@thelittleswimmer Thank you! I am applying next year, but I think it’s never too early to start preparing
Andover’s schedule looks confusing but is pretty good for students. All periods are scheduled on Mon, Tue, and Friday. 3 periods meet for single or double blocks on Wednesday which is a shorter day. There is also a block for an All School Meeting and many sports have games on Wed afternoon. Thursday has the other 4 periods meet single or double blocks. Doubles are usually when science labs meet. Most classes meet 4-5 times a week.
Hope this helps.
@whatshername007 I would suggest that it is in fact a bit early to start “preparing” the application process is long and arduous enough without worrying about how you will plan your schedule at a school that is extremely difficult to gain admission to in the event that you are accepted over a year from now. I would be supportive of gathering information to help you put together a list of schools you are going to apply to this spring but based on your posts thus far I am pretty sure you have decided to include Andover. Becoming obsessed about the details now is NOT a good idea
What kind of dorm configurations are there for 9th graders? (Three room doubles, singles, doubles) How common are certain types?
Hi! I have quite a few questions, soo…
How much pocket money should I have? What would I spend it on? (What do most students spend it on?) Do many students receive some sort of allowance?
Do students/parents have to pay for traveling for sports/music/academic clubs/language classes, or does the school cover it?
What is the culture of Andover like? (Do people tend to be intellectual in conversation? Is being funny valued a lot? Does everyone tend to know everyone else? How involved is the school in current events/politics? I know it’s difficult to generalize, so I’ll take what you helpful people can give.)
Can someone give a detailed explanation of dorms for lowers (esp. ones for new lowers) like the one that was given for junior dorms? Is it easier to get a single or a double? Are quads an option?
Does the school try to start new lowers out slow (discouraging them from taking the two-term accelerated classes and such)?
What challenges should a new lower expect that a junior wouldn’t have to worry about?
I am also interested in @thelittleswimmer 's question: How do you think Andover has changed you/improved your life?
Thank so much, you all! I hope to be able to make it to Andover for revisit day and see you guys!
^ natakwali, I’m a 2014 Andover grad and I was a new lower, so I can try to answer your questions!
- You will find all types of students at Andover when it comes to spending money. Some only spend $10 each week, perhaps walking to Main Street with friends and doing some shopping there, while some can afford to order food for literally every meal. It all depends on what you're comfortable with, because no one will judge you for what you are or are not spending.
- You generally do not have to pay for sports travel (with the exception of spring training trips to Florida, some of which is covered under financial aid), language classes (if you mean the ones that are part of the curriculum), or academic clubs. You do have to pay for music lessons. The music teachers are amazing, though--I took piano and voice during my three years.
- People are very intellectual. I am at a Top 20 college right now and have found the intellectual community SEVERELY lacking when compared to Andover. However, you can find any type of conversation, really! I had goofy friends and I had ones that would talk about feminist theory with me for hours on end. I loved the intellectual community, but if you want to steer clear from it, you definitely can. My advice: don't be intimidated by the scarily intellectual seniors and the commentary section of The Phillipian. You'll be one of those seniors one day, it just takes time.
Secondly, everyone definitely knows everyone else. Everyone knows each other’s business, for the most part. It’s a “large” boarding school, but really, 1000 people is not that many. Teachers know which students are dating, everyone knows all the drama. It’s pretty amusing when you’re older, but you can definitely get swept up in it as an underclassman.
The community is generally very knowledgeable about politics. For example, I watched the 2012 presidential election in my common room with my house counselors and a bunch of other students. You can find casual debates in Commons or more formal ones through PA Republicans, PA Dems, and the Andover Political Union. Also, you can take awesome electives to supplement your knowledge of current events.
- You will get a 1 room double as a new lower, for the most part, but I have seen some new lowers get triples in years when we were overcrowded. Andover has junior housing and upperclassman housing (10th, 11th, 12th graders). You will be housed with all upperclassmen, and you get the bad rooms because everyone else picked their rooms the previous spring. (It's not so bad though! Andover's dorms are awesome.) I would recommend doing some research, because if I remember correctly you can say which dorm you would like to be placed in, although they may not always honor that request. Each dorm has its own personality. PM me if you want me to go into more detail!
