How safe is the school, really?
Based on the school’s own pages, Campus Safety officers patrol around the clock (978-749-4444), the Rebecca M. Sykes Wellness Center is open 24 hours a day, and every student has a core adult team — a house counselor, an advisor and a cluster dean for boarding students, an advisor and a cluster dean for day students. We found no independent safety or incident data, so this is the school’s account of itself. The school also publishes letters about past misconduct by former staff; a recent one reports that two alumni have come forward about a former medical director who served until 2011.
The school describes about 600 adults living and working on campus, with house counselors in the dorms, advisors who meet students weekly, and 30-minute conference periods with teachers. Its conduct system was revised in fall 2022 to use restorative practices, and it limits suspensions and dismissals to rare cases.
The letter, from the Head of School and the president of the Board of Trustees, says the former medical director (1992–2011) pleaded guilty in 2013 to child-pornography offences, and that two alumni have since said he abused them while they were students. The school says it is investigating, working with a survivor-led nonprofit, and strengthening policies and training, and it lists an anonymous third-party reporting line and outside investigators alongside the Dean of Students. Its Commitment page lists letters to the community from 2015 to 2026, among them an April 2017 statement on past abuse at Andover.
What's the true total cost, including fees — and how has it moved over the last few years?
For 2026–27, tuition is $79,800 for boarding students and $63,840 for day students, and the only other charge the school lists is the application fee: $60, or $125 for international applicants. We have only this year’s schedule, so we cannot show how the cost has moved.
The page does not mention books, health, technology, travel or deposits, or a payment plan, so those costs are not on record here. It prices testing separately: registration for the SSAT or ISEE is handled by the testing agencies, and late registration charges are described as substantial and are not covered by the fee waiver. Families apply for financial aid at the same time as they submit the admission application.
Are scholarships or financial aid available, and what share of students receive them?
Yes: 47% of students receive financial aid. Andover admits students regardless of financial need and says it meets 100% of each student’s demonstrated need, with grants rather than loans.
| Figure | Stated | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Students receiving aid | 47% | Tuition & financial aid |
| Average annual grant, returning students | $45,000 | Tuition & financial aid |
| Average annual grant, returning students | $49,300 | About Andover |
| Total financial aid | $29.9M | About Andover |
The two pages give different average grants, and we cannot tell which is current, so we show both. The tuition page lists no income thresholds or calculator.
What's the real class size and student-teacher ratio?
Based on the school’s About page, the average class has 13 students, but the student-to-faculty ratio is given as 5:1, 6:1 or 7:1 depending on the source. The federal survey’s 6:1 sits between the school’s own two figures.
| Source | Ratio | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| School, Learning page | 5:1 | “more than 200 classroom teachers” |
| Federal survey, 2021–22 | 6:1 | 1,187 students, 196 teachers |
| School, About page | 7:1 | 244 teaching faculty |
A ratio divides all students by all teachers. The 13-student average is the figure closest to a classroom, and it comes from the About page alone.
How strong is this school in AI, data science and computer science compared with other schools?
On the scale we use for every school, both AI & data science and computer science grade at Level 4 of 5 (4.0/5, Excellent), the highest of the ten fields we graded. We have no ranking against other schools; the grade rests on AP Computer Science, Data Structures and Algorithms in C, Machine Learning, Data Visualization, AP Statistics and Project-Based Statistics, and on Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholars in 2024 and 2025 whose projects included an AI-enhanced protocol, circuit synthesis and a Monte Carlo redistricting study.
Two limits keep it below the top level. No course is titled AI, and Machine Learning is listed without a description; only one computer-science course carries a published description on the department page. The 2026–27 AI resident scholar at the Tang Institute supports faculty rather than a student course.
Do students get access to advanced coursework, specialist electives and serious competitions?
Advanced coursework: yes. Students can take AP Calculus AB and BC, AP Statistics and AP Computer Science, specialist electives such as Machine Learning and Data Structures and Algorithms in C, and senior research courses in biology. Serious competitions are thinner: the clearest record is Regeneron Science Talent Search recognition in 2024 and 2025, and we found no placements for the robotics team.
| Field | Advanced work found | Competition record |
|---|---|---|
| Computer science & AI | AP Computer Science; Data Structures and Algorithms in C; Machine Learning | Regeneron STS Scholars 2024, 2025 |
| Robotics | A project-based Robotics course | VEX Robotics Club; no placements found |
| Biology | Biology 600 senior research; Independent Laboratory Research in Biology | None found |
| Cybersecurity | No course found | A student-run capture-the-flag contest, 2015–2019 |
Are students producing serious projects, research, inventions or portfolios—or mainly completing classroom exercises?
