I recently got accepted!! So I live 45 minutes away from Andover, but I will be a boarding student. I intend to keep taking lessons with my piano teacher during the weekends, so my parents will pick me up every weekend and drop me off again at Andover. I was just wondering how often could I stay the night at my house to spend time with family? Could I do that at all (not including breaks)? Could I do that every weekend? Is it looked down on or anything? Thanks. 
Iām a boarder parent who lives too far away to provide much meaningful insight into your question, but I did want to drop in to say congratulations! Purely speculating, but I doubt this will be a major issue, except if you competing obligations from teams, productions, etc. that have weekend obligations. You should check out the Blue Bookāyou can find it online if you donāt have a copy yetāwhich contains a section for overnight excuses.
hi, do you think that being a top student in Andover in Academics is hard?
@applicant92034 Congratulations on your acceptance!! While it is certainly encouraged that boarding students remain on campus as much as possible over weekends so they can enjoy everything thats going on at school, as far as I know there is no rule saying āyou can only go home x number of times per term.ā in a situation like yours, where you have out of school commitments, Iām sure your dean and house counselors would be understanding
Yes
Random question- does PA stand for Phillips Academy or Phillips Andover?
I believe Phillips Academy; Iāve also seen PAA which I would think stands for Phillips Academy Andover. And when in the town of Andover Iāve most often heard the locals call the school āPhillipsā.
Phillips Academy, affectionately called Andover as opposed to PEA, Phillips Exeter Academy, affectionately termed Exeter after the town
Correct, which is the legal name of the school, as PEA is legally Phillips Exeter Academy.
And when the townies refer to the students, itās usually a term that is more derogatory, and probably should not be mentioned here. 
Yes, that. Perhaps not in good taste, but DH will call AppleKid that to be annoying. It works. :>
Another question- Do you think Iāll be able to have a small keyboard in my dorm (with headphones)? As a serious pianist, Iād love to be able to practice in my dorm. If not, do you think I can bring one in the dorm common room? Iāve checked the Blue Book, but it doesnāt mention this. Thanks!
A lot of dorms, especially the bigger ones, have either a piano or an electronic keyboard. If yours doesnāt, I bet thatās something you could work out with your House Counselors, as I believe youāre right in that there is no school regulation on things like that (if someone knows otherwise, please correct me) so it could vary from dorm to dorm
@applicant92034 If the housing card you receive is like the one from two years ago, thereās a place to indicate āOther Housing Preferencesā. Maybe you could indicate this on the card.
Yes, but as @aetrus and @AppleNotFar said, many dorms will have a piano, so you should indicate it on the housing preference card.
Hey fellow piano player! I am a current lower at Andover in a double and even I have a Casio 88-key keyboard lodged awkwardly in front of my roommateās pile of laundry. Iāve even heard myths and legends about a girl who has an upright piano in her single. With that said, you can definitely have a keyboard in your room.
Are the big dorms (30+ girls) quiet enough to study during study hours? If I were to have a roommate, would she also be a new lower?
Iām an early riser. Am I allowed to leave my dorm and go outside for a run early in the morning (like 6am)? Do I have to sign out?
I have already taken high school biology, chemistry, and physics. Would I be allowed to skip it or is there some sort of placement test for these science classes?
Is there a required health class?
Thanks!
Three resources every student and their parents should read and refer back to regularly are The Blue Book, the Parent Handbook and the Course of Study. I believe current versions are published in August preceding each academic year, but here are links for this yearās versions which can give you a good sense of what is offered, required and expected. I believe 6am is the time kids can leave their dorms without needing to sign out. Sign in times vary by grade and night of the week. Placement information will be forthcoming to newly admitted students, but I seem to remember that science placement is tied to math placement. As for health-type requirements, 3 and 4 year students are required to take PE, and there are Empathy, Balance and Inclusion programs that are also required. Again, best to confirm everything for yourself, and remember that these items are updated every year. (Iāve no idea about the dorm questions. Hopefully someone else can give you some answers.)
https://issuu.com/phillipsacademy/docs/blue_book_2017-2018_for_issuu
https://issuu.com/phillipsacademy/docs/parent_handbook_2017-2018_for_issuu
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canāt speak to girls dorms but I live in a dorm of 34 guys and do most of my studying in my room. The noise is rarely an issue, and if it does bother you, there are numerous other quieter places on campus to study (library, academic buildings, etc.
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Id say itās likely you will have a roommate who will be a new lower (source: was new lower with new lower roomie), as returning students are either in singles or know who their roommates are before the end of the year. Canāt say anything for sure though, thereās always exceptions.
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6am is the earliest students are allowed to leave their dorms. You may do so without signing out.
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There isnāt a placement test per se, as there is in math, but placement is determined by previous classes. If youāve already taken introductory classes in all 3 primary disciplines of science it is likely you will take an advanced (500-level, on par with AP) course. You will have the chance to discuss this with your advisor at the start of the year.
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Health is a part of the PE curriculum that is required in either freshman or lower year, but it is not a standalone class.
Starting this year (2017-2018) as a result of changes to the graduation requirements in world history, physical ed is not an option for 9th graders; itās taken in 10th grade.
So youāre required to take a sport AND physical ed? Or is it optional?