What's So Special About Andover?

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>This may come off as offense to the avid Andover supporter, but I don't see anything particularly unique about the school. My parents are making me apply (like many, they have a skittish view of prestige-it took a lot of convincing on my part to get Exeter off my list!) So I've looked on the website, read a few old CC forums-but to tell you the truth, nothing sticks out right now. I know it's one of the tippy-top schools, and that it's very welcoming (with the virtual tour and all), but are there any unique opportunities it offers?</p>

<p>Did I miss anything? I know that if there are this many people raving about it on CC, then there has to be something special I'm not catching.</p>

<p>Thanks :)</p>

2

<p>I think i can speak for the majority of people associated with PA.</p>

<p>I know what you mean. Most schools do in fact do look the same when it comes to their general info: trimester system, sports requirements, arts and music facilities, advanced science labs, academic achievements, good matriculation, etc. Andover does provide some unique opportunities and houses many features that do attract many people.</p>

<p>Need blind admission: PA doesn’t take one’s financial status into account when applying, meaning FA won’t harm your chances of getting in. Note that the endowment is very large, and 40% of kids are on some form of aid.</p>

<p>Dorms: there are 5 different neighborhoods that students can live in, all with their unique features (large dorms in the forest, small houses close to downtown, large buildings at the center of campus, etc.). In many schools, students don’t move around dorms usually and stay in the dorm they are assigned upon admission. At PA, there are specific freshman dorms for the first year transition. Sophmore year, you are placed into another dorm on campus (can apply to dorms with groups of friends), and can change dorms every year. Each cluster (neighborhood) has its own events, apparel, and deans in order to break the large school into smaller communities.</p>

<p>Classes: kids can take classes ranging from introductory level spanish, to independent projects on gene manipulation. Each department also offers research scholarships for kids each year to experience and delve into the world outside the BS bubble and then present their findings to the school. Cources can even go deep into the college level.</p>

<p>Dress code: casual dress is nice</p>

<p>Location: in the center of Andover, MA, being only 20 minutes from boston and supportig a great downtown area.</p>

<p>Athletics: many programs are ranked top in the nation, having many all americans attend the school (men’s crew got 2nd at nationals two years ago, mens’s swim and dive is 15th in the nation for bith prep and public school standings, countless new england championship teams.)</p>

<p>This is just what i can think about right now. Pm me if you have any more questins!</p>

3

<p>Yeah, all the school sites do tend to fuse together into one indiscernible blob…:stuck_out_tongue: Thanks!</p>

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<p>Ratio, I’m curious. Which schools are on your list?</p>

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<p>swimdude covered a lot of the points I would say when talking about why Andover is special and unique. Here’s a few other things that make Andover special:</p>

<p>The Arts:
If you’re looking for strong academics and a strong artistic place, Andover is the place for you. Our music program is one of the best if not the best of any New England prep school. Our ensembles play and sing music often not done at the high school level. We offer a ridiculous amount of music courses that could prepare any serious musician for conservatory. On top of that, we are near to New England Consevatory, and lots of kids take private lessons at NEC Prep or participate in ensembles. There are plenty of performance opportunities. In short, Andover has pretty much the best high school music program anyone could ask for.</p>

<p>Opportunities:
There are so many opportunities through Andover. Andover offers a lot of summer research opportunities, and independent projects. You can literally study in depth something that seriously interests you that’s not typically offered (like Korean, or Counterpoint). This is an incredible opportunity. On top of that, Andover is willing to provide so many resources to students. For example, Andover has a program called the Abbott Grant. This program is where students and faculty pitch ideas of ways to make the school community better (bringing in a guest lecturer, founding a sports team, getting money for new pianos), and the school can offer grants to fund them. This is a super cool opportunity!</p>

<p>The biggest opportunity you have is that Andover is willing to pay completely for one summer program. I’m considering going to the Middle East this summer for research and travel, which is something that I wouldn’t be able to afford on my own, or without the support of Andover. </p>

<p>What makes Andover different from other prep schools is that it has the resources and academic depth of a small college. What makes it different from a small college is that it still “feels like” high school, and it’s much more liberal with giving students opportunities than a small college would.</p>

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<p>and some counter arguments:</p>

