Andover Senior Taking Questions

<p>Hi!
I'm just here to answer any questions prospective Andover students might have about the school. Feel free to post your questions or pm me.</p>

<p>1) I know its got a great reputation, lots of courses and has great college placement. But, what makes it unique?</p>

<p>2) My interests are more towards history, literature. Is there a place for me at Andover? Don't get me wrong I'm also pretty good at math and science, but my interests are there?</p>

<p>3) I play the saxophone. Does Andover have a good concert band?</p>

<p>4) I want to try crew and is it difficult and taxing?</p>

<p>5) Stupid question - what cell phone service works best in Andover?</p>

<p>6) Do you have free time to visit Boston on the weekends or are you too busy?</p>

<p>7) Looking back what would you have changed? Any regrets?</p>

<p>8) What the highlights of your PA experience?</p>

<p>pumpkin117:</p>

<p>1) There are several things that I feel make Andover unique. First of all, in your first week there, you'll be exposed to people from all over the world. You'll have friends from Alaska and classmates from Africa. It's one thing to learn about other cultures in classes; it's another thing to learn about them from your peers. In addition, I feel that the Andover community is extremely close for a school of its size. At a hockey game, you'll see hundreds of students painted in blue, as well as many teachers supporting the team. I've had some of the most supportive teachers that you could imagine and they go out of their way to provide help as well as moral support. </p>

<p>2) I'm definitely not a math or science person and I've survived, haha. There are more interesting history and english electives than I can fit into my schedule. Although Andover has tremendous programs in the math and sciences, I think you'll find a lot of people in the same boat as you. </p>

<p>3) A lot of people participate in the concert band here and from what I've heard and seen, it's pretty good. Those who are involved with it spend quite a bit of time practicing and rehearsing. The music groups range from a formal orchestra, to a jazz band, to small, student-run organizations.</p>

<p>4) Crew is one of the most popular sports at Andover in terms of number of participants. Undoubtedly, it's difficult and taxing. Those who are on the first couple boats are notoriously obsessed with the sport. However, there are plenty of people who come in with no experience and receive an introduction to the sport. </p>

<p>5) I have AT&T and haven't had any problems. Quite a few people have Verizon and I think that works fine as well. </p>

<p>6) It's possible to go on weekend trips to Boston. However, I'd say that the majority of people remain on campus. Usually I end up hanging around on campus attending on-campus events such as concerts, dances and home athletic games. Some weekends, you'll be swamped with work. Other weekends, you'll have plenty of time to hang around and relax. </p>

<p>7) I definitely don't regret attending Andover. I was a little overwhelmed freshman year with academics and I wish I would've sought more support from my teachers/advisor. There are a few courses I wish I'd taken, but in general, I'm happy with the decisions I've made at Andover. </p>

<p>8) Some highlights:
- Andover/Exeter day every year. </p>

<ul>
<li>Senior 100 Days Party - an event that commemorated the fact that we had 100 days left until graduation. Out of nowhere, the administration surprised the senior class and held the party in the new (still not open) Paresky Commons. We were the first group of people to celebrate in the new, beautiful dining hall.<br></li>
</ul>

<p>Too many others to name</p>

<p>Hey, I was accepted to Andover as a Freshman (I guess you guys call freshman juniors?)</p>

<p>Will the dining facility be built in time for next fall if I choose to attend?</p>

<p>How did you get in?
can you name a few of your stats you think helped you get in?</p>

<p>congrats benevolent4them!
It will definitely be open by then. Actually, it's scheduled to open when we get back from spring break (end of this march).
Here are some recent photos:
March</a> 10, 2009 Update</p>

<p>Thanks for the link gungafan!</p>

<p>@classic, I have no idea how I got in. I was accepted at Andover, Exeter, Groton, Hotchkiss, and Middlesex. I had terrific interviews. My SSAT's were 82% and 86%, below Andover's average this year (94%)</p>

<p>My recs and essays must have been great! I also live in MA which probably disadvantaged me a bit.</p>

<p>how does the workload compare to your other school? How much free time do you find yourself with at andover and what do you do with it?</p>

<p>i got into hotchkiss and andover and i cant decide between the two...</p>

<p>My questions:</p>

<p>How hard is it to get a single as a lower?
How hard is it to get into History 340 as a Lower?
Do people often take their computers with them to class to take notes?
What clothes are the norm for people to wear (Collard shirts, t-shirts, etc.)?
Is 1 credit a trimester credit?
Are most philosophy electives 1 trimester?
Are there exams each trimester?
How much time is there for clubs, and what is the average amount of clubs people join?
Do clubs meet after school or during community service/sports time?
Are there free periods during the day?
Is history separate from the elective trimesters as a lower? Or does History 310 count as 1/3 elective trimester sections?</p>

