Phillips Academy, Andover

SILVER PROGRAM

Phillips Academy, Andover

School Location

Andover, Massachusetts

Establishment Year

1778

Platform

Gateway

Website

Link

Acceptance Rate

13%

Deadline

Feb 1

Overview

Writing Requirements

Candidate Profile (Common)

Academic, Athletic and Personal Achievements (1,500 characters)
- Please note your interests and activities in areas such as music, drama, art, community service, debate, writing, athletics, employment, or hobbies. We understand that some candidates have more opportunities for organized activities than others, but we are interested in how you spend your time outside of the classroom. Please only submit information from the past two years. Please use the “Add More” button below the first two listings if you would like to enter additional activities. If you still need more space, please use the “Additional Information” section.
- Academic, Athletic and Personal Achievements-List or briefly describe any academic or personal achievements of which you are especially proud. Use this area to note any academic honors you have received. (1,500 characters)
Additional Information/Explanation (6,000 characters)
- If you would like to provide any additional information that was not specifically requested or did not fit in the spaces provided, you may use the space below or upload a PDF (files must be under 1MB). Please only submit relevant information from the past two years. Do not upload grades, official test scores or transcripts in this section. If you have a document in a format other than PDF, you can download an official add-in for the latest versions of Microsoft Word that can convert Word documents to PDF. View the Gateway Knowledge Base article at https://www.gatewaytoprepschools.com/articles/6-creating-and-reducing-size-of-pdf-files for more information on creating PDFs. Please do not add pictures or scan printed documents. Doing so will potentially cause your file to be too large to upload.
Multimedia Description 1&2 (1,500 characters)
- Please check with the school to see if they have other ways of accepting multimedia.
- Students who have a very strong interest in a particular area are invited to submit up to two links to multimedia content. Examples of multimedia content that students have provided in the past include YouTube videos, music files, and art portfolios. Be sure to provide a description of the content in the space provided. Many schools no longer accept CDs, DVDs, videotapes or portfolios. Links are the simplest and most commonly accepted way to send multimedia to schools. NOTE: If you have more than two links you may add them to the “Additional Information” section above along with a description. Please limit additional link submissions in the “Additional Information” section to no more than three multimedia links. If your multimedia will not be available until later, do not delay in submitting your Candidate Profile now. Each school participating in the Gateway system has alternative means of accepting multimedia later in the application process. Consult each school for directions.

Essay Response

Tell us your story. – For Applicants to grades 9,10,11 Only (4,500 characters) (*)

Parent/Guardian Responses

Has your child either skipped or repeated a year of school? Which grade and why? (1,200 characters) (*)
To take full advantage of the Phillips Academy experience and contribute to the school’s sense of community, boarding and day students spend significant time on campus beyond the academic day—including weekends—for such activities as tryouts, performances, competitions, and special events. Do you know of any reason why your child would be challenged to do so? (1,200 characters) (*)
Andover will challenge your child in our rigorous academic program. What gives you pause as to their readiness for Andover? What support(s) might they need to be successful here? (1,200 characters) (*)
We believe it is important for young people to develop the critical skills of self-advocacy and independence in our intentionally diverse community. How do you envision partnering supportively with the Andover adults in your child’s life to foster these shared values and essential skills? (1,200 characters) (*)

Graded Writing Sample

Your graded writing sample should be an assignment, written in English, from this academic year (preferably from English class). View the Gateway Knowledge Base article at Link for more information on creating PDFs.

