<p>@booklady123 You figure that since schools did not always offer as much aid, legacies will be children of the wealthy. Also, the towns surrounding Andover (I’m not sure about Exeter–their list of day towns is harder to find) tend to be wealthy towns. This is not to say no one from these categories applies for aid, but probably a lower percentage than in the general applicant pool. </p>
<p>Bit of a stereotype, for sure, booklady, and I hesitated before writing “day student.” In fact, I might take that one back; it was based mostly on thinking about the relative affluence of Andover/North Andover and the logistics of getting kids back and forth to school. However, it’s a sure bet that international students are largely full pay (again, not all, but most). Travel and application costs alone would deter most foreign families with limited income from applying since travel is not part of the FA package for most students.</p>
<p>@classicalmama - Nope, didnt bother. Just saw you sent over 24 pages and then another 12. Very few (if any) posters will comb through all that.</p>
<p>HINT: Pull the figures that make whatever point you want to make. Then supply those docs as backup.</p>
<p>@cmama, Please pay attention to the numbers before making conclusions. The increase in financial aid budget from 2011 to 2013 is not evidence of need-blind admissions. There is also an increase in the number of students from 2011 to 2013. The FA number given is also the total financial aid budget, not what is dangled in front of new applicants which is around $5-6 million. The fact that the budgets didn’t increase during recession when the FA requests increased is an indication of no need-blind policy. It is easy to redistribute the same budget from 45% to 47% of students just by decreasing average grant slightly.</p>
<p>Note to Cptofthehouse where he/she used semantics to separate need-blind and meeting full need policies. It’s a bummer but here it is for ya from the Andover profiles above.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Legacies tend to be rich (historically, old money, new money), day student tuition is much less than boarding tuition so more people can afford it, and local public school options in the Andover area are not so good.</p>
<p>Yeah, I would say day students (for these two schools at least) wouldn’t fall into this category at all. The towns listed in the day student radius for both schools have a very wide range of socioeconomic diversity. Only glancing at them, I would say they would be at least half FP and half FA, if not slanted toward FA applicants. Estimated average income in my town is $40-60,000, and we are definitely not the poorest town on this list. in other words, Andover and North Andover (as well as Rye, NH) are more outliers than representative.</p>
<p>FYI- I agree with the premise of your statement, however. I just don’t think day students for these two schools are examples of your premise. Does that make sense? </p>
<p>@stargirl3 </p>
<p><a href=“Day students from nearby towns | Phillips Exeter Academy”>http://www.exeter.edu/admissions/109_1315.aspx</a></p>
<p><a href=“https://www.andover.edu/Admission/NewStudentExperience/Pages/DayStudents.aspx”>https://www.andover.edu/Admission/NewStudentExperience/Pages/DayStudents.aspx</a></p>
<p>@booklady123 Thanks. I’ve seen them before but couldn’t remember them all, and I don’t really know much about the area. (My mom lived near Andover a while back, so she knows what it was like then.)</p>
<p>Asian families value education. There are a lot of Asian families in the day student towns of Andover. Many of these families are two-income, upper middle class (not rich) who are willing to pay full day student tuition. If there is no quota for Asians, you would see a lot more Asian day students.</p>
<p>Lots of pretty urban and rural poor towns on both lists…</p>
<p>"There are a lot of Asian families in the day student towns of Andover. " </p>
<p>Depending on what you mean by “a lot,” I am going to respectfully disagree. Most of the towns on those lists do not have disproportionate numbers of wealthy Asian Americans. The only places I would say had large Asian populations would be the cities (Lawrence, Lowell, Haverhill), and those populations are mostly Cambodian and Laotian populations, and are generally very low income. </p>
<p>I have no connection to Andover other than I like to go to the Addison a couple of times a year, But I did notice the information on the fun facts page and used it to help better understand our sons rejection at another school with similar admit rates that we would need full financial aid to attend. The information I looked at is located at the following links <a href=“https://www.andover.edu/Admission/WelcomeAdmittedStudents/237Class/Pages/default.aspx”>https://www.andover.edu/Admission/WelcomeAdmittedStudents/237Class/Pages/default.aspx</a>
<a href=“https://www.andover.edu/Admission/WelcomeAdmittedStudents/237Class/Pages/FunFacts.aspx”>https://www.andover.edu/Admission/WelcomeAdmittedStudents/237Class/Pages/FunFacts.aspx</a>