- New lowers have it pretty rough academically. Freshman year is pretty easy, but lower year, the difficulty starts to ramp up. I went to a public school for 9th grade and I thought I was the smartest person ever, but when I showed up to Andover, I had a very rude awakening. You can take the classes you want, but BE CAREFUL. KNOW YOUR LIMITS. If you have fulfilled the requirements for a class, you can definitely take it, but that does not mean you should! Stay sane. That is so important when you're living away from home for the first time. I took College Chemistry as a tenth grader and that was the biggest mistake. But I kept telling myself, "I'm smart, I should be able to do this." Andover will teach you that, while you are smart (it's why you're there), everyone has limits. "You can do anything, but you cannot do everything" should be your motto going into that school. It is a pressure cooker. It is hard. There were times when it was TOO hard. Challenge yourself, but also understand your needs.
- Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to worry about being "the new kid." There are 80+ new lowers at Andover at any given time, and all the returning lowers will think you're awesome. It's great. I would say you'll have to worry more about academics and clubs. While I want to tell you not to worry about college, I know that you probably will anyway--so yeah, colleges want to see good grades and leadership in clubs, which can be tough if you're a year behind, I guess? Honestly, that's the only thing I can think of, and it's really NOT a disadvantage unless you take the entire year before you join a single thing. I can think of more 3-year seniors at HYPSM than 4-year seniors (these aren't the only good schools at all but I know ~prestige~ matters to some people). But you do have less time there than some of your peers, so remember that when you first arrive.
- One of my old teachers is in my college's city visiting, and we just met up for coffee today. Andover is a family with ties to every city, state, and country. We stick together. I know countless grads have gotten married, gotten each other jobs, etc. A TON of people do (successful!) long distance relationships with other Andover people when they graduate. When you leave Andover, you are still a part of the family. I'm not going to idealize Andover for you--there is a lot wrong with the school. It unhealthily stressful at times with a fiercely competitive atmosphere. But, it is in very good hands with our new Head of School, and I trust him to make Andover a happier place.
When I was a new lower, I got straight 4s. My math teacher had me come to his house to sit in his family room and do homework while he talked with his kids or did work–he made sure I got back on track. The next year, I met the most inspiring teacher of my life, and he made me love math. I went from straight 4s in precalc to a 6 in AP Calculus. My new French teacher realized I loved theatre and so helped me practice spoken French poetry (random, whatever) for our school’s competition to help me gain confidence. And I won the contest! Senior year, I had the most incredible group of teachers I’ve ever had. They met with me all the time. They helped cheer me up when I didn’t get into the colleges I wanted. They became my friends. With their help, I went from a terrified girl with a 4.5 average to a confident student named to the cum laude society (our only honor society of around 60 students, you get recognized at graduation, whatever). Andover is only Andover because of its teachers. I owe them everything.
The beautiful thing about Andover is that you are so young, whether you realize it or not. I look back on my lower and upper years like they almost didn’t exist–they were so colored by adolescent fervor that I wouldn’t be able to replicate now if I tried. Everything was important, everything was maddening, everything was explosive. And it all happened in such a compact space. I can point to you where my friend and I lay on the lawn in the pouring rain for no reason, I can show you the place in the sanctuary where I threw my phone into the lake as some testament to my reinvention of self, I can tell you where I whispered secrets with my best friend before she graduated before me. I can tell you so clearly how it felt after she left. Perhaps these feelings are not unique to Andover, but I guarantee that you will be surrounded by a group of people that inspire visceral emotion. They are brilliant, passionate, beautiful people, and I was lucky to share classrooms with them. These are also the people with whom you will reflect on your Andover days, and their evocative words will inspire a nostalgia that I am not articulate enough to put into words.
