<p>Are wishful thinkers true thinkers? 
</p>
<p>Stop. Youāre embarrassing yourself at this point.</p>
<p>I think clusters is a good idea to make a large school look smaller. Do the clusters have sit-down meals?</p>
<p>Iām bored. The clusters have munches (not so much a sit-down meal as much as a snack and time to chat) once a week, as well as formal meetings once or twice per term. A studentās advisor is part of the cluster, though one thing that surprised me was how infrequently boarders remained in the same cluster for their entire time at Andover (since clusters are done by where oneās dorm is for boarders). The deans do an excellent job of getting to know and recognize students in their clusters very quickly, but I suspect the bonds would be stronger with those students who were in the same cluster all 4 years. Overall, I felt the cluster system did its job (things like discipline are handled at the cluster level too, incidentally), but I doubt thereās any system of breaking down students into smaller groups thatās perfect.</p>
<p>Of course, I can understand the appeal of wanting to move to a ānicerā part of campusā¦</p>
<p>I loved West Quad North, and Cluster Munches were absolutely the highlights of my Wednesdays. The food wasnāt always exceptional, but every now and then weād get these amazing roast beef sandwiches ordered in from this restaurant downtown and proceed to guzzle them down with barbecue sauceā¦ I can tell Iām not doing a great job of glamorizing the cluster munches, but they were a lot of fun. Food aside, it was always just really nice to know that some of my best friends were going to be there in the Johnson common room waiting for me. It was always helpful to take an hour out of a difficult work night and hang out with friends, eat a fourth meal, chat, and play games. Thinking back to cluster munches now, I really miss themā¦</p>
<p>West Quad North always had great cluster events, too - the Quad Olympics, Quad Day, the West Quad North Fashion Showā¦ There was plenty of unity, and in that way the West Quad North community absolutely felt like a smaller residential school within a larger one. People did switch clusters every now and then - like Uroogla hinted at, often with the aim of getting into a ānicerā dorm closer to Commons - but most people will live in no more than two clusters during their time at PA.</p>
<p>Hey guys Iām actually in eighth grade, do you think I would like Andover? I love school, get good grades, allay sports, ride horses, dance ballet, and think I would like it thereā¦ How are the dorms? I have never been away from home from that long and I wonder what the life is like thereā¦ Also whatās the difference between Phillips Andover and Phillips Exeter? Are they related?</p>
<p>alafair,</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Yes, Andover and Exeter are related. Different members of the same family founded each school. Samuel Phillips founded Andover in 1778; his Uncle, John Phillips, founded Exeter in 1781, Hence, Andover is known as Phillips Academy Ā¶, and Exeter is called Phillips Exeter Academy (PEA). </p></li>
<li><p>Andover and Exeter are also related in the public imagination. In a recent episode of the Simpsons, a salesman at a fund raiser tries to sell Homer a t-shirt for the local school his children attend. When Homer refuses to buy that t-shirt because he does not want to be associated with that local school, the vendor says that his two best-selling t-shirts are āPhillips Springfield Andoverā and āPhillips Springfield Exeter.ā</p></li>
<li><p>Yes, I do think you will like Andover. The students at Andover definitely do. And they were once potential applicants like you who loved school, got good grades, played sports, etc.</p></li>
<li><p>Yes, the dorms at Andover are nice. Not five-star hotel or Ritz-Carlton nice. But nice nonetheless. </p></li>
<li><p>No, donāt be overly concerned about living away from home. You will make lots of new friends at whatever prep school you attend, and there will be plenty of adults to take good care of you should the need ever arise.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>As for Andover and Exeter, the important question is not which is the better school. It is which is the better school for you. Thatās a question of fit, and only you can answer that question for yourself. My advice is to do your research. If you like what you find, apply to both schools. But donāt put all your eggs in the Andover-Exeter basket. It is very difficult to get into either school, let alone both.</p>
<p>Some differences between Andover and Exeter are:</p>
<p>A. Andover divides its dorms into five clusters; at Exeter, students typically remain in the same dorm until they graduate.</p>
<p>B. Andover has a 1-6 grading system; Exeter has a 1-11 grading system. </p>
<p>C. Andover offers need blind financial aid that admits applicants regardless of their financial background; Exeter does not. However, Exeter does offer generous financial aid.</p>
<p>C. Andover has one central dining hall; Exeter has two dining halls.</p>
<p>D. Andover has fewer Saturday classes than Exeter. </p>
<p>E. Exeter has a dress code; Andover does not.</p>
<p>F. Last year, Andover had a lower admit rate, a higher yield, and (I believe) better college matriculation statistics than Exeter. Nevertheless, Exeter is extremely difficult to get into, very popular, and does exceptionally well in placing students into top colleges.</p>
<p>G. Exeter prides itself on the Harkness Method (student centered discussions), which it typically uses in all classes, including Math and Science; Andover stresses critical thinking as well but does so through a wide range of teaching approaches that generally do not include the Harkness Method in Math or Science.</p>