<p>Since Gungafan hasn't answered I'll help out. I'm sure he has more to add, but here are my opinions.</p>

<p>The workload was more than my previous school, but it was certainly manageable. I had an average of 3-4 hours of work a night. I found myself with a lot of free time. I joined clubs, hung out with friends, watched tv, went to the mall, etc.</p>

<p>It's pretty hard to get a single as a lower if you want a good location too. Returning students get priority in housing and usually take up most of the singles. It's possible to get one, but unlikely.</p>

<p>It's not hard to get into history 340 as a lower, but it might take some convincing if you're new. It should be possible though.</p>

<p>Computers in class aren't common. I wound up writing in the margins of my English books and just adding to my history notes. With the way classes work, I don't think it's necessary.</p>

<p>People wear everything. I saw emo to preppy and everything in between. I think Andover leans more towards the preppy side, but not nearly as much as most private schools.</p>

<p>Yes, I would say that 1 credit= 1 trimester class. Andover doesn't really use credits. It's more about what level you reach for most subjects.</p>

<p>I believe almost all philosophy electives are one trimester.</p>

<p>Yes, there are exams each trimester. Not every class has an exam though. Some require final papers or projects instead.</p>

<p>There is a lot of time for clubs. Some people don't join any, while some join 5 or 6. I would say the average is 2 or 3.</p>

<p>Clubs meet after sports. Mine mostly met sometime between 6 and 8.</p>

<p>Yes, there are free periods during the day. Most lowers and upperclassmen only take 5 courses, but there are 7 periods during the day. There is also conference period which can be treated as a free block or as a time to meet with teachers.</p>

<p>History is separate from electives. It is required whether you take 200 or 340. History doesn't become an elective until senior year.</p>

<p>Thank you so much! I've been waiting so long to have my questions answered and only found this thread a couple of days ago.</p>

<p>How are the philosophy and religion classes?</p>

<p>Because I scored so poorly on the math section for the SSAT, Andover wants me to do a math refresher over the summer. I got an A- in algebra 1, and I've had A's on all my geometry tests (homework's bringing me down to a B my teacher said) this year, do you think they will place me in "Algebra Consolidation", or will I be able to go into Intermediate Algebra?</p>

<p>Ehh, that may actually just be decided by whatever placement test I'm sent, so that might be irrelevant.</p>

<p>What classes (language, elective, art, music) that you have taken have you liked?</p>

<p>I really liked the philosophy class that I took. It was called Global Justice, and I highly recommend it. I think the department is good overall. I only took one class, but many students take more than that. Just a warning, it's tough. The department has a standard of rarely giving out 6s, especially in the upper level classes. Look for one of Mr. Hodgson's classes. He is amazing.</p>

<p>I think they will place you in algebra consolidation depending on how your placement test. I recommend listening to their advice. It's a good refresher and will help you gain a strong base for the rest of math. If it's too easy once you get in the class, you can talk with your teacher to discuss moving up.</p>

<p>As I already mentioned I took Global Justice and really liked it. I also liked my economics courses, my senior English courses, history 300, and my upper level Spanish classes. As far as teachers go, Mr. Hodgson, Mr. Quattlebaum, and Mr. Perry. I'm sure other Andover students can add a lot to that list.</p>

<p>What do you mean give out 6's?</p>

<p>How does that grading system correspond to % grades?</p>

<p>I will add to the panel of students:</p>

<p>The grading system is a 1-6. A 2 is the lowest passing grade, a 4 is usually known is the lowest "good" grade. A 5 is honors and a 6 is "excellent". The difficulty of getting a 6 largely depends on the teacher, some are much more willing to give them out than others.</p>

<p>Ideally there is no correspondence between 1-6 and 0-100 but in reality a 6 is about 92/93-100, a 5 is about 84-92, 4 - 76-84, 3- 67-76, 2- 60-67, 1- like 40/50 - 60, and 0 is below that.</p>

<p>Are there any decimals?</p>

<p>No, there are no decimals, which is both good and bad. Teachers will give out +s and -s for individual assignments, but they are not included in your final grade.</p>

<p>Upon asking your teacher, would they tell you what they thought your grade would be if it was a percent?</p>

<p>For example, if your official grade was a 5, but it is said a 5 is 84-92, would your teacher say if they thought you were an A or a B? Also, would you say the corresponding %'s i_CAN'T put up are correct?</p>