chaplaincy consists of clergy from Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Jewish traditions and also assists students from other backgrounds to meet their religious needs. Each week, the religious communities gather for worship and fellowship. In addition, Andover celebrates major occasions of the various religious calendars as well as common heritage and values in services and celebrations.

Delicious meals are served in Paresky Commons, our central dining hall. The building features a variety of entrees, a pasta bar, stir-fry station, a sandwich bar, a salad bar, and a pizza oven. Susie’s, located on the lower level of Paresky Commons, is a student center that offers a menu of sandwiches, snacks, pizza, and smoothies at reasonable prices and at specific times. The food is delicious, and you’ll often have a hard time choosing between all the tasty options. Paresky Commons also teams with the Sykes Wellness Center to ensure that healthy, vegetarian, and allergy aware options are always available.

The Rebecca M. Sykes Wellness Center is open 24 hours a day while school is in session to respond to individual student medical needs or a health emergency on campus. Its staff includes a full-time pediatrician who resides on campus, a nurse practitioner, and registered nurses. The Sykes Wellness Center has its own pharmacy, as well as a relationship with a local retail pharmacy to obtain any needed medications. X-rays and laboratory tests are available on site. In addition, the Sykes Wellness Center has a medical staff of 80 local medical and surgical specialists who are available to provide care to our students. While the Sykes Wellness Center does not provide emergency room services, local community hospitals and the tertiary medical centers of Boston are all within easy access. There is a physician on call and available 24 hours a day, but he/she may not always be in the building. Registered nurses are on duty 24 hours a day while school is in session.

You must come to the Sykes Wellness Center to be excused from classes. If you are a day student at home, a parent must call the Wellness Center. If you are having academic difficulties due to your health or illness, please see the Wellness Center Medical Director or Counseling Director.

The College Counseling Office carefully guides uppers (11th graders) and seniors through the college admission process. Counseling begins in the winter of the upper year and continues through the fall and winter of senior year. Each student meets with one of the six college counselors individually to discuss his or her own academic profile and school search.

We have a long, impressive college matriculation list. The reason it’s impressive is because it’s long. Which is to say: Andover graduates don’t all attend the same five “top-ranked” or “prestigious” colleges and universities. They choose colleges and universities across the country and around the world, all of which are exactly right for who they are and what they want to do with their life.

Phillips Academy’s Summer Session accepts academically qualified students who have completed seventh, eighth, ninth, 10th, or 11th grade. Students who have graduated from high school or who are 18 years of age or older are not eligible for admission. A serious academic commitment is expected, and students are held accountable for all requirements. Not every student who applies will be accepted into the Summer Session program.

Students are urged to apply early (before April 1) for the best chance of acceptance and to obtain their first-choice courses. International students in particular will need adequate time to make travel arrangements.

Tuition for Summer Session varies by program and covers all courses, course fees, the college counseling program, on-campus activities, loan of books for summer use, course materials, and health insurance. For students choosing a residential option, tuition includes all room and board, as well as bedding and towels, in-room phone and internet service, and program-scheduled airport transportation on arrival and departure days. Please check out our Tuition Information page for more specifics regarding tuition and fees.

Each student is encouraged to bring a fan for his/her desk (these can also be purchased locally). Students should pack appropriate summer clothing, including athletic clothing, as well as any necessary school supplies. Linens—including a pillow, set of extra long twin sheets, lightweight blanket, and towels—are provided. Although Phillips Academy has several computer centers with Apple and PC computers, students are encouraged to bring their own computers to campus. Students may not bring refrigerators, televisions, or irons.

Students are encouraged to have a checking account at a bank, either in their hometown or in the town of Andover. There is a Bank of America ATM on campus, located by the student mailboxes in the lower level of George Washington Hall. Banks and ATMs located in downtown Andover, a short walk from campus, include Bank of America, Santander Bank, and TD Bank. Some students also find traveler’s checks to be a useful option. Personal spending habits vary. However, approximately $700 is recommended for trips, tours, and personal spending money.

We do not allow friends or relatives to share a dorm room. Some of the greatest benefits of this program are learning how to get along with others and making new friends from around the world. You will certainly see your friends or relatives often while you’re here, and you'll have different experiences to share with one another.

The Academy has a variety of dormitories, some of which are not available for Summer Session use. Dormitory placements include consideration of age, grade, courses, date of application, and geographic, ethnic, and racial diversity. You will receive a card that has your dormitory assignment when you arrive on campus for Summer Session during the registration process. The location of your classes, your instructors, and the times your courses meet will also be given out at this time.