The first thing that struck me is they stated on the Andover site “at Andover, approximately 75% of the applicant pool is academically admissible.” Does this mean a quarter of the applications go straight to the circular file and the realistic academically admissible admit rate is closer to 20%? What is academically admissible? The median SSAT at Andover is 93%. I can accept 93% may not be a goal but with only so many percentage points above 93% it takes a bunch of 95%’ers to make up for the underwater tuba player with a 87% and they must really want to have that student. At the school our son was rejected with only a quarter of the number of students it must be even more important to be close to the mean. From another posting in this thread the full pay applications over the past few years at Andover was listed from 45- 50 % of total applications. From the Andover fun facts it seems the full pay admits is 40% and the combination of full scholarship 13% and partial scholarship 47% makes for a simple 40/60 split. Thus as many have made the argument it seems to me the odds of an academically admissible full pay are very good. I have no way to know but would venture a large portion of applications in the circular file are academically inadmissible from low income families applying to Andover on a wing and a prayer as the majority of full pays are admitted. Not sure where that fits into the need blind debate but they do give a lot of aid. The other thing that struck me was the statement that 95 of the admits were class presidents. I recognize it takes a certain kind of person to run for student office but in middle school it often comes down to a popularity contest, maybe this is what Andover means by they seek nice kids? </p>
<p>When I started this thread, I couldn’t care less about what Andover or those folks who were in some way connected to Andover had to say. Especially those folks who just float a balloon full of doubt that might sound reasonable… but without any substance or data. I would simply ignore them going forward.</p>
<p>The key data set relevant to this thread is the spread between % students receiving FA among the matriculated and those among the admitted. While the former has been overtly publicized to be around 45-47%, the latter has not. However, if you had paid attention to Andover’s “press release” on or after M10 for the past several years, typically titled “Presenting the xxxth Admitted Class,”, you’d easily understand that it’s just matter of simple math to get the figures for % students receiving FA among the admitted. </p>
<p>Here’s what I’ve found from the past six years worth of press releases:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Generally speaking, about two thirds of BS applicants also apply for FA. Andover’s number might be higher or lower than two thirds, or may be about the same, but it would be conservative to assume that it is more than 50%. $64M question is then how the majority in the applicant pool ends up becoming a minority (35-40%)? I don’t think there is any foul play or conspiracy. IMO there have been some great posts on this thread, attempting to reconcile this apparent puzzle, and it is up to individual students and parents how to take this information and act upon it.</p>
<p>Personally, I think the addition, or lack of, a “need-blind” label shouldn’t change anything about how anyone feels about Andover. Because there simply cannot be enough hard truth or evidence that people will accept, I am choosing to believe that Andover is being as honest as possible when saying they are need-blind. I have no reason to think otherwise. Andover is a wonderful institution, with or without their need-blind label. Being need-blind shouldn’t deter anyone from applying, nor should it suddenly increase your desire to apply. Plenty of schools could probably argue for a need-blind label and simply choose not to deal with it. I just don’t really see the point in continually arguing a point that people seem to not want to accept. The data has been really interesting to see, and there have been some clear, educated, factual points that have been made. This thread has been interesting, but it seems to me that it’s turned into a debate about whether PA is good/bad or whether they’re honest/dishonest. </p>
<p>@ForkNotTaken The 47% is total, including the 13% on full rides.</p>
<h1>To doubters, the source of my data is none other than PA Admission Office. If you’re still in doubt, print next seven posts and check with them for veracity. Here you go:</h1>
<p>Presenting the 232nd Admitted Class</p>
<p>This year, we received 3,139 preliminary applications and 2,711 completed applications, the largest applicant pool in Academy history. To provide some perspective, in 1999 the total applicant pool was 1,849; and in 2001, we broke the 2,000 mark with 2,168. Last year as of March 10th, we received 2,308 completed applications.</p>
<p>At Andover, approximately 75% of the applicant pool is academically admissible. The stories and personal qualities of those admitted in 2009 made them stand out in this extraordinary pool. The profile of this group is the strongest in recent history. Overall, 451 students, or 16.6% of this very talented applicant group, have been admitted. This is the lowest admission rate in the history of the school. Academically, most of our admitted students rank in the top five percent of their class. The median SSAT total score is 94%. Approximately 35% of the admitted class have been awarded financial aid scholarships. An impressive group indeed!</p>