<p>H. Some people think Exeter has a nicer campus than Andover; others prefer Andoverās campus. Both campuses are very nice. </p>
<p>J. Some people say that Andover is better in the humanities than Exeter and that Exeter is better in Math and Science than Andover. I donāt buy that theory. Both schools are generally excellent in all fields.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you blueisbest, after all the hooha, that had to be one of the better āPhillipsā post clarifications Iāve read.</p>
<p>I agree with ops. Kudos to blueisbest for trying to and largely successfully provide an unbiased and well informed comparision of both schools. One thing I want to add is that both schools will be mercilessly testing and training you to be stronger individuals (and not just academically). There are few other high schools that could be as tough as they are. Exeter has a reputation of being more intense than Andover, but Andover is by no means easy. So, know the deal before you jump in. Are you ambtious enough to take on the challenges? The challenges will be huge but the reward will be too. The ones who get most out of their experience will be benefiting for the rest of their lives. In that sense, I am biased in that I believe that if you are looking for a truely different high school experience, there is no better place than A & E. And trust me, colleges and many of your future employers know that.</p>
<p>Woohoo, now everything looks so hunky dory, but Iām not biting. You can get the same great education at Deerfield without the merciless testing. I donāt believe a great education is about merciless testing. Itās about inspiring teachers that create a great learning environment for students to excel and a student body willing to learn like the one you would find at Deerfield. I welcome all to come explore that there really is a great alternative to better education than merciless testing Merciless testing will only generate profits for the Educational Testing Service. DAndrew, Is that why they call these schools SINK or SWIM?</p>
<p>Donāt be silly, invent. The doors closed to you anyway. Good for you. A, E, DA and many other schools all have āinspiring teachersā, āgreat learning environmentā and student body willing to learn, but thatās not the point of that particular post.</p>
<p>So whatās the point of merciless testing?</p>
<p>Guys: STOP FIGHTING. This board is here to help newbies ( like me) and oldies. It is not a war-zone of which school is better. Deerfield has its plus sides, as does Andover also. I am trying for both, and they are so different that comparing is not necessary. </p>
<p>Andover: less strict, more students, great for FA
Deerfield: smaller classes, very high-class students, very particular.</p>
<p>Invent: This is a thread about Andover, NOT Deerfield. You should probably have read the original post anyway</p>
<p>To clarify for invent, I do not believe DAndrew was talking about physical testing, like standardized tests or quizzes. He was talking about the tests of boarding school life, like maintaining decent grades while also taking part in extracurriculars and enjoying a healthy social life, all in an environment that emphasizes self-motivation and independence. At Andover, no one is looking over your shoulder. You are responsible for yourself, your classes, and your social life. Thatās not to say that there are no supports or that the school is sink-or-swim - there is a safety net - but one that is definitely closer to the ground than at other schools.</p>
<p>You come out of the experience much stronger than you were when you went in. Itās a trial, but itās very, very valuable.</p>
<p>It all makes sense now! :D</p>
<p>Is Andover a rigorous school? You bet. Is it the high school equivalent of Navy Seal boot camp? No way. So, donĀt buy the argument that Andover is a sink or swim school. That may have been true in the 1980s. It is not the case now. </p>
<p>There is no one Ā not one single person at Andover Ā who wants you to sink. Instead, there is a network of accessible and caring people devoted to helping you, whether it is your personal advisor, your teachers, your house counselors, or your cluster dean. </p>
<p>Yes, you will work hard Ā sometimes extraordinarily hard Ā at Andover. But your hard work will be rewarded. And you will benefit from academic support that includes tutors, regularly scheduled teacher conference periods, and academic centers for writing, math, and science for those who need extra help.</p>
<p>You will also have fun at Andover. You wonĀt spend your entire weekend studying in a hermetically sealed dorm room. You will go to dances, attend games, travel to Boston, take the free bus to catch a movie at a local shopping center, play sports if you are an athlete, and much more.</p>
<p>Andover is not perfect. No school is. Be prepared for its academic demands. DonĀt obsess over them. Doing so is like ignoring the beauty of a rose because it has a thorn or two.</p>
<p>Hey, Im not trying to enter your guys little ābattlefieldā, but I finally convinced my mom to let me try for andoverā¦ soā¦ my momās biggest problem is that she has no clue of the area, and thinks it is not safeā¦ although I have showed her multiple things showing that it is a safe areaā¦ she still questions it. So, those at andover, can you share any āreasuringā ways of how Andover is very safe? I live in NJ, and my mom just hates the idea of me being in cold Massachusetts, so I really need help since Andover is my #1 school :)</p>
<p>Andover-Exeter Weekend -2011 Live [Watch</a> Andover-Exeter Game Live](<a href=āhttp://www.livestream.com/phillipsexeteracademy]Watchā>http://www.livestream.com/phillipsexeteracademy)</p>
<p>Hey, TomTheCat and blueisbest, Sorry to see Andover got beat bad by Exeter 39-6 today.</p>