<p>athletics: 15th in the nation out of every single swim team in the nation (in the thousands). number one in new england and undefeated for the last 3 years in championship and duel meet season. Rank is determined by the best swims of each team compiled into one system, where it calculates who is number 1,2,3,etc. Each place is then given something called “power points”, where a certain time makes for a certain amount of points. These statistics are then compiled in order to create the rankings list. we house two olympic trial qualifiers, one of which competed at world championships this summer, numerous CURRENT all americans, and ever single person on the team made it to the A final, top 8 in new england, at each of the last 3 championships. The crew program didn’t choose to compete at worlds last year, and instead went to the canadian henley, where in which they won. They also had the first sweep at NERAs (new england rowing association championships) for each men’s boat last year.</p>

<p>need blind: Clearly stated its definition, and andover has more applicants, and more students, and more people on aid. Exeter has a larger endowment. Know your facts before you say anything bub.</p>

<p>college: they pursue independent studies and research while in college, do internships, get jobs, etc. They are able to enjoy college more. They are able to explore their interests and the dimensions of their brains while in a highschool setting, something that is rare at many highschools (I said RARE, not “not offered”). and students go to college for the same reasons everyone else does: to get a higher education. Are you blaming a school for offering high-level courses? At colleges, students can delve into even more advanced and pointed courses.</p>

<p>Music: School doesn’t list alum’s names and his/her colleges. Current students have made pretty significant accomplishments, including this girl:</p>

<p>[Phillips</a> Academy - Graydon](<a href=“http://www.andover.edu/PurposePassion/BeyondTheClassroom/Pages/Graydon.aspx]Phillips”>http://www.andover.edu/PurposePassion/BeyondTheClassroom/Pages/Graydon.aspx)</p>

<p>and kevin ollusula, member of pentatonix (2011 winner of the sing off), and famous for his “celloboxing”</p>

<p>paying for summer programs: These are scholarships that students apply for, and not all get them because not all are in need of money, and/or the reason for grant isn’t good enough. These opportunities are a priviledge, not a right. </p>

<p>small college: does this have ANYTHING to do with what our points are trying to say? I mean really, pick smarter quotes to butcher, cuz you really have no leverage here pal.</p>

<p>boston: I travel to boston quite often, and it does take 20 minutes to get to the north end. look up on google maps 180 main street, andover, MA, to Quincy market, south market street, boston, and it will show up, the quickest route with traffic, as 23.5 minutes on the I-93.</p>

7

<p>ahhh, no–swimdude–not completely true. Maybe for men (i don’t follow men’s swimming so wouldn’t know…) but Exeter women have won the NEPPSA for the past three years and would have won four years ago had Exeter had a diver on the team.</p>

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<p>did I not say men? real sorry!!</p>

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<p>Why Andover? Less intense than Exeter, but still full name brand.</p>

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<p>Not sure about name brand. Chances are your future employers don’t know the difference between Andover and an egg. The BS circle is a small world.</p>

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<p>The kind of future employers you would want to get employed by very well know the difference.</p>

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<p>It’s not like every worthy employer has to have attended a private school.</p>

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<p>Though your FIRST future employer may be swayed somewhat by the college you attended, no future employer is going to care about which high school you attended, and even which college you attended eventually becomes irrelevant.</p>

<p>The purpose of getting a good high school education is to prepare you to get a good college education. All of the boarding schools discussed on these forums will do that for you. ;)</p>

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<p>It’s always what you have accomplished at your last school/employer. So in a sense, what you do at high school affect your choice of college, which will affect your choice of the first employer, which will affect your choice of the second employer, and so on.</p>

<p>Regardless of college and employment choice, one should seriously consider what s/he could get out of Andover experience rather than focus on what it could get him/her with Andover diploma.</p>

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<p>no, no, no…it is the wrong question being asked and answered–one should go to PA or any of these schools as ends in of themselves. You will emerge a better person, a better thinker and a better writer. The “name” fades (and if you live close to the school isn’t of much help anyway-- it is proportional to miles from campus more or less). It is this skill set that will make you a better person and–if one wants to think in a utilitarian manner–a better employee (homo economus as Marcuse would put it in “One Dimensional Man”). That is why prep school is outdated–boarding school is better. It is not preparatory to university, although it does that, or preparatory to a career, although it does that. One can get excellent preparations at many local public secondary schools, and if that is all one wants, save your money, invest the $200,000 or so in the market-- you will get a better ROI.</p>