Briefly describe the assignment (500 characters) (*)

Recommendation

Current Principal/Counselor Recommendation (*)
Current English Teacher Recommendation (*)
Current Mathematics Teacher Recommendation (*)
Personal Recommendation (*)
Special Interest Recommendation

Short Video Response

Andover Application Portal (*)

Optional Materials

Optional Supplemental Information

If you have additional extracurricular interests, activities, or awards that are not already listed on the Candidate Profile, please provide a brief description below.(4,500 characters)
Multimedia Submissions- Description – If you feel that music, theatre, dance, or the visual arts is a particular strength and you did not previously submit a multimedia link in Part 1 of your application, please provide a multimedia link to content that is no longer than five minutes. Musicians who are proficient in more than one instrument should create one link highlighting all areas of interest. Visual artists may submit a portfolio of six to 12 examples that are no more than two years old and that show the depth and breadth of their best work and include descriptions of the pieces selected. (1,500 characters)

Optional Additional Documents

If you find it necessary to share with us any additional documents, please upload such items in this section of your application to Andover. Each document (up to 2) must be a PDF file less than 1MB. Please note that most applicants will not submit any additional documents. However, we understand candidates occasionally have additional information to share. In this era of sustainability, the admission committee reads all applications electronically, and therefore, we are not able to accept additional paper documents. This is the mechanism to add any necessary documents to your application, as we are also unable to accept e-mail attachments.

File Description(200 characters) (*)

Standardized Testing & English Testing

Standardized testing

Students must submit one of the following: SSAT (Upper Level), ISEE(Upper Level), PSAT, SAT, or ACT.

English testing

Students who attend a school outside the United States that is not an English-medium school are asked to take the TOEFL iBT, the IELTS, or the Duolingo English Test.
As a guideline, most international students who are admitted to Andover score at or above: 100 on the TOEFL iBT, 7.5 on the IELTS, or 135 on the Duolingo English Test.

Interview

How to Request an Admission Interview

Complete Gateway Part 1 Candidate Profile, School Portal

School Instructions:

You will then receive an email 24 hours after your submission with your Andover application portal login credentials.

About Phillips Academy, Andover

About Phillips Academy, Andover

Phillips Academy (Andover) is an independent, coeducational boarding and day school for students in grades 9–12, located in Andover, Massachusetts.
Founded in 1778, it is one of the oldest secondary schools in the United States and has a long-standing tradition of academic excellence.
The school’s mission emphasizes educating “youth from every quarter” and preparing students for both knowledge and goodness.
Andover is committed to building an intentionally diverse and inclusive community where students learn from people of different backgrounds and perspectives.
The academic philosophy is rooted in a liberal education that values breadth of learning, critical thinking, and intellectual exploration over early specialization.
The school promotes the development of responsibility, freedom, and civic engagement as core parts of student learning and growth.
Faculty are highly involved in student life, serving as teachers, advisors, coaches, and residential mentors, many of whom live on campus.

School Is Known For

A rigorous liberal arts curriculum designed to develop analytical thinking, creativity, and intellectual independence.
Small class sizes and highly interactive, discussion-based learning environments.
A strong culture of academic excellence combined with intellectual curiosity and willingness to take academic risks.
Extensive course offerings across humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, and world languages (300+ courses and 150+ electives).
A highly diverse student body representing dozens of countries and U.S. states, creating a global learning environment.
A strong residential life system with close student-faculty relationships and continuous support outside the classroom.
Signature campus resources including the Addison Gallery of American Art, the Oliver Wendell Holmes Library, and advanced science facilities.
Emphasis on leadership, service, and civic responsibility through programs that connect learning to real-world impact.
A need-blind admission policy with significant financial aid support to ensure access for qualified students.

Culture

The school’s core value is “Non Sibi” (not for self), emphasizing service, responsibility, and contributing to the common good.
Andover promotes the idea of “Youth from Every Quarter,” focusing on diversity across race, nationality, background, and identity.
The community is designed to be inclusive, supportive, and collaborative, where students are encouraged to be authentic and open-minded. Intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and respectful debate are central to daily academic and community life.
Students are encouraged to balance academic achievement with wellness, extracurricular engagement, and personal growth.
Equity, inclusion, and belonging are integrated into both academic and residential life across campus. Faculty and staff emphasize strong mentorship relationships, supporting students academically, socially, and emotionally.
The culture values “knowledge and goodness,” combining intellectual development with ethical responsibility.

SILVER PROGRAM