Internet access through the campus network is available in the dorms; though the wireless network shuts down between midnight and 6:00 am to encourage students to have a healthy sleep schedule.

Students may leave campus after classes on Saturday with written permission from parents and approval of Summer Session deans. An invitation from and the presence of an adult are required for the student to go home or to stay at a friend's home. No off-campus visit, with or without parents, may interfere with the student’s responsibility to attend every class Monday through Saturday and study hours Sunday through Friday. Unauthorized absence from campus will result in dismissal.

Other than not having an assigned dormitory room on campus, day students maintain the same schedule and lifestyle as residential students. Day students have access to lockers, are assigned an advisor to support them during the summer, and are encouraged to attend the same social events as their peers who live on campus. College trips, dances, weekend field trips, and daily college counseling workshops are just a few of the activities offered to all students.

For students who soon will be faced with the responsibility and independence of college life, a summer of living in a dorm is a great opportunity to develop self-discipline, time management skills, and respect for others from different backgrounds. With guidance from trained faculty members who also live in the dorms, students learn the flexibility and spirit of cooperation needed for living happily with others. During quiet evening study hours, many students choose to settle in their rooms to prepare for class the next morning, while others choose to study in groups in the dorm common room or head to the library, science center, or other designated place of study. The dorms also serve as a comfortable social environment in which students develop lasting friendships with peers and faculty. Living closely with other young people from widely differing backgrounds is one of the most rewarding experiences of Summer Session.

Yes, plenty! Days are structured to allow time for required classes, activities, and appointments. There is also ample time for individual study and relaxation, as well as social events or a 10-minute walk to downtown Andover. During free time, students may use athletic facilities, visit campus museums, study in the library, walk to town for ice cream or to stock up on snacks for their dorm rooms, or simply hang out with friends on the Great Lawn. Part of the Summer Session experience is learning how to manage one’s time and be independent.

We expect all students to come to Phillips Academy for a serious purpose and be prepared to engage in a challenging academic experience. Students joining our community are required to treat others with respect and take responsibility for their own actions, whether or not those actions are explicitly covered by the rules. Rules and regulations, such as prohibitions on smoking and drug and alcohol use, are clearly noted in the Summer Session Handbook, which is mailed to admitted students and their families. Students sign a community agreement, thus committing to living honestly, safely, responsibly, and respectfully in a multicultural setting.

Students may go to the town of Andover in the afternoons and early evenings. Upper School students may leave campus on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, and all day on Sunday (on a Day Excuse) with house counselor permission and written parental consent on file. Lower School Institute (LSI) students are not allowed to take Day Excuses.

Experienced, enthusiastic, and caring house counselors get to know each student personally and help students adapt to dorm living. House counselors, who often serve as teachers during Summer Session, will help with any questions or concerns. The main point of contact for students and parents, house counselors write a report at the end of the five weeks about each student’s Summer Session experience.

Families and friends may send mail and packages to: YOUR NAME Phillips Academy Summer Session 180 Main Street Andover, MA 01810. All mail and packages will be held in the mail room in George Washington Hall. You will be assigned a personal mail box when you arrive. If you receive a package, you will be notified by email. The mail room operating hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Full tuition pays for only about half of the actual cost of educating a student. An Andover student’s education is funded by three primary sources: the Andover Fund (12%), the endowment (35%), and tuition (53%). Nearly half of our students receive financial aid. Thirteen percent receive full scholarships. Even students whose families pay full tuition are subsidized by the Andover Fund and income from the endowment.

The Andover Fund is a vital source of expendable support that impacts virtually every aspect of Academy life, from faculty and students to technology and facilities, as well as the arts and athletics. The Andover Fund offers alumni, parents, and friends of Phillips Academy a special opportunity to support the highest current priorities of the Academy through their annual unrestricted giving. Most importantly, this broad-based support reflects the combined philanthropy of generations of PA and AA alumni(ae) who give generously at all levels.

The Parent Fund is part of the Andover Fund and offers parents the unique opportunity to get involved with the Andover community while having a direct impact on their student’s experience. Gifts made to the Parent Fund provide vital financial support to enhance important programs and initiatives that directly impact all students.

The income from Phillips Academy’s endowment is one of the principal sources of funding for the Academy and is used every year to support campus priorities. The Academy manages the endowment very carefully, drawing only a certain percentage of income each year to ensure the endowment is available for future generations of students. However, much of that income is restricted to certain purposes and cannot replace unrestricted current dollars necessary for day-to-day operating expenses.

