Andover vs. Exeter

Prep School Admissions
21

<p>Okay. I’m an Exonian [2-year lower]… [and I know I’m biased a little. but I hear good things about Andover, too… <em>GASP</em>]</p>

<p>Exeter in general is harder [I’ve talked to people at Andover…] Classes from 8 AM to 6 PM. with 2 hours of sports in there somewhere. [depending on the sport] Andover finishes at 3 PM. Less class time.
Also, Exeter has a Harkness Table. [I’m surprised no one brought this up already]. At the Harkness table, everyone is expected to participate, and the teacher can tell if you’re not ready for class. Andover? I’m not sure.
Sports? It all depends on the sport. Recently, Exeter football has been owning b/c we had a lot of recruits. We get a couple recruits every year for nearly every sport. I don’t know about Andover…
People? You really can’t say that ___ has better people. Even I don’t like people at Exeter. I have my own group of friends.
Town? Andover, MA >>>> Exeter, NH. but we always find things to do, anyway. ^^
Dress Code? Well… for girls it REALLY doesn’t matter. Every girl practically breaks the dress code, and the teachers don’t care. For guys it’s different. Make sure you have a tie, but it’s cute watching guys wear nice clothes around. ^^ Andover has no dress code that I’m aware of. As long as you have something covering you. [I heard you can wear snuggies in class… &gt;.&lt;]</p>

<p>Oh, and also, better grade names?? seriously? The only difference is that Exeter calls their 9th graders “preps” and Andover “freshmen” [the formal name for BOTH are juniors, but no one cares.]</p>

<p>For me, I did “feel it” at Exeter, so I went. and I feel like I wouldn’t have liked it at Andover, anyway.</p>

<p>So you decide.</p>

22

<p>Ok, clearly those who currently attend Exeter believe it is harder and no one from Andover is objecting so that seems pretty solidly true. Than the question is what do you ultimately get for being at a harder school? You’re not necessarily smarter (I think - please comment) so why wouldn’t I go to Andover where it is less demanding, be just as smart, work less and have more fun or possibly have more opportunities for fun?</p>

<p>You guy’s comments would be helpful. What do you think Cutiedida?</p>

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<p>I would be interested in hearing more about how challenging Andover is. is it less challenging in that there is less work, or in that you have to think less?</p>

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<p>From what I have read on the threads there might actually be more work at Andover and Exeter is just harder - I’d like to hear from the Philipians like Tomthecat etc. Any comments?</p>

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<p>I don’t think Exeter is any harder than Andover. There really isn’t that big of a difference between the two schools other than trivial things like dress code and saturday classes. We have a lottttt of work at Andover and I don’t think Exeter students get much more.</p>

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<p>I’m going to challenge myself to be completely unbiased. Here goes.</p>

<p>In terms of difficulty at both schools, let me tell you this. Both schools have over 300 courses available, all at varying difficulties. How can anyone POSSIBLY compare the difficulties of the two schools when no single person on either campus has the same academic schedule? It all depends on what you choose to take. I have some friends taking fluid mechanics - that’s a tough course in which students aren’t supposed to score above 4. The same goes for the math 630 “problem solving” course - most of the kids in that class are literally geniuses. I’m 100% certain that Exeter has similar classes. You simply can’t compare workloads, even between kids at the same school, because one person might be taking three languages at the 500 or 600 level while another is more interested in college-level literature electives. My homework takes me six to seven hours a night, but I know other Uppers who are taking less challenging math courses and language courses whose homework takes maybe four or five hours a night.</p>

<p>The lesson here is that both schools are “hard” if you take the right (or wrong, depending on how you look at it) classes. I don’t see myself taking any science 580 courses next year (the New York Times wrote about them a few years ago - visit <a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/07/education/edlife/07prepared.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/07/education/edlife/07prepared.html&lt;/a&gt; to read the story) but I will be taking French 600, a college seminar French literature class. The same is, again, true for Exeter. redhotPEA is right - Exeter’s math team does beat ours (not sure their debate team does though, not this year anyway - we just sent two kids to WORLDS) and each school has their strengths.</p>

<p>If how colleges view each school’s academics is anything to go by, both schools consistently send almost a third of their students to the Ivies, and then more to Stanford and MIT. Both schools’ college admission statistics are publicly available, and I urge you to look them up if you want to get seriously nit picky and see which school sent 1% more to Ivies. The point is that, for whatever reason, even though it seems so many here on CC seem to think Andover is “easier than Exeter,” we still sent 100 kids into the Ivies and then more to Stanford and MIT. That’s the same as (and maybe more than) Exeter. We’re both “hard” schools.</p>