<p>Academically and extracurricularly, students have excelled in their current schools and contributed greatly to their communities. They have achieved in the classroom, on the athletic field, on stage, in the orchestra pit, in volunteer capacities and in many other ways. The admission committee had a difficult task in selecting a small number of students to admit from a very talented pool of candidates. We are confident we have chosen an entering class of students who will not only contribute to the Phillips Academy community, but also benefit most from an Andover education.</p>
<p>The admitted group brings with it a diversity of experiences, interests and talents. Twenty-five percent of the admitted students indicated an interest in math and/or computers, while 42 students noted they have a strong passion for science. Eleven percent of the admitted group wrote that they love to learn different languages. With nine different world languages to choose from at Andover, these students will have a tough choice to make. (We currently offer French, Spanish, German, Russian, Latin, Greek, Chinese and Japanese; the world language division will extend its reach next year to include two years of introductory Arabic.) Thirty-nine students are particularly talented in creative writing. The English department and literary magazine advisors look forward to working with these budding novelists and poets! Lastly, the staff of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology is excited to get to know the students who listed history and archaeology as their main academic interests.</p>
<p>The arts and athletics are also well-represented in the newly admitted class. According to our coaches, 168 of the admitted students have varsity potential in athletics. And, after listening to more than 350 CDs, the music department informs us that we have accepted 30 top young musicians from around the world. More than 125 actors and actresses and 45 dancers are among the admitted group—surely they will contribute much to Andover’s 35 theatre and dance productions per year. Finally, 64 of the admitted students list visual art among their top interests. We know that they will take advantage of Andover’s extensive art program and the rich resources at the Addison Gallery of American Art.</p>
<p>With a school motto of non sibi, it is no surprise that the most popular extracurricular activity is volunteer work or community service, which was indicated by 55% of the admitted students. The entering class will bring leadership skills as well. Twenty-four students served as class or student council presidents, while 105 served as school leaders in other ways. Since active citizenship and knowledge of global issues are such an integral part of the Andover experience, membership in groups such as Model United Nations and participation in foreign exchange or language immersion programs continue to be popular with our applicant pool. Similarly, many more of our applicants have indicated a strong interest in environmental issues than in previous years. We already have a very active Eco-Action Club here at Andover and we look forward to expanding its membership with these enthusiastic students.</p>
<h1>This is just a snapshot of the newly admitted class. Read on for some profiles of your potential classmates and fun facts!</h1>
<p>Presenting the 233rd Admitted Class</p>
<p>This year, we received 3,283 preliminary applications and 2,844 completed applications, the largest applicant pool in Academy history. Last year as of March 10th, we had received 2,711 completed applications. In 2008 as of March 10th, we had received 2,308 completed applications, which means our applications have increased by 23% in the last two years. To provide some perspective: in 1999 the total applicant pool was 1,849; this year we received 1,756 applications for the ninth grade alone.</p>
<p>At Andover, approximately 75% of the applicant pool is academically admissible. Your stories and personal qualities made you stand out in this extraordinary pool. The profile of the students admitted in 2010 is the strongest in recent history. Overall, 405 students, or 14% of this very talented applicant group, have been admitted. This is the lowest admission rate in the history of the school. Please note that we calculate our admit rate based on the number of completed applications (other schools may use the number of preliminary applications to determine their admit rate). Academically, most of our admitted students rank in the top five percent of their class. The median SSAT total score is 94%. Approximately 40% of the admitted class have been awarded financial aid scholarships. An impressive group indeed!</p>