Participation builds a strong and critical base of donors. It builds momentum that inspires others to give. Alumni, parents, and friends are more likely to make a gift if a significant number of their peers are contributing. Participation is an expression of confidence in the Academy’s mission.

Many companies will match your contribution as an employee/spouse, thereby doubling your gift to Andover. Click here for the CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) corporate matching gift database (http://www.matchinggifts.com/andover) and instant online access to employers’ matching gift programs or check with your human resource office for the correct form.

Yes! Andover encourages donors to make pledges that will be paid in the current fiscal year. Alumni can also choose to make a multi-year pledge that will count toward their five-year reunion total. You may make recurring (multi-month or multi-year) gifts through our online transaction form linked below. This option allows you the flexibility to make a gift to Andover by spreading your contribution over time.

Contact Nicole Cherubini, Director of Development, by phone 978-749-4288, or by email at [email protected] or write to her at: Office of Academy Resources Phillips Academy 180 Main Street Andover, MA 01810-4161

Phillips Academy maintains a set of crisis management protocols that spell out responses for adults to follow for some of the most common kinds of emergencies such as a fire, hurricane, drug or alcohol overdose, or injuries. Beyond this, the school has also been developing a comprehensive, department-by-department disaster management plan to guide faculty, administration, and staff in responding to and recovering from the widest range of emergencies. The plan is geared first and foremost toward the protection and care of students and other members of our community. Perhaps the most important asset in responding to emergencies is the Academy’s well-prepared Crisis Management Team. This group of Academy staff, faculty, and administrators gather quickly, assess needs, implement appropriate responses, and communicate with internal audiences and parents as necessary. During the last year, the CMT has met frequently to discuss and plan contingencies for situations that might arise from local or national threats. While the school has a number of tools it can use to communicate information in an emergency—Facebook, Twitter, the website, and email—in a fast moving crisis the school also has a text/voicemail notification system that it will use to send out messages to the cell phones of students, faculty, staff, and parents.

In an emergency on campus when parents are not immediately able to contact their children or their children’s house counselors or cluster deans by telephone, parents should: Call the Office of the Dean of Students’ 978-749-4175. If there is no answer, dial the dean of students’ emergency hotline (978-749-4170). This line will be staffed during emergencies and contain a recorded message at other times. If the Academy’s local or regional phone service is disrupted, call the off-campus toll-free number at 877-445-5477 for a recorded message that will be updated regularly with information and instructions. Check your cell phone for text and voicemail messages sent from the school’s emergency alert system. Check for email messages from the Head of School. In order to reach the greatest number of parents by email, we ask that all parents submit an email address that they check often to the Office of the Dean of Students at [email protected]. Check the Academy website at www.andover.edu, Facebook page, and Twitter feed for information and instructions.

As long as the campus is not specifically affected by an emergency, the Academy has the ability to shelter students in place for an extended period of time. Paresky Commons has the ability to feed students for up to a week without outside delivery. The campus power plant can operate even when regional electric services are affected. However, the Academy has worked in partnership with local public safety officials to plan for an emergency that might require students to evacuate the campus. Within Andover the Academy would work with local public safety officials to evacuate to one of Andover’s public schools. If the Academy needs to evacuate beyond the town of Andover, local public safety officials will assist in arranging transportation, if the Academy’s usual transportation carriers are unable to respond.

In a situation where students were unable to travel from campus by air, the Academy would attempt to make other arrangements for transportation. If other means of transportation for students were not available or practical because of distance, the Academy would keep the student on campus or make arrangements for him or her to stay with a local family, with the approval of the student’s parent.

The water supply for the town of Andover is Haggetts Pond, located in Andover. The town has long had an emergency response plan in place to protect the water supply. Water quality is monitored as it is brought into the town’s water treatment plant, and any significant change in quality is quickly detected. Following treatment, water is pumped to several covered reservoirs in town. These reservoirs distribute water by gravity to schools, residences, and businesses throughout town. In an emergency, when water use might be restricted, the reservoirs contain a five to seven day supply of water. Should Haggetts Pond be contaminated, the treatment plant could be shut down until the Board of Health determines the water is safe to drink. In addition, the town has security procedures in place to prevent entry into and damage or contamination of the treatment plant itself. Finally, the Academy’s food service provider would work with its regular suppliers to obtain bottled water for the community, should it become necessary.

Andover is located outside the immediate impact area of the Seabrook nuclear reactor. In fact, towns in the Andover area have been designated to receive evacuees in the event of an accident or vandalism to the Seabrook plant. The Academy has identified evacuation destinations and transportation to get there should evacuation be required.