Boarding School Review - Established 2003

Phillips Academy Andover

5.00 (16 reviews)
180 Main Street Andover MA 01810
Tel: (978) 749-4050
www.andover.edu
REQUEST INFO
SAVE SCHOOL

Quick Facts (26-27)

  • Grades: 9-12, PG
  • Enrollment: 1,165 students
  • Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $76,731
  • Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $59,478
  • Acceptance rate: 13%
  • Average class size: 13 students
  • Application Deadline: Feb. 1
  • Source: Verified school update
Phillips Academy Andover Photo #4 - The Growth Mindset-Students work with cutting edge tools; have opportunities for independent research, and collaborate with working scientists, on and off campus.
Phillips Academy Andover Photo #5 - Think openly and deeply. Andover brings together bright, curious students with dynamic teacher-scholars.
Phillips Academy Andover Photo #6 - All-School Meeting is our "community classroom," held almost every Wednesday in Cochran Chapel. Many ASMs feature distinguished guest speakers. Recent speakers included President George H.W. Bush '42, and novelist/poet Julie Alvarez '67.
Phillips Academy Andover Photo #7 - In any given year, students perform in more than 100 concerts, Dance Labs, Drama Labs,and main stage dance and theater performances.
Phillips Academy Andover Photo #8 - We are the Big Blue! With Big Blue sports, it's team first.
Phillips Academy Andover Photo #9 - We offer 67 interscholastic teams in 21 different sports and our student-athletes are as passionate about sports as they are about coursework.
Phillips Academy Andover Photo #10 - Our school seal features the Latin phrase "non sibi" ("not for self"), which is a motto we take very seriously. Our Office of Community Engagement oversees dozens of ongoing initiatives on campus and with partner organizations. Volunteering isn't required, but it's part of who we are.
REQUEST INFO
SAVE SCHOOL

About the School

  • A Place of Limitless Opportunities -- you come to Andover because of the 1,100 other students who come to Andover.
  • They are, as our founding charter calls for them to be, "youth from every quarter." They`re talented in quirky and serious ways, they have ideas and opinions like- but mostly unlike-yours, they have fascinating histories and surprising ambitions and generous hearts.
  • They come because they love ideas and learning and discovering.
  • And they come because maybe you will be here too. One of the Latin mottoes on our seal translates as "the end depends on the beginning." Andover is a place where we`re always beginning.
  • We`re always discovering new opportunities, experimenting with a new approach, finding courage to take risks.
  • We`re always looking for new ways to reach out to people in need, to work together with new communities.
  • Always making room for you to be your most honest, authentic, daring self. Imagine teachers who give you the freedom to think openly and deeply, to question and make mistakes.
  • With more than 300 dynamic courses, Andover's rigorous academic program offers a strong foundation in the arts, humanities, mathematics, and natural sciences.
  • Our more than 150 electives include student-faculty research, independent projects, and immersive learning opportunities locally and abroad.
  • There is no single teaching method.
  • Faculty share a philosophy of "learning by doing" and a zeal for using technology to inform and empower.
  • The Academy's approach to teaching not only prepares students superbly for college, but also instills a lifelong love of learning.

Quick Facts (26-27)

  • Grades: 9-12, PG
  • Enrollment: 1,165 students
  • Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $76,731
  • Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $59,478
  • Acceptance rate: 13%
  • Average class size: 13 students
  • Application Deadline: Feb. 1
  • Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

Phillips Academy Andover ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 269 schools) for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Large student body (number of students)
School Resources
Large financial endowment
School Resources
Highest endowment/student
Selectivity
Low acceptance rates
Offering Breadth
Most sports offered
Offering Breadth
Most extracurriculars offered
Student Test Scores
High average SAT scores
Student Test Scores
High ACT scores
School History
Oldest founding date

