<p>Hey everyone, I am going to be an upper (eleventh grader) next year at Phillips Academy. I came to PA as a new lower (tenth grader). Feel free to ask me any questions about life at Andover or the application process!</p>
<p>What is your experience like joining an existing class as a new student? How’s the social scene?</p>
<p>Coming in as a new lower is not that bad because there are many other new students (about sixty new tenth graders in my case). Orientation is great because you get to meet all of the other new kids. I made a lot of friends within the first few weeks, many of which were returning lowers. However, there is a bit of a divide between the returning lowers and new lowers, but it is really not bad if you try to be sociable and get to know a lot of people. Also getting involved in various sports and extracurricular activities helps a lot in terms of finding friends. Overall, because it is a boarding school, it is really easy to make and keep friends no matter whether or not you are new because you are constantly with other people your age.</p>
<p>Hi! I started looking at Andover, and the one drawback for me is the size. Does Andover really feel like a big school? What’s your favorite part of it?</p>
<p>Andover does have about 1100 students; however it does not seem very large due to the fact that it is divided into five separate clusters each containing about 220 kids. This helps to make Andover seem much smaller than it really is. In my opinion the size is a benefit because there are constantly new people all around you, and you do not have to see the same people everywhere everyday if you do not want to. I came from a small school, and I too was a little nervous about the size of PA, but it is really a benefit instead of a drawback.
I would say that my favorite part of andover is the diversity in the student body as well as the influence and tradition associated with PA. It is really cool to have friends from literally all around the world who come from all different backgrounds. This level of diversity is unique to prep schools because the majority of schools across the US do not have the ability to achieve so much variety in their student body. In terms of influence, the school is actively working with Sal Khan (founder of Khan academy) to create a free online learning program to help other kids who do not have the same access to education as Andover students. Also we have had many notable speakers in past years including Jeb bush, spike lee and olivia wilde (olivia wilde and jeb bush both went to andover). This year there were articles published in the NY times, on cnn, and in the times about our school and the copresidential election that we had this year. It is really amazing to be a part of all of this in high school and these are just two of the many aspects that make PA such an awesome and distinct place.</p>
<p>What are the pros and cons of going to Andover? Why did you choose to go to the school?</p>
<p>Pros: diversity, many opportunities, great teachers, great campus, large student body, academic reputation, location, no uniforms, and history.</p>
<p>Cons: it is very challenging (but it is feasible)</p>
<p>when it came time to decide which school to go to, I was torn between hotchkiss and andover. Both are amazing schools, and they are similar in many ways. Nonetheless, I chose andover because it was larger than hotchkiss both in student body and campus size. Also another major plus is that andover is only 25 miles from Boston, so my friends and I can take the train to boston sometimes on the weekend. Also I felt like all of the people at andover seemed extremely nice and happy when I went there for revisit day. Plus, PA is a 5 minute walk from the town of andover whereas hotchkiss is in the middle of nowhere.</p>
<p>Hey! I’m also a rising upper at Andover, and I also came as a new lower. I hope you don’t mind if I answer some questions.</p>
<p>“I started looking at Andover, and the one drawback for me is the size. Does Andover really feel like a big school? What’s your favorite part of it?”
To answer your question–yes and no. In one sense, Andover is large enough so there are a lot of people to choose to be friends with. I went to a small school for middle school, and by the end of middle school I was pretty tired of the people. I was ready to have more people to choose from for friends. Andover is large enough so you have plenty of people to choose from. It’s also small enough that it’s extremely easy to form smaller communities, and you’ll see plenty of people you know on the path/in the dining hall/in your classes. I guarantee you that you’ll always have someone to walk with going anywhere.</p>
<p>That being said, a small school also has it’s advantages. If you’re somewhat insecure, being in a smaller environment can help you overcome those insecurities more easily.</p>
<p>My favorite part about Andover is how much it’s challenged me and changed me. Andover has forced me to work harder in every aspect of my life–academically, athletically, artistically, and socially. It’s been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and I’m glad it’s this hard. In some ways, it’s forced me to grow from a boy to a man. This is something that I wouldn’t have gotten had I stayed at my old public high school. By being challenged and stretched, you’re forced to grow. You learn to expect more from yourself. Going to Andover lights a fire in your stomach that motivates you. If you’re ready for a challenge, come to Andover.</p>
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<p>Does your health center provide zantac? :D</p>
<p>Ha ha ha. I have no idea</p>
<p>I’m going to be a new junior next year, and I was wondering if you knew when we find out our housing info. Also, what are things that boarders should do/buy before coming to campus. Thanks!</p>
