Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy has a tradition of academic excellence, a distinguished faculty, and a long history of educating young people to find their place in the world. The heart of Exeter is its signature Harkness method of instruction.
The Harkness philosophy, developed at Exeter over 80 years ago, is centered on a way of thinking and engaging with others that requires preparation and provides a sense of readiness for learning, for college, for life. Exeter is a school for teenagers who want to be surrounded by peers who share their intellectual curiosity and raw excitement about learning.
The school is alive with learning: spirited conversations spill out of classrooms and make their way to the playing fields, theater stages, laboratories, the dining halls and the dorms.
Students are given the freedom to explore and know their intellect, to challenge themselves in new ways, and enjoy the richness of human interaction.
Alumni Reviews Review School
- Review Description
- Harvard College The Harkness method is one of Exeter's unique and best aspects. Teachers have very little involvement in class — homework is either reading or problem based, and nearly every class, from Math to English. . .
- Colorado College Exeter is the founding place of the Harkness method, in which students gather around a round table to discuss their homework and class material as a group. The idea of this method is that. . .
- George Washington University Harkness was one aspect of Exeter that is unlike any other. I loved being able to learn from and alongside my peers rather than being lectured at.. . .
- Show more reviews (26 reviews)
Top Rankings
All Schools Similar Size Schools
Phillips Exeter Academy ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 304 schools) for:
- Category Attribute
- Community Size Large student body (number of students)
- Selectivity Low acceptance rates
- Offering Breadth Most sports offered
- Student Test Scores High SSAT scores
- School History Oldest founding date
| Definition of Terms | 2021 School Data | Phillips Exeter | Boarding School Avg. |
| School Focus | College Prep | College Preparatory |
| Grades Offered | 9-12, PG | 5-12 |
| School Type | Co-ed | Co-ed |
| Religious Affiliation | Non-denominational | Non-denominational |
| Year Founded | 1781 | 1907 |
| Campus Size | 673 acres | 125 acres |
Student Body
| Enrollment | 1081 students | 306 students |
| % Students of Color | 39% | 25% |
| % International Students | 9% | 20% |
| % Students Boarding | 80% | 70% |
| Average SAT Score | n/a | * National Avg. »View |
| Offers Post-Grad Year | Yes | No |
Academics and Faculty
| Saturday Classes | Yes | No |
| Frequency of Saturday Classes | Weekly | Weekly |
| Classroom Dress Code | Casual | Casual |
| Average Class Size | 12 students | 12 *National School Avg. » 20 |
| Student : Teacher Ratio | 5:1 | 7:1 |
| ESL Courses Offered | No | Yes |
| % Faculty with Advanced Degree | 82% | 70% |
| Summer Program Offered | Yes | Yes |
Tuition Cost
| Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students) | $55,402 | $59,050 |
| Yearly Tuition (Day Students) | n/a | $32,995 |
| % Students on Financial Aid | 45% | 40% |
| Avg. Financial Aid Grant | $48,735 (Day student average grant: ) | $25,000 |
| Merit Scholarships Offered | No | No |
Acceptance Rate
| Application Deadline | Jan. 15 | Jan. 15 |
| Accepts Standardized Application | No | No |
| SSAT Required | Yes | Yes |
| Average Percentile SSAT | 94% | - |
| Acceptance Rate | 15% | 57% |
| Director of Admissions | John M. Hutchins | |
Course Listings
| List of Courses Offered | Link to List of Courses |
Sports
| # Interscholastic Sports Offered | 28 | 16 |
| Sports | Ballet, Baseball, Basketball, Crew, Cross Country, Cross Country Running, Cycling, Dance, Diving, Fencing, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track, Track and Field, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball, Water Polo, Winter Track, Wrestling | |
College Matriculation
| Year: 2011 - 2013 | 10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled) | |
| Columbia University | 34 | |
| New York University | 34 | |
| Harvard College | 33 | |
| Yale University | 33 | |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 27 | |
| Tufts University | 26 | |
| Princeton University | 25 | |
| Dartmouth College | 24 | |
| Brown University | 23 | |
| University of Pennsylvania | 22 | |
School Notes
- Phillips Exeter Academy is a co-educational residential school with students from the U.S. and over 30 foreign countries. Exeter has a centuries-old tradition of academic excellence and a commitment to empowering Exonians to find their place in the world.
- We are a community that celebrates curiosity and cultivates potential. With a student-to-teacher ratio of 5:1, more than 450 courses in 18 subject areas, and the opportunity to study on five continents, Exeter provides unparalleled opportunities for discovery and exploration, of both self and subject matter.
- We provide need-based financial aid that makes it possible for talented students to attend Exeter regardless of their family`s finances. Exeter works with families from all economic backgrounds to make tuition affordable. And, an Exeter education is free to any accepted student whose family income is $75,000 or less. We encourage all interested students to apply, regardless of their ability to pay.
- Phillips Exeter Academy accreditations: NAIS, TABS
- Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Mark Zuckerberg - Founder and CEO, Facebook
- Dan Brown - Bestselling Author, The Da Vinci Code
- Pauline Chiou - Award-winning Anchor and Correspondent, CNN Hong Kong
- Win Butler - Lead Vocalist and Songwriter of Grammy Award-winning band Arcade Fire
- John Knowles - Author, A Separate Peace
- John Irving - Bestselling Author and Academy Award-winning Screenwriter, The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules
- Suzy Welch - Bestselling Author, Television Commentator and Noted Business Journalist
- Pierre S. Du Pont - President, Du Pont; Chair and President, General Motors Corporation
- Robert Todd Lincoln - Son of President Abraham Lincoln, US Secretary of War
- Daniel Webster - US Senator from Massachusetts
- Submit Review for Phillips Exeter Academy
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