School Overview

2026 School Data
Phillips Academy Andover
Boarding School Avg.
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
Grades Offered
9-12, PG
8-12
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
Supports Learning Differences (LD)
Yes
Yes
Learning Difference Programs
support and coaching offered for time management, organizational assistance, and test studying/taking strategies as well as, note taking techniques, enhanced listening skills as well as enhanced textbook reading techniques
n/a
Religious Affiliation
Non-denominational
Non-denominational
Year Founded
1778
1906
Campus Size
500 acres
125 acres
School Calendar
View School Calendar
School Motto
Non sibi

Student Body

Enrollment
1165 students
320 students
% Students of Color
61%
27%
% International Students
15%
21%
% Students Boarding
75%
65%
Average SAT Score
1446
(Out of 1600)
* National Avg. »View
Average ACT score
31
(Out of 36)
*National Avg. »View
Offers Post-Grad Year
Yes
No

Academic Profile

Saturday Classes
No
No
Classroom Dress Code
Casual
Casual
Average Class Size
13 students
12
* National Avg. »18
Student-Teacher Ratio
7:1
7:1
ESL Courses Offered
No
Yes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
84%
73%
Summer Program Offered
Yes
Yes
Summer Program Details
View Summer Program Details
Accreditations
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
Courses
A Room of Their Own: Women's Studies and LiteratureA Social History of Latin America
Accelerated Advanced ChemistryAdvanced Biology
Advanced ChineseAdvanced College Chemistry
Advanced courses in painting, ceramics, drawing, photography, videoAdvanced Electronic Music
Advanced Fourth-Level GermanAdvanced Latin Authors
Advanced Theory & CompositionAdvanced Topics in French
African LiteratureAn Introductory Survey of African American Literature
AP AB CalculusAP Accelerated AB Calculus
AP Accelerated BC CalculusAP BC Calculus
AP ChemistryAP Computer Science
AP StatisticsApplied Logic
ArchitectureAsia (history)
Atomic America: Service LearningCalculus-Based Physics
California DreamingChamber Music Performance Seminar
Children in Literature: Growing Up in a Changing WorldCommunity Engagement in the City of Lawrence: We, the People (Spanish)
Comparative GovernmentContemporary American Poetry
Creative NonfictionCreative Writing: Fiction
Creative Writing:PoetryCritical Race Theory: The American Dream Deferred
Current Events and Multimedia: Approaches to the Hispanic World (Spanish)Economics Research Colloquiem
Ethics:The EnvironmentFoundations of Modern Physics
Haunted by Shadows:Viewing African Independence through Lens and LiteratureHistory of Art
Honors Computer Science Seminar: Software Design; Computer Graphics; Data Structures & AlgorithmsHonors Math Seminar: Differential Equations; The Genius of Euler; Bayesian Statistics
Human Anatomy and PhysiologyIntroduction to Hispanic Literature (Spanish)
Introduction to Theory and CompositionJames Joyce
Justice and GlobalizationMacroeconomics and the Global Consumer
Medieval LiteratureMicroeconomics and the Developing World
Molecular and Cellular Biology: Indepdendent Laboratory ResearchMultivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra
Nonviolence and Social ChangeOur Americas: Crossing Borders (Spanish)
Out of Tune: Music and the State in the 20th CenturyPlaywriting
Race and Comparative American LiteraturesReligion and Pilgrimage
ShakespeareThe American Civil War
The Internet in PrintThe Middle East
The World in Pieces:Poetry and Cinema of the Avant-GardeTwentieth Century Drama
U.S. HistoryUnderstanding Latin America (Spanish)
Writers in Depth

Tuition & Financial Aid

Endowment Size
$1470 million
$30 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
$76,731
$71,500
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
$59,478
$40,000
% Students on Financial Aid
47%
40%
Avg. Financial Aid Grant
$49,300
$25,000

Request Information

Step 1 of 2
Step 2 of 2

Admissions

Application Deadline
Feb. 1
Jan. 15
SSAT Required
Yes
Yes
Acceptance Rate
13%
64%
Director of Admissions
Jill Thompson
Application URL
Online Application