<p>Academically and extracurricularly, students have excelled in their current schools and contributed greatly to their communities. They have achieved in the classroom, on the athletic field, on stage, in the orchestra pit, in volunteer capacities and in many other ways. The admission committee had a difficult task in selecting a small number of students to admit from a very talented pool of candidates. We are confident we have chosen an entering class of students who will not only contribute to the Phillips Academy community, but also benefit most from an Andover education.</p>
<p>The admitted group brings with it a diversity of experiences, interests and talents. Twenty-one percent of the admitted students indicated an interest in math and/or computers, while 37 students noted they have a strong passion for science. Twelve percent of the admitted group wrote that they love to learn languages. With nine different world languages to choose from at Andover, these students will have a tough choice to make. (We currently offer French, Spanish, German, Russian, Latin, Greek, Chinese and Japanese; the world language division also offers two years of introductory Arabic.) Fifty-six students are particularly interested in creative writing. The English department and literary magazine advisors look forward to working with these budding novelists and poets! Lastly, the staff of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology is excited to get to know the students who listed history and archaeology as their main academic interests.</p>
<p>The arts and athletics are also well-represented in the newly admitted class. According to our coaches, 159 of the admitted students have varsity potential in athletics. And, after listening to more than 350 CDs, the music department informs us that we have accepted 28 top young musicians from around the world. More than 110 actors and actresses and 45 dancers are among the admitted group—surely they will contribute much to Andover’s 35 theatre and dance productions per year. Finally, 71 of the admitted students list visual art among their top interests. We know that they will take advantage of Andover’s extensive art program and the rich resources at the Addison Gallery of American Art.</p>
<p>Given that PA’s school motto is non sibi, it is no surprise that the most popular extracurricular activity among applicants is volunteer work or community service, which was indicated by 51% of the admitted students. The entering class will bring leadership skills as well. Twenty-two students served as class or student council presidents, while 108 served as school leaders in other ways. Since active citizenship and knowledge of global issues are such an integral part of the Andover experience, membership in groups such as Model United Nations and participation in foreign exchange or language immersion programs continue to be popular with our applicant pool. Similarly, many more of our applicants have indicated a strong interest in environmental issues than in previous years. We already have a very active Eco-Action Club here at Andover and we look forward to expanding its membership with these enthusiastic students.</p>
<p>This is just a snapshot of the newly admitted class. Read on for some profiles of your potential classmates and fun facts!</p>
<p>Presenting the 234th Admitted Class</p>
<p>This year, we received 3,866 preliminary applications and 3,103 completed applications, the largest applicant pool in Academy history.</p>
<p>At Andover, approximately 75% of the applicant pool is academically admissible. Your stories and personal qualities made you stand out in this extraordinary pool. The profile of the students admitted in 2011 is the strongest in recent history. Overall, 446 students, or 14% of this very talented applicant group, have been admitted. This is the lowest admission rate in the history of the school. Please note that we calculate our admit rate based on the number of completed applications (other schools may use the number of preliminary applications to determine their admit rate). Academically, most of our admitted students rank in the top five percent of their class. The median SSAT total score is 94%. Of the admitted group, approximately 38% have been awarded financial aid scholarships. An impressive group indeed!</p>
<p>Academically and extracurricularly, our admitted students have excelled in their current schools and contributed greatly to their communities. They have achieved in the classroom, on the athletic fields, on stage, in the orchestra pit, in volunteer capacities and in many other ways. The admission committee had a difficult task in selecting a small number of students to admit from a very talented pool of candidates. We are confident we have chosen an entering class of students who will not only contribute to the Phillips Academy community, but also benefit most from an Andover education.</p>
