Andover Academy: Tuition, Financial Aid, and Accessibility

Phillips Academy, also known as Andover, stands as the oldest incorporated academy in the United States, tracing its origins back to 1778. This private, co-educational, boarding-and-day, college-preparatory school is located in Andover, Massachusetts, near Boston. With a rich history and a commitment to academic excellence, Andover enrolls approximately 1,150 students in grades 9 through 12, including postgraduate students. This includes a diverse range of students who participate in extracurricular activities such as ActiveMinds, AndoverActivism, AdoptaPlatoon, Afro-Latino-American Society (Af-Lat-Am) and Mentoring (DREAM), Andover Ambassadors, Andover Japanese Connection, App Development, ARC Buddies, Archaeology and History Club, Babel Foreign Language Magazine, Backtracks Magazine, Baking Club, Bancroft Elementary Teachers Aides, Big Idea Club, Birding Club, Blue Key Society, Boss Magazine, Bread & Roses community kitchen volunteers, Bread Loaf Pen Pel Program, Bread Loaf Writing Workshop, Calliope (female a capella), Campuses against Cancer, Catholic Student Fellowship, Chess Club, Chinese Language & Culture Club, Clutch Collaborative, Community Awareness For Everyone (CAFE), Courant Art & Literary Magazine, Culinary Appreciation Club, Culture Politics & Religion (CPR), Cyber Security and Forensics Club, Dear Sam Wellness Club, Deerfield Dance Club, Deerfield Scroll -- Student Newspaper, Disability Rights, Diversity Task Force, Documentary Society, Drug Alcohol Awareness Committee, EAT Club, Eco-Action, Education, Environmental Action Group, Fashion Design Club, Figure Skating Club, Film Makers Society, Frontline Political Magazine, Games Club, Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA), German Club, Girls Global Health, GirlUp Andover!, Global Health Initiative, Global Nomads, Grill Club, Hindu Student Union, International Review online publication, Japanese Animeshon Club, Modern Engineering Forum, Motorsports Club, Moviemakers Club, Muslim Student Union, Non sibi Society, Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (Friends of the Orphans), Out of the Blue, Over the Hills and Farther Away, OXFAM, PA Democrats, PA Liberal Action, PA Republican Society, Philomathean, Philosophy, Pot Pourri Yearbook, and Project V.O.I.C.E.

A Legacy of Inclusivity: Need-Blind Admission

Phillips Academy distinguishes itself through its commitment to need-blind admission. This initiative ensures that the school admits students based on their achievement, talent, character, and promise, irrespective of their families' financial circumstances. Andover meets 100% of each admitted student's demonstrated financial need with grants, essentially scholarships, rather than loans. This commitment to accessibility is a defining feature of Phillips Academy.

The American Revolutionary War had caused significant upheaval to education in New England, and Phillips Academy filled part of that gap. The founders of Phillips Academy were strongly associated with the Patriot cause. Several prominent Revolutionary figures maintained links with the academy, including George Washington, John Hancock, and Paul Revere

Understanding the Cost of Attendance

As of recent data, the tuition fee for Phillips Academy is $66,290 per year for boarding students, and $51,380 for day students. While this figure represents a significant investment, the academy's financial aid program aims to make Andover accessible to a wide range of students.

Navigating the Financial Aid Process

Families apply for financial aid at the same time students submit applications for admission. Andover uses the Clarity Tuition application to securely collect your financial aid application and supporting tax documents. This alerts us to your interest and allows us to send you financial aid tips and reminders. For us to budget properly, Andover requires all families considering current or future financial assistance apply in their initial application year. There is no disadvantage to applying for financial aid at Andover. Our admission officers do not have access to your financial information and your financial aid status is not considered in the admission process.To adhere to best practices and allow us to offer a comprehensive review of all submissions for financial aid, Andover requires applicants to submit financial information from all living parents. Divorced or separated families should each complete a separate financial aid application. No information will be shared between parties. Single parents need to provide proof of single-parent status. Your financial aid application will not be considered complete until all parts have been submitted.Like the admission application deadline, the financial aid application deadline is February 1. Andover will communicate decisions about financial aid awards on March 10.To get started, please go to the Financial Aid Application and create an account. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. It is mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return to it at any time.

