Phillips Academy Andover – Acceptance Rate, Tuition, Ranking, and More

Phillips Academy is more than a preparatory school; it is an authentic slice of this nation’s history and a prime example of what makes it great.

Originally founded during the height of the American Revolution, Phillips Academy was firmly established with a single dream: to educate “youth from every quarter” and inspire them to pursue a life of goodness. 

Ultimately, time has proven this mission successful. 

Though initially formed as a school specifically for young men, in 1973, Phillips Academy embraced the future and allowed young women to join the ranks. 

Today, it takes pride in producing some of the most inspirational and successful alumni of any preparatory school in the nation.

In particular, Phillips Academy Andover has built a reputation for its rigorous education, which was designed specifically to prepare its young men and women for successful enrollment at Yale University.

By keeping class sizes small– an average of thirteen students to a room– and providing massive educational and extracurricular opportunities, Phillips Academy Andover takes pride in the intensity which helps guide each student to his or her best version of success. 

With a prestigious history like this, it is no wonder that this school has a reputation as one of the most elite in the nation. 

Read on to learn more about the intricacies of enrollment in Phillips Academy Andover, as well as all the ways in which this enrollment is well worth the effort!


Phillips Academy Andover Acceptance Rate

Phillips Academy Andover
Phillips Academy Andover – Public domain photo via Wikimedia Commons

Phillips Academy Andover currently has an acceptance rate of just nine percent, placing it firmly as one of the most competitive preparatory schools in the nation.

What’s more, all signs point to this exclusivity only growing with time. 

In 2020, this preparatory school held a thirteen percent acceptance rate, but in the face of today’s increasingly competitive job market, the appeal of this manner of quality education has only grown. 

What’s more, in reaction to the dangers of over-enrollment during the covid-19 pandemic, this school chose to protect its students by limiting numbers even further.

As of 2021, Phillips Academy Andover held 1187 students, a number that still topped the charts as one of its largest populations of all time. 

In order to provide a balance and continue providing the intimate, close-knit educational environment it is known for, Phillips Acadamy Andover anticipates cutting enrollment even further in the coming years. 

 Though this news may come as a shock to young men and women hoping to pursue their secondary education at this illustrious institution, it truly serves as further evidence of this preparatory school’s commitment to maintaining the highest educational standards possible. 

A single glance at a few of the alumni from Phillips Academy Andover should be more than enough to encourage potential applicants to stay in the race to join the ranks of these successful, inspiring men and women!


Phillips Academy Andover Alumni

Throughout history, Phillips Academy Andover has provided the education to empower some of the brightest minds of American history, with an alumni list including presidents, entrepreneurs, and some of the greatest actors of their generations.

Before becoming president on January 20, 1989, George H.W. Bush received his education in the historic halls of Phillips Academy Andover. Naturally, it was no surprise when he sent his own children to this same school. 

Later, George W. Bush Junior went on to similar success as his father, becoming president in 2001. In doing so, he established more than just a presidential legacy; he cemented the value of a Phillips Academy education in the minds of the American people.

Humphrey Bogart was not always the film and Hollywood icon that he rose to become. At one point in time, he was another young man seeking his education at Phillips Academy Andover. 

Likewise, American entrepreneur Chris Hughes first found his interest in academics at this preparatory school, where he established the foundational skills he used to become the icon he remains to this day. Now, he puts his education to work through writing and policymaking as he endeavors to end poverty and rebuild the waning middle class. 


Phillips Academy Andover Tuition

Phillips Academy Andover Great Elm
Marty Aligata, Great Elm at Phillips Academy, Andover, MA – November 2019, CC BY-SA 4.0

In keeping with their quality education, Phillips Academy Andover charges yearly tuition of $61,950 for boarded students and $51,380 for those who attend only during daytime hours. 

This is doubtlessly a high sum, but luckily, this preparatory school offers a variety of financial aid opportunities to level the playing field, allowing students of all income levels to access the same level of education.

Phillips Academy starts with a needs-blind admission strategy. From here, they work with each family individually, with a dedication to meeting 100 percent of all students demonstrated financial needs. 

Currently, forty-six percent of all enrolled students benefit from some financial aid, while a full twelve percent enjoy admittance on full scholarships. 

Though in the past, this preparatory school provided student loans, they have recently forgone that system altogether. 

Instead, they take every measure to make sure their students graduate debt-free, allowing them to enter the world in the best possible position to seize the opportunities of their futures. 

This academy takes pride in looking at each potential student not for their background, race, or culture, but for their academic potential. As such, they pour over $24 million dollars each year in financial aid opportunities. 


Phillips Academy Andover Ranking

In nearly every category possible, Phillips Academy Andover ranks as the number one high school of its kind, according to Niche.com. 

Currently, Phillips Academy Andover is both the number one boarding school and private high school in the nation, as well as the top school for STEM in the state of Massachusetts. 

In a list of over 7,000 private high schools, Phillips Academy Andover was ranked among the top 500 in terms of diversity. 

This is primarily due to its dedication to providing the most inclusive educational opportunities for every student possible.

The most recently recorded student body is among the most diverse yet, with fifty-five percent of the students identifying as people of color. The faculty is held to a similar standard, with over thirty percent of the staff identifying as minority groups. 

These halls hold students from all over the country– and the world– allowing students the opportunity to learn from one another as easily as they do from their high-quality teachers. 

Forty-one states and territories find representation among this student population, which also holds over 150 students from countries outside of the United States.


What Athletics and Extra-Curriculars are Offered at Phillips Academy Andover?

Phillips Acadamy Andover holds amazing extracurriculars, as well as over sixty-seven intramural teams representing twenty-one different sports

The list of athletic programs is as diverse as its student body. In addition to all the typical sports— soccer, football, basketball, and baseball/softball– this preparatory school is proud to offer athletic opportunities from all over the world. 

While enrolled, students can join in the fun of wrestling, Nordic skiing, polo, and squash. From frisbee golf to swimming, the chances to get active and join in the fun!

Whether a student is athletically inclined or not, Phillips Academy ensures that everyone has the tools they need to build lifelong connections and feel at home. 

No matter a student’s interest, they are bound to find what they want on the expansive list of over 125 student organizations

From Meditation Club to the Wildlife Conservation Club, these organizations are specifically geared toward building leadership skills and encouraging students to think more deeply about the world around them. 

In keeping with its “not for self” motto, Phillips Andover Academy is dedicated to teaching its students to live with a deeper purpose in mind, encouraging them to embrace their power to change the world. 

What better way to do so than through the connections found in a sport or extracurricular activity? 


Should You Apply to Phillips Academy Andover?

Without a doubt, applying to Phillips Academy Andover is worth the risk. 

Though the process of applying to such a prestigious institution may seem intimidating, all the facts point toward this school’s power to propel ambitious students into their brightest possible future. 

As a college preparatory school, the application process for Phillips Academy Andover was designed to imitate the process a student must follow to apply to any prestigious university. 

The process starts when applicants fill out an online candidate profile, providing basic information about their educational background.

From here, students have the option of participating in both an interview and submitting standardized test scores. 

Though not required, both of these steps can help give potential students the boost they may need to gain admission successfully.

The rest of the application process requires hopeful applicants to answer a series of short-answer and essay questions, as well as submit a graded writing sample from their previous school. 

Students also must gather a series of recommendations from teachers, mentors, and other leaders involved in their educational background. 

Finally, applicants who hope to use this education as fuel in their future artistic endeavors have the option of including a sample of their work.

Though this application process may seem rigorous for admittance into a high school, Phillips Academy Andover is far more than any simple high school. It is a door to the future, promising to lead any student down the path of their dreams.