<p>The admitted group brings with it a diversity of experiences, interests and talents. Seventeen percent of the admitted students indicated an interest in math and/or computers, while 29 students noted they have a strong passion for science. Nine percent of the admitted group wrote that they love to learn languages. With nine different world languages to choose from at Andover, these students will have a tough choice to make. (Students may fulfill their language diploma requirement in French, Spanish, German, Russian, Latin, Greek, Chinese or Japanese; the world language division also offers two years of introductory Arabic.) Thirty-seven students are particularly interested in creative writing. The English department and literary magazine advisors look forward to working with these budding novelists and poets! Lastly, the staff of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology is excited to get to know the students who listed history and archaeology as their main academic interests.</p>
<p>The arts and athletics are also well-represented in the newly admitted class. According to our coaches, 163 of the admitted students have varsity potential in athletics. In addition, we have accepted 268 singers and instrumentalists. Twenty-two of them have been identified as being among the top young musicians from around the world, according to our music department, which reviewed more than 440 CDs. More than 112 actors and actresses and 55 dancers are among the admitted group—surely they will contribute much to Andover’s 35 theatre and dance productions per year. Finally, 94 of the admitted students list visual art among their top interests. We know that they will take advantage of Andover’s extensive art program and the rich resources at the Addison Gallery of American Art.</p>
<p>Given that PA’s school motto is non sibi, it is no surprise that the most popular extracurricular activity among applicants is volunteer work or community service, which was indicated by 55% of the admitted students. The entering class will bring leadership skills as well. Thirty students served as class or student council presidents, while 110 served as school leaders in other ways. Since active citizenship and knowledge of global issues are such an integral part of the Andover experience, membership in groups such as Model United Nations and participation in foreign exchange or language immersion programs continue to be popular with our applicant pool. Similarly, many more of our applicants have indicated a strong interest in environmental issues than in previous years. We already have a very active Eco-Action Club here at Andover and we look forward to expanding its membership with these enthusiastic students.</p>
<p>This is just a snapshot of the newly admitted class. Read on for some profiles of your potential classmates and fun facts!</p>
<p>Presenting the 235th Admitted Class</p>
<p>This year, we received 3,130 completed applications, the largest applicant pool in Academy history.</p>
<p>At Andover, approximately 75% of the applicant pool is academically admissible. Your stories and personal qualities made you stand out in this extraordinary pool. The profile of the students admitted in 2012 is the strongest in recent history. Overall, 442 students, or 14% of this very talented applicant group, have been admitted. This is tied with the lowest admission rate in the history of the school. Please note that we calculate our admit rate based on the number of completed applications (other schools may use the number of preliminary applications to determine their admit rate). Academically, most of our admitted students rank in the top five percent of their class. The median SSAT total score is 94%. Of the admitted group, 155 students have been awarded $5,478,680 in financial aid scholarships. An impressive group indeed!</p>
<p>Academically and extracurricularly, our admitted students have excelled in their current schools and contributed greatly to their communities. They have achieved in the classroom, on the athletic fields, on stage, in the orchestra pit, in volunteer capacities and in many other ways. The admission committee had a difficult task in selecting a small number of students to admit from a very talented pool of candidates. We are confident we have chosen an entering class of students who will not only contribute to the Phillips Academy community, but also benefit most from an Andover education.</p>
<p>Given that PA’s school motto is non sibi, it is no surprise that the most popular extracurricular activity among applicants is volunteer work or community service, which was indicated by 53% of the admitted students. The entering class will bring leadership skills as well. One hundred nineteen students served as class or student council presidents, or school leaders in other ways. Since active citizenship and knowledge of global issues are such an integral part of the Andover experience, membership in groups such as Model United Nations and participation in foreign exchange or language immersion programs continue to be popular with our applicant pool. Similarly, many more of our applicants have indicated a strong interest in environmental issues than in previous years. We already have a very active Eco-Action Club here at Andover and we look forward to expanding its membership with these enthusiastic students.</p>