<p>In terms of opportunities for weekend activities, I can really only comment on Andover, but we have plenty of stuff going on over the weekend, though most kids choose to stay on campus three weekends out of four in order to get work done. Boston is 20 miles away and the train station is within walking distance; our SAB (Student Activity Board) works tirelessly to bring us a plethora of events over the weekends; tons of clubs bring speakers to campus (two weeks ago we had Jennifer Tierney, the US development director of Doctors Without Borders - read my Phillipian article about the visit at [Jennifer</a> Tierney Discusses Doctors Without Borders? Role in Haitian Reconstruction | News | The Phillipian](<a href=“http://phillipian.net/article/9423]Jennifer”>Article: Antonio Pulgarin Speaks to Toxic Masculinity, LGBTQ+ Rights, and Latinx Issues in New Exhibition “Whispers of a Caballero.” – The Phillipian) ); and, of course, downtown Andover with its cutesie little stores and coffee shops is just a walking distance away. Kids here, when they have an hour or two of free time, are never short of things to do. MY GUESS would be that the case at Exeter is very similar.</p>

<p>The bottom line is that whichever school you go to, you will receive an EXTRAORDINARY education - tailored to you, thanks to an exceptional range of courses. That point is NOT arguable. In the end, it’s all about the small things - dress code, Saturday classes, sitting at a table for class rather than at desks… Choose whichever one makes you feel the most comfortable. It’s high school - make good choices that also allow you to enjoy yourself! Don’t choose a school just because you think it will get you into a better college.</p>

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<p>Well said Tom.</p>

<p>I actually find this discussion a bit silly. Which is HARDER? Exeter or Andover? Kinda stupid. They’ll both kick your *** if you’re not careful. But I prefer Tom’s eloquence. Of course, I think most of the kids at these schools are smarter than I am! :)</p>

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<p>Thank you guys! This is more helpful than the beginning of this thread haha. I can’t wait for revisit days! I really felt Exeter on my tour and love all the faculty and people I have met from there. To be honest, I actually like the fact that there is a dress code: one less thing to worry about. And saturday classes? I live in New York, so I wouldn’t be going home for the weekends at either, so saturday classes might actually be nice. I know that whichever I choose I won’t regret the decision and I will have an amazing experience at either!</p>

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<p>Andover Parent Living in NYC…our daughter only comes home on the rare three day weekends. It would be quite the schelp on a regular weekend, even though we would love to see her more. About 1/2 hour taxi or commuter train ride into Boston, then 4 hours on bus or train into Manhattan, then another 1/2 hour to Brooklyn. She comes home for the Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring Breaks, plus the rare three day weekends, and we try to go up there every 3-4 weeks for a Saturday overnight.</p>

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<p>My case is a bit different from your’s…
I got accepted to Andover and St. Paul’s…
Andover: of course, strong academics, sports, music program, and more
But honestly I think Exeter is very similar to Andover…
So its rlly doesn’t matter which school u go to , just depends on how much u try there.
Hope this helps ^^</p>

31

<p>Yes. I am kind of an overachiever, so I will probably be burying myself in courses. One of the main things that I loved about Exeter was that your advisor works very closely with you (switching classes and solving problems). Does Andover have a system like this? I also know that Exeter has a student activities center ----> does andover? Is there a difference in dorm life?</p>

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<p>If I were you, I would choose Andover! I absolutely loooved the school! I really really really wanted to go, but sadly, Andover rejected me this year. but it’s alright, i’ll try again next year. my point is, Andover is a great school, and if I had your chance, I would definately choose Andover!</p>

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<p>We have found the advisors at Andover to be very helpful as well…each has about 12 students.</p>

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<p>does andover have saturday classes?
if so how often?</p>

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<p>andover has saturday classes roughly once per month.</p>

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<p>Everencer, I really like your positive attitude. “Try again next year”! You set an example to many students!</p>

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<p>JayPeeh, actually Andover has Saturday classes about once or twice a term (I don’t actually recall having any Winter term).</p>

<p>I got into both schools, but of course felt much more at home at Andover. You cannot compare the academics. These are two of the highest regarded high schools in the world, and neither has more prestige- that is fact.</p>

<p>That being said, it is known (and even often admitted by Exonians) that Andover is much more laid-back. When I visited both schools, everyone at Andover seemed so positive all the time, whereas I heard quite a few complaints on Exeter’s campus. One more thing to add: when Andover kids found out I was looking at Exeter, they said I HAD to choose Andover. When Exeter kids found out I was looking at Andover, they said both were respectable choices. Just an observation.</p>

<p>go blue.</p>

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<p>i heard that exeter kids were actually told to say “both are good choices” or the like, in order to be polite (???). you can’t really go wrong with either school, though!</p>

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<p>[Phillips</a> Exeter Academy’s Endowment Falls 22% - DealBook Blog - NYTimes.com](<a href=“DealBook - The New York Times”>DealBook - The New York Times)</p>

<p>Though our experience may be outdated, Andover did not do much for us. Teachers being ineffective, funding being inadequate, it did not change much. We may have met each other, but that is all.</p>

<p>Having visited Exeter for the annual E/A games, we saw its superiority, and now are proud to say that three of our kids are now Exonians. We Love that School, and have 80% of our will dedicated to it. God Bless PEA
— Hero and Claudio, PA ‘54</p>

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<p>xoxo, are you saying you are an Andover grad and your kids went to Exeter? Are your kids’ Exeter experiences recent?</p>