Sports

# Interscholastic Sports Offered
28
17
Sports
BalletBaseball
BasketballClimbing
CrewCross Country
Cross Country RunningCycling
DanceDiving
Field HockeyFootball
GolfIce Hockey
LacrosseNordic Skiing
SoccerSoftball
SquashSwimming
TennisTrack
Track and FieldUltimate Frisbee
VolleyballWater Polo
Winter TrackWrestling
Colors
White, Navy Blue
School Mascot
Gunga

Extracurriculars

Total Extracurricular Organizations
178
23
Extracurriculars
Club or Organization:
3D Printing ClubAcademy Manor Nursing Home volunteers
ActiveMinds AndoverActivism
AdoptaPlatoonAfro-Latino-American Society (Af-Lat-Am)
Alianza (Latino Student Alliance)Amnesty International Club
and Mentoring (DREAM)Andover Ambassadors
Andover Japanese ConnectionApp Development
ARC BuddiesArchaeology and History Club
Asian SocietyAstronomy Club
Babel Foreign Language MagazineBacktracks Magazine
Baking ClubBancroft Elementary Teachers Aides
Big Idea ClubBirding Club
Blue Key SocietyBoss Magazine
Bread & Roses community kitchen volunteersBread Loaf Pen Pel Program
Bread Loaf Writing WorkshopCalliope (female a capella)
Campuses against CancerCatholic Student Fellowship
Chess ClubChinese Language & Culture Club
Chinese Taiwanese Student AssociationChristian Fellowship Club
Classical Physics ClubClassics Club
Clutch CollaborativeCommunity Awareness For Everyone (CAFE)
Computer Science ClubConstructed Languages Club
Courant Art & Literary MagazineCulinary Appreciation Club
Culture Politics & Religion (CPR)Cyber Security and Forensics Club
Dear Sam Wellness ClubDeerfield Dance Club
Deerfield Scroll -- Student NewspaperDisability Rights
Diversity Task ForceDocumentary Society
Drug Alcohol Awareness CommitteeEAT Club
Eco-ActionEducation
ElementsEntrepreneurship Club
Environmental Action GroupFashion Design Club
Figure Skating ClubFilm Makers Society
Finance & Politics of SportsFinance Club
FitnessFrench Club
Frontline Political MagazineGames Club
Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA)German Club
Girls Global HealthGirlUp Andover!
Global Health InitiativeGlobal Nomads
Grill ClubHindu Student Union
Indo-PakInternational Club
International Review online publicationJapanese Animeshon Club
Jewish Student UnionJunto
Justice NOWModel UN
Modern Engineering ForumMotorsports Club
Moviemakers ClubMuslim Student Union
Non sibi SocietyNuestros Pequenos Hermanos (Friends of the Orphans)
Out of the BlueOver the Hills and Farther Away
OXFAMPA Democrats
PA Liberal ActionPA Republican Society
PhilomatheanPhilosophy
Photography ClubPhysical Health Information Team
Physics ClubPolitical Union
Pot Pourri YearbookProject V.O.I.C.E. (ESL)
Psychology ClubQuiz Bowl
Real World Challenge aeronauticsRed Cross
Robotics ClubScience & Technology Club
Science and Medicine Journal ClubScience Club
Science Club for GirlsSe Puede After-School Tutoring Program
SIS Female Empowerment programSketchy comedy writing club
South East Asian ClubSpanish
Speech ClubSports Forum
Sports Medicine ClubStudent Activities Board
Student Anti-Genocide CoalitionStudents in Medicine
TechmastersThe Childrens Place volunteers
The Fellowship (FOCUS)UNICEF Club
VOICE-Foreign Language MagazineWomen's Forum
Word slam poetry clubWPAA Radio
Youth Development Organization volunteers