<p>In addition to service and leadership, the admitted group brings with it a diversity of experiences, interests and talents. Fifteen percent of the admitted students indicated an interest in math and/or computers, while 42 students noted they have a strong passion for science. Four percent of the admitted group wrote that they love to learn languages. With nine different world languages to choose from at Andover, these students will have a tough choice to make. (Students may fulfill their language diploma requirement in French, Spanish, German, Russian, Latin, Greek, Chinese or Japanese; the world language division also offers two years of introductory Arabic.) Thirty-nine students are particularly interested in creative writing. The English department and literary magazine advisors look forward to working with these budding novelists and poets! Lastly, the staff of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology is excited to get to know the students who listed history and archaeology as their main academic interests.</p>
<p>The arts and athletics are also well-represented in the newly admitted class. According to our coaches, 177 of the admitted students have varsity potential in athletics. In addition, we have accepted 287 singers and instrumentalists. Thirty of them have been identified as being among the top young musicians from around the world, according to our music department, which reviewed more than 430 CDs and multimedia links. More than 100 actors and actresses and 44 dancers are among the admitted group—surely they will contribute much to Andover’s 35 theatre and dance productions per year. Finally, 78 of the admitted students list visual art among their top interests. We know that they will take advantage of Andover’s extensive art program and the rich resources at the Addison Gallery of American Art.</p>
<p>This is just a snapshot of the newly admitted class. Read on for fun facts!</p>
<p>Presenting the 236th Admitted Class</p>
<p>This year, we received 3,029 completed applications. </p>
<p>At Andover, approximately 75% of the applicant pool is academically admissible. Your stories and personal qualities made you stand out in this extraordinary pool. The profile of the students admitted in 2013 is the strongest in recent history. Overall, 402 students, or 13% of this very talented applicant group, have been admitted. This is the lowest admission rate in the history of the school. Please note that we calculate our admit rate based on the number of completed applications (other schools may use the number of preliminary applications to determine their admit rate). Academically, most of our admitted students rank in the top five percent of their class. The median SSAT total score is 92%. Of the admitted group, 148 students have been awarded $5,515,330 in financial aid scholarships. An impressive group indeed!</p>
<p>Academically and extracurricularly, our admitted students have excelled in their current schools and contributed greatly to their communities. They have achieved in the classroom, on the athletic fields, on stage, in the orchestra pit, in volunteer capacities and in many other ways. The admission committee had a difficult task in selecting a small number of students to admit from a very talented pool of candidates. We are confident we have chosen an entering class of students who will not only contribute to the Phillips Academy community, but also benefit most from an Andover education.</p>
<p>Given that PA’s school motto is non sibi, it is no surprise that the most popular extracurricular activity among applicants is volunteer work or community service, which was indicated by 52% of the admitted students. The entering class will bring leadership skills as well. Seventy-six students served as class or student council presidents, or school leaders in other ways. Since active citizenship and knowledge of global issues are such an integral part of the Andover experience, membership in groups such as Model United Nations and participation in foreign exchange or language immersion programs continue to be popular with our applicant pool. Similarly, many more of our applicants have indicated a strong interest in environmental issues than in previous years. We already have a very active Eco-Action Club here at Andover and we look forward to expanding its membership with these enthusiastic students.</p>
<p>In addition to service and leadership, the admitted group brings with it a diversity of experiences, interests and talents. Seventeen percent of the admitted students indicated an interest in math and/or computers, while 36 students noted they have a strong passion for science. Four percent of the admitted group wrote that they love to learn languages. With eight different world languages to choose from at Andover, these students will have a tough choice to make. (Students may fulfill their language diploma requirement in French, Spanish, German, Russian, Latin, Greek, Chinese or Japanese.) Twenty-six students are particularly interested in creative writing. The English department and literary magazine advisors look forward to working with these budding novelists and poets! Lastly, the staff of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology is excited to get to know the students who listed history and archaeology as their main academic interests.</p>