<p>I’ll be a new lower this fall, and I was wondering if you could post a generic schedule of how the typical day goes for you. I’ve also heard that coming in as a new lower is kind of like playing catch-up to returning lowers. If so, is it really hard to make up what you missed out on before both academically and socially?</p>
<p>How are the dorms at Andover? Are singles common? What is your opinion of the language department?</p>
<p>Silverstag, </p>
<p>A couple years ago new students received their dorm assignments in mid-August via an e-mail from the Dean of Students and Residential Life. Unless things have changed, this notice will be sent to your Andover e-mail account. You may want to buy a rug or extra furniture for your dorm room. But it’s best to coordinate things first with your roommate if you are assigned one. Keep in mind, however, that you won’t get a good fix on floor dimensions, space availability, etc. until you see your dorm room first. You should, of course, make a comprehensive packing list and buy what you need from that list. Unless you are an athlete, etc. who needs to train or practice, I wouldn’t necessarily do anything special to prepare for Andover. Just relax and have fun this summer. You will have plenty to keep you busy when school starts. </p>
<p>Eeliu,</p>
<p>You can find a typical daily schedule at [Phillips</a> Academy - Daily Class Schedule](<a href=“http://www.andover.edu/Academics/Pages/DailyClassSchedule.aspx]Phillips”>http://www.andover.edu/Academics/Pages/DailyClassSchedule.aspx). </p>
<p>New students at Andover can experience a transition period to prep school life regardless of their grade. But I wouldn’t worry too terribly much about it. As the OP mentioned, you will have a built-in peer group of other new lowers. Plus, returning students will welcome you; teachers will help you; and your academic advisor, dorm counselors, and cluster dean will have your back. Just be friendly, get involved in extracurricular activities, and ask for academic help when you need it. Before you know it, you should be fully integrated in the school. </p>
<p>Outoftheweather, </p>
<p>The dorms at Andover are nice. Not Architectural Digest nice. But nice as in “This will be a comfortable and fun to place to live with interesting and fun people” nice. Some dorms are nicer and better located than others. But the friends you make in your dorm will likely be more important than aesthetic or geographic concerns. One-third of the dorm rooms at Andover are singles. [Phillips</a> Academy - Dorm Life](<a href=“http://www.andover.edu/StudentLife/ResidentialDayStudentLife/Pages/DormLife.aspx]Phillips”>http://www.andover.edu/StudentLife/ResidentialDayStudentLife/Pages/DormLife.aspx). </p>
<p>As a general rule, the language departments at Andover (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Latin, Russian, and Spanish) are top-notch. It’s a bit hard to extrapolate experiences from one language department to another. So, it might be best for you to ask questions about the language you plan to take. Subject to satisfying their graduation requirements, some new students at Andover greatly benefit from starting a new language not offered at their previous school (e.g. Arabic, Japanese, Russian, etc.)</p>
<p>I hope this helps. Good luck!</p>
<p>For the health center question: Nope, only sudafed and anti-inflamatory pills :P</p>
<p>And yes, we HATE new lowers <em>cough</em> took the good dorms <em>cough</em> :D</p>
<p>Is the application process harder if one applies for 10th grade? I’m actually going to be a 10th grader this fall, but I dont know if I should apply for 10th grade or go for 11th. Will it be harmful?</p>
<p>Andoverhopeful14,</p>
<p>Traditionally, students applying as new uppers, or eleventh graders, at Andover face the most difficult admission challenge. A couple of years back, I recall hearing that the admission rate for new uppers was something like 8 percent, about 6 percent lower than Andover’s overall admit rate of 14 percent. </p>
<p>Notwithstanding this greater admission difficulty, there are, in my experience, two primary advantages for entering Andover as a new upper. The first is not delaying college admission for one year. The second is avoiding the necessity of paying for another year of prep school.</p>
<p>Entering as a new upper does, however, present unique challenges. Where a new ninth or tenth grader has more time to adjust to prep school life, a new upper does not have that flexibility. Grades as a new upper matter most for college admission. Plus, new uppers have the added stress of preparing for the SAT, taking more advanced courses, and beginning the college application process. Most new uppers typically turn these challenges into opportunities. Some don’t.</p>
<p>These challenges, as well as the desire to extend prep school for an additional year, lead some applicants to apply as repeat tenth graders. This is especially true of athletes who desire an additional year to physically develop. While repeating a grade carries a stigma outside the prep school world, the prep school community commonly accepts this practice. I have never heard of a college penalizing a good student for voluntarily repeating a grade under these circumstances. </p>
<p>There is no right or wrong answer to your question. There’s just what works best for you. Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>Thanks Sergeant! Just wanted to make sure the dorms weren’t absolutely horrible. I was looking especially into the French, Arabic, and Russian departments! (not sure if anyone knows much about these though).</p>
<p>Does anyone know how stressful it is to take two languages?</p>
<p>Thanks for answering all these questions guys…</p>
<p>When I told some of my friends I’d be going to Andover, they had all obviously heard of it because of its academic reputation, but they seemed to be under the impression that the kids at PA had huge, wild parties. Is that true? </p>
<p>What sports does the school excel at?</p>
<p>How does the whole dating thing work at PA? Or is it all just “hook ups?”</p>