Arts and Music Programs:
Andover Art SocietyAndover-Lawrence String Program
Architecture ClubArt Exchange
Art for ExpressionArt Music Society
Azureblue.print
Classical Music ForumDJ Factory-Electronic Music Production
DramaLabsDrum Line
Footnotes tap dance groupFrisbee Club
GospelHandbell Choir
HypnotiqMusic MDs
Unaccompanied MinorsUnder the Bed
Yorkies


Recreational Athletic Programs:
Ballroom Dance SocietyBlue Strut
Cluster Ultimate FrisbeeCoed Crew
Cross CountryDance Instruction
Disc GolfDouble Dutch
Fencing ClubFIT (Fundamentals in Training)
Hip Hop ClubInstructional Swim
Intramural HockeyIntramural Sports
Outdoor PursuitsPaddle Tennis Club
PilatesPing Pong Club
SkatingSLAM cheer team
SpinningSports and Games Club
Squash instructionTennis Instruction
Volleyball InstructionYoga

College Matriculation

10 Most Popular College Choices  (# Enrolled)
Brown University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Georgetown University
Harvard
Princeton Unversity
Stanford University
University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
Yale University
View Matriculation Data

School Notes

  • Why Andover? Because you`ll be welcomed into an inspiring community of smart, motivated, curious, open-minded, and genuinely nice people from across the country and around the world. Because this is a high school that celebrates difference and prizes originality. Because at Andover you can be your most honest, authentic, daring self. 
  • Phillips Academy, a residential secondary school, seeks students of intelligence and integrity from diverse cultural, racial, socioeconomic, and geographic backgrounds.The school`s residential structure enables faculty to support students in their personal, social, and intellectual development. The academic program fosters excellence in all disciplines within the liberal arts tradition. Faculty members guide students in mastering skills, acquiring knowledge, and thinking critically, creatively, and independently. The school strives to help young people achieve their potential not only intellectually, but also artistically, athletically, and morally, so that they may lead responsible and fulfilling lives.The Academy is committed to establishing a community that encourages people of diverse backgrounds and beliefs to understand and respect one another and to be sensitive to difference of gender, ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation. In its programs, the school seeks to promote a balance of leadership, cooperation, and service, together with a deeper awareness of the global community and the natural world.Andover`s 1778 Constitution charges the Academy to prepare "Youth from every quarter" to understand that "goodness without knowledge is weak- yet knowledge without goodness is dangerous." This obligation challenges students in mind, body, and spirit to see beyond themselves and to go beyond the familiar; to remain committed to developing what is finest in themselves and others, for others and themselves.This revised version of the Statement of Purpose, voted by the faculty in winter 2000, reaffirms the Academy`s goals set forth in the Constitution of 1778.
  • LD types supported: support and coaching offered for time management, organizational assistance, and test studying/taking strategies as well as, note taking techniques, enhanced listening skills as well as enhanced textbook reading techniques
  • Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
    • President George Bush - 41st President of the United States
    • Oliver Wendell Holmes - Poet, literary leader and doctor
    • Benjamin Spock - Author; authority on child-rearing; anti-war activist
    • Jack Lemmon - Academy Award-winning actor
    • President George W. Bush - 43rd President of the United States
    • Julia Alvarez - Poet, novelist, and author
    • Frederick Law Olmstead - designed NYC's Central Park
    • Christopher Hughes - co-founded Facebook and served as online strategist for Obama campaign
    • Rebecca Dowling Adams - US's first female Top Gun pilot
Source: Verified school update
REQUEST FREE INFORMATION