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<p>$30,000+ a year wouldn’t be worth it for us if the point of it was just to have a good few years. Even if the aim isn’t to get into the best college, I still see it as preparing you for life at college and beyond by stretching you as a person, whether it’s your writing, debating or confidence.
As for Andover, it’s well known, brilliant academically, good facilities, sports, campus etc Basically it’s just a top bs, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best, or right for you.</p>

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<p>GoldenRatio,</p>

<p>A prep school is both a good in itself and a means to important ends. So, it makes sense for applicants to calculate both factors, whether they are considering Andover or another prep school. The boarding school that exceeds the sum of its individual parts in this calculation will be the right one for you. </p>

<p>I won’t reiterate the excellent advice other Andover students have given you. I’ll just add two reasons why Andover is special for me. The first is Paresky Commons – the beautiful dining hall at Andover. The second is the Cochran Wildlife Sanctuary, a great place to jog through miles of rolling woodland trails.</p>

<p>For more information about Paresky Commons, see: [March</a> 10, 2009 Update](<a href=“http://www.andover.edu/mediagallery/PareskyCommonsRenovation/3-10-Update/Pages/Default.aspx]March”>http://www.andover.edu/mediagallery/PareskyCommonsRenovation/3-10-Update/Pages/Default.aspx), and [Welcome</a> to CampusDish at Phillips Academy!](<a href=“http://www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSNE/PhillipsAcademy/LocationsMenus/Paresky1stFloor.htm]Welcome”>http://www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSNE/PhillipsAcademy/LocationsMenus/Paresky1stFloor.htm).</p>

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<p>Just wanted to add on to what people were saying about the opportunities in the music. </p>

<p>[NEC</a> Youth Philharmonic Orchestra + Loebel | New England Conservatory](<a href=“The College | New England Conservatory”>The College | New England Conservatory)</p>

<p>Wow, this guy is really amazing (Sasha Scolnik-Brower). I’ve never seen anyone play like that before. And if you read the page on him I linked to you can see all the amazing things he is able to be apart of while at Andover. (I think he’s a senior now, but I may be wrong). </p>

<p>Quote from site:</p>

<p>Cellist Sasha Scolnik-Brower, a native of Andover, Mass., is presently a senior at Phillips Academy in Andover and a member of the NEC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. He was a first-place winner of the Boston Symphony (2011) and the Boston Youth Symphony (2011) concerto competitions. He currently studies with Natasha Brofsky at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School. Previous teachers include Andrew Mark, Thomas Kraines and Jan Muller-Szeraws.</p>

<p>Other awards include first prize in the Walden Chamber Players Competition (2010) and the young artists competition of A Far Cry chamber orchestra (2011).</p>

<p>As a soloist, Sasha has performed with orchestras including the Boston Symphony, Boston Youth Symphony, Wellesley Symphony, Reading Symphony, Nashua Chamber Orchestra, Longy School of Music Chamber Orchestra, and the Merrimack Valley Philharmonic.</p>

<p>I would give Andover an A++ for amazing opportunities for Music :)</p>

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<p>Thank you all for your replies! I feel that I definitely have a better sense of Andover now, and am incredibly grateful that I didn’t take the school at website-value.</p>

<p>@swimdude006, kudos go to you for not only posting two incredibly detailed answers, but also sending an equally detailed PM ;)</p>

<p>@J24601J, thanks for the elaboration on the Arts-I’ve been doing orchestra for many years now, so yay! Abbott Grant sounds so cool, and it really makes me realize how welcoming and open Andover is. The opportunity to go to the Middle East is also terrific! I hope that you’ll enjoy it there (if you decide to go.)</p>

<p>@ChoatieMom, I love your logic! Thanks for the reassurance :)</p>

<p>@blueisbest, I loved the articles-especially the one about the dining hall! And the food, of course! Yum! … I’m a foodie at heart :smiley: Paresky Commons looks so grand, too!</p>

<p>@DistantDreamer, thanks for that in-depth article about the Orchestra at Andover. I’ve been doing Orchestra for so long, and have recently joined a select ensemble. It’s terrific to know that I can go even further into music at Andover, if I wish to do so!</p>