Andover is hard. Andover can feel like it’s breaking you. But you will leave smarter, more confident, and immensely appreciative of that godforsaken school on the hill. So many memories, good and bad, but you will eventually learn to look back fondly.
Wow @cassat I’ve saved this for future reference. Thank you so much for the detailed and passionate reply.
If you all don’t mind, I have a few more questions. These are pretty specific, but hopefully someone here will know the answer or have a friend who knows.
What is the audition process for Andover Dace Group like?
What about theater? How time consuming is practice?
What is the quality of Andover theater and dance shows?
How many of the clubs on this page are actually active (remove spaces)?
https:/ /www. andover. edu/StudentLife/StudentActivities/ClubsandOrganizations/Pages/default.aspx
What are some of the most active clubs on campus?
What audition academic clubs are the most competitive/difficult to get into?
Will my parents have to pay for travel for programs like Niswarth?
Will my parents have to pay for travel for language classes (ex. visiting Guatemala with the class for Spanish)?
Thank you!
bump
Will my parents have to pay for travel for programs like Niswarth?
Will my parents have to pay for travel for language classes (ex. visiting Guatemala with the class for Spanish)?
Yes you have to pay for these programs unless you are on financial aid. Tuition is just icing on the cake, you have to pay for the cake too. 
If you all don’t mind, I have a few more questions. These are pretty specific, but hopefully someone here will know the answer or have a friend who knows.
What about theater? How time consuming is practice?
What is the quality of Andover theater and dance shows?
How many of the clubs on this page are actually active (remove spaces)?
https:/ /www. andover. edu/StudentLife/StudentActivities/ClubsandOrganizations/Pages/default.aspx
What are some of the most active clubs on campus?
What audition academic clubs are the most competitive/difficult to get into?
Thank you!
^
- depends on your commitment. I was in a Theater 520 production, which, during tech week, was like 3-4 hours per day. Or you can do drama labs, which are on Friday nights for a packed audience, and those only require like 2-3 hours per week if I remember correctly. It’s a way smaller time commitment, but both are fun.
- They're usually very good, there are some very talented people at that school. I really liked one of the theater teachers, but he left, so I stopped doing theater after that, and my information might be a bit old as a result. But definitely very capable actors and dancers, along with directors and tech-focused people.
- Most of those clubs are still active. Some of the more random ones, probably not. (Andover Philanthropist Society? lol) But there is a club for every major interest, and you can always start your own. I graduated in 2014 though so I'm not 100% sure. Do you have any specific clubs you'd like to know about?
- The "big three" are Phillipian, Model UN, and Philo (the debate society). They have a big following and very competitive applications for the board. They're kind of cult-like, and they're very successful in what they do. The smaller clubs are all active as well, though. There are a ton of clubs so it's hard to answer!
- I don't believe any of them cut people at the entry-level spots, except for perhaps the Andover Economics Team. You have to take a test to get into that. But many clubs have very, very competitive board applications. Everyone knows when Phillipian EIC is going to get announced, everyone knows who the new head of MUN is after it happens. But honestly, even with academic clubs where you compete, it's very rare that you'll be barred from participating. (Math Club comes to mind. I was not an impressive math student, and I was among USAMO people, but the teacher was still excited for me to show up!)
Everyone says Andover is more competitive than college–they’re wrong, don’t let that scare you. But it does prepare you for competitive board apps, which comes in handy when you eventually apply for selective clubs in college! It’s very good preparation.
Round 3…
I went to one of Andover’s revisit days and was kind of unimpressed. There wasn’t any discussion between students in class and everyone was…I wouldn’t exactly say uninterested… very reserved. The kids didn’t seem to know each other! Even at PE playing dodgeball there wasn’t much shouting or competitiveness. And that’s no fun. I was waiting for someone to gush about something-anything! I didn’t see the class laughing and joking and having fun learning. While I have a thousand excuses in mind for why the classes were like that and why that might not be the norm, the fact remains that that’s what I saw yesterday. The randomly chosen student panel was perf, though
So my question: What are classes really like? If I want a discussion based class in humanities AND math/science is Andover the wrong place for me?