Read also: Financial Aid at Phillips Academy

Key Steps in Applying for Financial Aid:

Complete the Clarity Tuition Application: Andover uses the Clarity Tuition application to securely collect your financial aid application and supporting tax documents. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. It is mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere, and you are able to save your progress and return to it at any time.
Submit Supporting Documents: Applicants must submit financial information from all living parents. Divorced or separated families should each complete a separate financial aid application. Single parents need to provide proof of single-parent status.
Meet the Deadline: The financial aid application deadline is February 1, coinciding with the admission application deadline.
Receive Notification: Andover communicates decisions about financial aid awards on March 10.

Beyond Tuition: Additional Costs

In addition to tuition, applicants should be aware of other potential expenses, such as:

Application Fee: An application fee of $60 ($125 for international students) is required with the Preliminary Application (Form 1).
Standardized Test Fees: Students applying must submit standardized test scores, and registration for these tests is handled through the respective testing agencies. Note that late registration charges are not covered by the fee waiver.
Course or Lab Fees: Some courses may carry an additional fee for special materials, lab supplies, or academic field trips.

A Glimpse into Andover's History

Phillips Academy's history is intertwined with the development of education in the United States. Founded in 1778, the academy played a crucial role in filling the educational gap created by the American Revolutionary War. The founders were strongly associated with the Patriot cause, and figures like George Washington, John Hancock, and Paul Revere maintained connections with the school.

In 1828, all-boys Phillips Academy was joined by a sister school, Abbot Academy. The Andover-Exeter rivalry developed after Samuel Phillips' uncle John Phillips founded Phillips Exeter Academy in 1781. During the late 1800s, some New England families were drawn to Andover's reputation for theological conservatism. After a period of decline, Cecil Bancroft, Alfred Stearns, and Claude Fuess led Andover through a long era of expansion that transformed Andover into one of the largest and richest prep schools in the United States.

Campus Life and Resources

Andover offers a vibrant campus life with a wide array of resources and facilities.

Academic Buildings: George Washington Hall hosts the school's administrative offices and the Drama and Art Departments. Bulfinch Hall hosts the English Department. Pearson Hall hosts the Classics Department. Morse Hall hosts the Math Department, the student radio station, some student publications, and the Community and Multicultural Development department. Gelb Science Center hosts the Science Department and an observatory. Oliver Wendell Holmes Library (OWHL) houses over 80,000 books and contains classroom space. Cochran Chapel hosts religious services and the philosophy, religious studies, and community service departments.
Residential Life: The academy's dormitories vary in size and are organized into five "clusters" of roughly 220 students and 40 faculty affiliates each.
Museums and Collections: The Addison Gallery of American Art's permanent collection includes Winslow Homer's Eight Bells, along with work by other prominent artists. The Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archaeology houses a collection of materials from various regions, dating back thousands of years.
Student Publications: Andover's weekly student newspaper, The Phillipian, has been publishing since 1857, making it the nation's first secondary school newspaper to be founded.

Diversity and Inclusion

Andover enrolls a student body that is more racially diverse than Massachusetts. For the 2021â2022 school year, Andover reported that 36.5% of its students were white, 33.0% were Asian, 10.2% were black, 10.5% were Hispanic, 0.5% were Native American/Alaska Native, and 9.3% were multiracial. Andover enrolls a large international student population, representing approximately 15% of the student body.

Notable Alumni

Phillips Academy boasts a distinguished list of alumni who have made significant contributions in various fields. These include American presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, a Supreme Court justice (William Henry Moody), six Medal of Honor recipients, five Nobel laureates, as well as winners of Tony, Grammy, Emmy and Academy Awards.

Read also: Insights on Andover

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