Phillips Academy Andover review by Yale University student.
Andover is very difficult. I worked significantly harder at Andover than I did my freshman year and first semester of my sophomore year in college. I probably spent 4-5 hours a night on homework on top of playing varsity sports and playing in a number of bands I started with my friends. The difficulty of the classes and workload served as a kind of glue that bonded me very closely with a group of friends that I'm sure I will remain close to until the end of my life. Andover really has no departmental weaknesses. There are almost no limits to the classes you can take, and you will most likely have many classes you want to take but cannot fit into your schedule, and you most likely will not max out the classes in a department. Across all fields, the majority of classes I took were taught by teachers with great expertise in their subjects and with the patience and charisma needed to engage the students. The atmosphere can be quite competitive, particularly in math and science classes, although I didn't find the competition stifling. Usually a good number of the people in your classes are close friends, which relaxes the mood, although the competitive barometer really depends on the people in your classes. However, I think the teachers in general do a good job getting students to work together. The small class sizes (usually 10-15 per class, sometimes smaller) give you a chance to get to know your teachers on a level that most college classes, particularly introductory classes, do not permit. I am still in contact with a number of my Andover teachers, and still occasionally go up there to grab a meal with them. Academically, I cannot imagine being more prepared for college than I did after coming out of Andover. Many of the classes in college feel like repeats of classes I took at Andover. I feel that I was fairly socially unprepared for college. The freedom of college can seem rather overwhelming at first, and it is easy to slip into a rebellious mindset against the rules and regulations Andover had in place. However, the adjustment is not a hard one, as it is always easier to gain freedom than to lose it, and in college, you gain ALOT of freedom as compared to your time at Andover.
College counseling at Andover is very good. I would say I met with my college.... Get the real inside story on college counseling at Phillips Academy Andover as experienced by former pupil and Yale University student — Login or Sign Up to access full review
Sample insights on college counseling
They have contacts at most of the major universities and feel perfectly comfortable picking up the phone and advocating for a student to get accepted somewhere they feel is a good fit for that student. However, these counselors are certainly not magic bullets. They cannot guarantee that a student will get into an Ivy League university...
For those wishing to move on to Oxford or Cambridge, the provision is second-to-none. In the months running up to application and interview, every subject faculty offers classes (often run by former Oxbridge tutors) exploring further areas of their subject as well as offering advice on personal statements, interview technique and more...
Do not stress about the interview. Confidence and composure are far more important than any.... Get in-depth insights and personal advice on admissions to Phillips Academy Andover by former pupil and Yale University student — Login or Sign Up to access full review
Sample insights on admissions
For the interview, dress conservatively. Try to be very clean and put together. Also, I was a tour guide for two years and at the end of every tour, we were asked to evaluate the candidate so if you think the tour is not apart of the process, you are very wrong. Ask questions and be interested. Also, tip for the parents: the kids speak on the tour. Do not ask their questions for them...
Most younger siblings have an easy time in the admissions process. I can only think of one case of a younger sibling not being admitted. About half of the students who entered with me had come from public schools. The remainder came from private K-6 schools, or had transferred from other New York private schools The Elizabeth Morrow School and St. Bernard were two of the larger feeder schools...
I would say that Andover's quality of life is for the most part excellent, with times of extreme stress and misery. These periods are the only reason I did not give it 5 stars for quality of life. The food is VERY good, the people are fantastic, and the facilities are top notch. However, I sometimes found that I had so much on my plate that I could not really take time to appreciate the things I was doing there. I feel in general that most people find their niche. The dorms all have different cultures, from big to small,.... Get the real inside story on quality of school life and extracurricular offerings at Phillips Academy Andover as experienced by former pupil and Yale University student — Login or Sign Up to access full review