Also, how many of the leaders of the Phillippian, Model UN, Philo, Mock Trial, Math Team, etc. entered as lowers? As uppers? Give me a percentage or examples or whatever it takes for me to get the right idea. Thank you!
Hmm… what you see is what you get. If you are not excited about being there, it’s a good idea to move on with your other options. Just my 2 cents.
I mean, no one is going to force you to pick Andover. But what you describe definitely doesn’t sound like my experience. One thing I will say is that Andover classes aren’t like public school classes. (I went to public school through ninth grade.) There will not be any disruptions, and everyone is there to learn. However, I haven’t had many classes that are completely absent of laughter and fun–I remember I laughed so hard during a calculus class that I cried, just from joking around with my professor. I’m sorry you had a poor experience, though! Some classes are naturally more serious than others.
The general consensus is that PE class is the worst. It’s just a thing you try to get over with as quickly as possible. I hated PE and I’m sure I wasn’t particularly happy during the class, but I do love dodgeball, so… Who knows. Won’t make excuses for the school.
I’m mostly sorry you found the academics lacking. The number of times I’ve gotten into arguments over a harkness table… Probably too many. But anyway, the nerves/lack of enthusiasm make sense if you were revisiting with a 9th/10th grader. A lot of them are still finding their footing at the school. I know I was a bundle of nerves during 10th grade, but by 12th I had broken out of my comfort zone and felt far more at ease with my friends and peers.
If you want a discussion based chem class… Not sure how to help you there. I’ve found that a lot of the hard sciences are simply taught by the teacher with group-focused projects. But there has always been discussion in my math classes. And as for humanities, yeah–if you don’t open your mouth to talk or contribute, you’re not only going to have a bad time, you will get a reputation as “the quiet one” and get a bad grade for the course. Contribution is necessary.
Very rarely do Phillipian leaders enter as new uppers–to get to upper management or the editor positions, you need to have written a number of very good articles for the paper. That takes time. I’m not entirely sure about the other clubs, but typically those that are going to be leaders in the clubs enter around 9th or 10th grade. But if you’re a very committed person, you can enter at any time and be successful. The bigger clubs have associates that are indicative of those who will be board members. Being an associate is a HUGE time commitment and not especially fun–it’s when you prove yourself, and being an associate determines whether you’ll be the president of the club or a staff member. BUT, I have a friend that impressed the Phillipian board members enough as an 11th grader to become an editor even though she hadn’t been an associate. Anything is possible, but the path of least resistance is joining as a 9th or 10th grader --> working hard and proving yourself through upper fall --> becoming an associate and working your behind off --> board position. It’s a similar process for every club you mentioned, except for the math team which I don’t believe has much of a hierarchy.
Thank you for your response!
One more question: How much of a disadvantage would entering as a lower be compared to entering as a 9th grader (prep?) in regards to leadership positions within clubs?
I don’t think it would be a disadvantage for most clubs if you start as a lower. There is a relatively large group of kids who start as lowers. My cousin started as an upper. Most of the kids who start older (esp. upper or senior) wish they had started earlier because they enjoy their time there. Some kids who start in 9th grade try new clubs in 10th grade, so you wouldn’t necessarily be the only “new” lower to a club. S is a lower on 2 boards for next year, and for one he is co-director with a lower who started this year. Math club is seniors on the board, so certainly plenty of time to work for that if you are a new lower. I think Philo tends to be uppers or seniors on the boards. I don’t know much about many of the humanities clubs. Good luck.
Also 9th graders are “juniors” but no one really uses that term except for teachers. 9th = freshman, pretty much.
It’s really not a huge disadvantage, like MA2012 said. The only way I can think of it affecting you is if you’re competing with someone who has been there longer for a board position, all other things being equal. But just work hard and I’m sure you’ll succeed! I think 10th grade is the perfect year to enter Andover, although academics might be a little bit harder.
Ok thank you! You guys have been great with answering my questions. Why do you think 10th grade is the perfect year to enter Andover?