<p>The arts and athletics are also well-represented in the newly admitted class. According to our coaches, 107 of the admitted students have varsity potential in athletics. In addition, we have accepted 249 singers and instrumentalists. Twenty-one of them have been identified as being among the top young musicians from around the world, according to our music department, which reviewed more than 310 multimedia links. More than 70 actors and actresses and 41 dancers are among the admitted group—surely they will contribute much to Andover’s 35 theatre and dance productions per year. Finally, 60 of the admitted students list visual art among their top interests. We know that they will take advantage of Andover’s extensive art program and the rich resources at the Addison Gallery of American Art.</p>
<p>This is just a snapshot of the newly admitted class. Read on for fun facts!</p>
<p>This year, Andover did not publish % nor # of FA among the admitted.</p>
<p>==</p>
<p>Presenting the 237th Admitted Class</p>
<p>This year, we received 3,049 completed applications, a slight increase from last year.</p>
<p>At Andover, approximately 75% of the applicant pool is academically admissible. Your stories and personal qualities made you stand out in this extraordinary pool. The profile of the students admitted in 2014 is the strongest in recent history. Overall, 427 students, or 14% of this very talented applicant group, have been admitted. Please note that we calculate our admit rate based on the number of completed applications (other schools may use the number of preliminary applications to determine their admit rate). Academically, most of our admitted students rank in the top five percent of their class. The median SSAT total score is 93%. In our seventh year of need-blind admission, newly admitted students have been awarded $5,685,000 in financial aid scholarships. An impressive group indeed!</p>
<p>Academically and extracurricularly, our admitted students have excelled in their current schools and contributed greatly to their communities. They have achieved in the classroom, on the athletic fields, on stage, in the orchestra pit, in volunteer capacities and in many other ways. The admission committee had a difficult task in selecting a small number of students to admit from a very talented pool of candidates. We are confident we have chosen an entering class of students who will not only contribute to the Phillips Academy community, but also benefit most from an Andover education.</p>
<p>Given that PA’s school motto is non sibi, it is no surprise that the most popular extracurricular activity among applicants is volunteer work or community service, which was indicated by 53% of the admitted students. The entering class will bring leadership skills as well. Ninety-five students served as class or student council presidents, or school leaders in other ways. Since active citizenship and knowledge of global issues are such an integral part of the Andover experience, membership in groups such as Model United Nations and participation in foreign exchange or language immersion programs continue to be popular with our applicant pool. Similarly, many more of our applicants have indicated a strong interest in environmental issues than in previous years. We already have a very active Eco-Action Club here at Andover and we look forward to expanding its membership with these enthusiastic students.</p>
<p>In addition to service and leadership, the admitted group brings with it a diversity of experiences, interests and talents. Twenty percent of the admitted students indicated an interest in math and/or computer science, while 44 students noted they have a strong passion for science. Four percent of the admitted group wrote that they love to learn languages. With eight different world languages to choose from at Andover, these students will have a tough choice to make. (Students may fulfill their language diploma requirement in French, Spanish, German, Russian, Latin, Greek, Chinese or Japanese.) Thirty-one students are particularly interested in creative writing. The English department and literary magazine advisors look forward to working with these budding novelists and poets! Lastly, the staff of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology is excited to get to know the students who listed history and archaeology as their main academic interests.</p>
<p>The arts and athletics are also well-represented in the newly admitted class. According to our coaches, 138 of the admitted students have varsity potential in athletics. In addition, we have accepted 270 singers and instrumentalists. Forty-one of them have been identified as being among the top young musicians from around the world, according to our music department, which reviewed more than 440 multimedia links. Nearly 90 actors and actresses and 40 dancers are among the admitted group—surely they will contribute much to Andover’s 35 theatre and dance productions per year. Finally, 78 of the admitted students list visual art among their top interests. We know that they will take advantage of Andover’s extensive art program and the rich resources at the Addison Gallery of American Art.</p>
<p>This is just a snapshot of the newly admitted class. Read on for fun facts!</p>