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Phillips Academy Andover cost?
Phillips Academy Andover's tuition is approximately $76,731 for boarding students and $59,478 for day students.
What schools are Phillips Academy Andover often compared to?
Phillips Academy Andover is often viewed alongside schools like Phillips Exeter Academy, Deerfield Academy, Choate Rosemary Hall by visitors of our site.
What is the acceptance rate of Phillips Academy Andover?
The acceptance rate of Phillips Academy Andover is 13%, which is lower than the boarding school average of 64%. Phillips Academy Andover's acceptance rate is ranked as one of the top boarding schools with low acceptance rates.
Who are famous alumni from Phillips Academy Andover?
Phillips Academy Andover famous alumni include: President George Bush, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Benjamin Spock, Jack Lemmon, President George W. Bush, Julia Alvarez, Frederick Law Olmstead, Christopher Hughes and Rebecca Dowling Adams.
What sports does Phillips Academy Andover offer?
Phillips Academy Andover offers 28 interscholastic sports: Ballet, Baseball, Basketball, Climbing, Crew, Cross Country, Cross Country Running, Cycling, Dance, Diving, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Nordic Skiing, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Track and Field, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball, Water Polo, Winter Track and Wrestling. Phillips Academy Andover is ranked as one of the top boarding schools for most sports offered.
Does Phillips Academy Andover offer a summer program?
Yes, Phillips Academy Andover offers a summer program. Visit their summer school page for more information.
What is Phillips Academy Andover's ranking?
Phillips Academy Andover ranks among the top 20 boarding schools for Large student body (number of students), Large financial endowment, Highest endowment/student, Low acceptance rates, Most sports offered, Most extracurriculars offered, High average SAT scores, High ACT scores and Oldest founding date.
When is the application deadline for Phillips Academy Andover?
The application deadline for Phillips Academy Andover is Feb. 1.

Student & Alumni Reviews

Review
Description

Class of 2019
5.00
Rutgers
As I look back on my life, I found the English Department profoundly brilliant. The level of reading (weekly) was extraordinary. The level of commitment of the faculty was genuine.. . .

Class of 2018
5.00
University of Chicago
Our campus has a cluster system which means we have five somewhat distinct residential communities. It definitely helps build smaller communities within Andover’s larger student body. Another thing that was unique about Andover was their. . .

Class of 2019
5.00
Stanford
Andover has a need-blind admissions policy, which means that they don't take into account someone's ability to pay for the school when deciding whether or not to admit them. This makes the school much diverse. . .
Show more reviews (13 reviews)
Submit Review for Phillips Academy Andover Earn $20 by submitting your alumni review!

Recent Articles

Teacher Office Hours and Academic Help at Boarding Schools
Teacher Office Hours and Academic Help at Boarding Schools
Explore how boarding school students access teachers, office hours, evening tutoring, and academic support. Learn what parents should ask about availability, supervision, scheduling conflicts, and help when students struggle academically.
Boarding School Academic Schedule Flexibility
Boarding School Academic Schedule Flexibility
Discover how boarding schools handle full classes, scheduling conflicts, waitlists, and alternative courses. Learn what parents should ask to protect academic progress, graduation requirements, and college preparation before enrolling their child.
How Much Free Time Do Boarding Students Get?
How Much Free Time Do Boarding Students Get?
How much free time do boarding students really have? Learn how to evaluate schedules, homework, weekend obligations, activity requirements, and everyday routines before choosing a school that fits your child.

Featured Schools

Quick Facts (26-27)

  • Grades: 9-12, PG
  • Enrollment: 1,165 students
  • Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $76,731
  • Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $59,478
  • Acceptance rate: 13%
  • Average class size: 13 students
  • Application Deadline: Feb. 1
  • Source: Verified school update
School location map

Contact Phillips Academy Andover about admissions and next steps.

REQUEST INFO

Most Popular Articles

Corporal Punishment in U.S. Boarding Schools: 2025 Update
Corporal Punishment in U.S. Boarding Schools: 2025 Update
 School Rankings by Category
School Rankings by Category
 Daily Life in a Modern Boarding School Schedule
Daily Life in a Modern Boarding School Schedule
 Quaker Education: What’s Different about a Friends School?
Quaker Education: What’s Different about a Friends School?
 How Much Boarding School Costs in 2026: Full Breakdown
How Much Boarding School Costs in 2026: Full Breakdown

More Articles

Why Boarding School
Archive
Admissions
Financing
School Life

Quick Links

Find:
Search:
Use:
View: