Phillips Academy Andover review by MIT student.
Phillips Academy's (Andover) academics are the world's best. Most colleges included. Classes are relatively small (13 to 18 usually, although I've had advanced Spanish and math classes as small as 5 or 6) and there's always a dialog between teachers and students. In every classroom questions are encouraged, and most days have a conference period (conference is the new recess) in which students can meet with teachers for extra help, or for any other reason. Classes are, however, intense. The average courseload is 4 to 6 classes (6 is the maximum, 3 is the minimum, I would say most students take at least 5 most terms). The workload is demanding, and I would say took much of my spare time during the week. This means it's often hard to fit too much in outside of class and work, but a sport andor a couple extracurriculars are manageable. This also means that college will be a breeze. Of my friends in college, the only ones I know who have survived a similar workload are those who went to Andover. While I admit that I exaggerated, and that MIT is not a breeze, I feel that I was extremely well prepared.
College counseling at Andover is also incredible. The process starts for juniors around the same time.... Get the real inside story on college counseling at Phillips Academy Andover as experienced by former pupil and MIT 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...
SSAT's, I believe, are the standard fare for PA - Phillips Academy. If you're.... Get in-depth insights and personal advice on admissions to Phillips Academy Andover by former pupil and MIT 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 was a day student at Andover, but I do not feel that it distanced me from campus life. I ate two meals a day on campus, and participated in weekend activities, including the not-bad-for-highschool dances and impressive semiformals. Our single prom, senior year, is a spectacular event, as well. Facilities are impressive, too. Visit campus or read the brochure to be wowed. The town is incredibly safe.. a suburban haven, but students often mention the Andover "bubble", a disconnect with world news that comes from students working more than reading the paper or cnn.com. The same.... Get the real inside story on quality of school life and extracurricular offerings at Phillips Academy Andover as experienced by former pupil and MIT student — Login or Sign Up to access full review