Yes, in several fields. Four students were named Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholars in 2024 and 2025, senior biology students carry out laboratory research, and Project-Based Statistics students work with local nonprofits. We found no inventions, patents or published portfolios, and no Scholar for 2026.
| Year | Student | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Anna Chang Du | An AI-enhanced protocol |
| 2024 | Yifan Kang | “CNOT-Optimal Circuit Synthesis” |
| 2024 | Arielsie Li | “FlexLizard: A Fast-Running Bipedal Lizard Robot With Optimized Lateral Bending” |
| 2025 | Angeline Zhao | Monte Carlo redistricting |
Which future-critical STEM fields is this school genuinely strong in—and which ones are major gaps?
Based on our review, AI & data science and computer science are the strengths, both at 4.0/5. Battery storage is the largest gap, with nothing found (0.0/5); cybersecurity and clean energy are thin at 2.0/5 each, and robotics and biotechnology sit in the middle at 3.0/5.
| Field | Score | Standing |
|---|---|---|
| AI & Data Science | 4.0/5 | Excellent |
| Computer Science & Computational Thinking | 4.0/5 | Excellent |
| Robotics & Autonomous Systems | 3.0/5 | Developing |
| Aerospace & Space Technology | 3.0/5 | Developing |
| Biotechnology & Synthetic Biology | 3.0/5 | Developing |
| Cybersecurity & Digital Safety | 2.0/5 | Weak |
| Clean Energy & Climate Technology | 2.0/5 | Weak |
| Earth Systems & Geospatial | 2.0/5 | Weak |
| Advanced Manufacturing | 2.0/5 | Weak |
| Batteries & Energy Storage | 0.0/5 | Weak |
Will your child be ready for jobs that don’t exist yet?
Here’s what the evidence actually shows for Andover — not what the brochure claims.
62/100 — Developing overall. Andover’s computer-science and AI & data provision is advanced: students can take AP Computer Science, Data Structures and Algorithms in C and Machine Learning, work with local nonprofits in Project-Based Statistics, and reach national recognition, with four Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholars in 2024 and 2025.
But: battery storage is absent, and cybersecurity and clean energy are thin.
Best positioned forAI & Data, Computer Science
Underdeveloped inBatteries, Cybersecurity, Clean Energy
Future-critical exposure5/15 domains
Very strong
- None
Strong
- AI & Data
- Computer Science
Limited
- Robotics
- Aerospace
- Biotechnology
Little / no pathway
- Cybersecurity
- Clean Energy
- Earth & Geospatial
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Batteries
Best fit for
Less ideal for
Where the marketing exceeds the evidence
No source supporting 5:1 was identified.
Where the school is stronger than its marketing suggests
Curriculum
- Machine Learning, Data Visualization and AP Statistics, with Project-Based Statistics and Statistics for Social Justice
- Statistics students use R for data visualization
Evidence seen
- Project-Based Statistics students work with Merrimack Valley nonprofits, including Si, Se Puede in Lawrence (school feature, September 2026)
- Regeneron STS Scholars Anna Chang Du (2024, an AI-enhanced protocol) and Angeline Zhao (2025, Monte Carlo simulation), officially recorded by Society for Science
What’s missing
- No course titled AI; Machine Learning is listed without a description or syllabus
- The 2026–27 AI resident scholar at the Tang Institute supports faculty, not a student course
Evidence seen
- PACTF, a capture-the-flag contest founded by Phillips Academy students in 2015 and run by the Techmasters club, drew more than 1,000 teams in 2016; its last edition was May 2019
What’s missing
- No cybersecurity course identified
- No current cybersecurity club or competition record found; the contest site is archived
Curriculum
- A project-based Robotics course in the Natural Sciences division, listed with physics
- A VEX Robotics Club
Evidence seen
- Robotics was added as an athletic option in 2019, with 19 students preparing for the VEX Robotics Competition (The Phillipian)
- Arielsie Li, Regeneron STS Scholar 2024, for “FlexLizard: A Fast-Running Bipedal Lizard Robot With Optimized Lateral Bending”
What’s missing
- No competition placements found for the VEX team
- No advanced robotics course identified
Curriculum
- Environmental Chemistry, with research projects on local water quality
- Student clubs EcoAction and A Greener Blue Sustainability
Evidence seen
- A Climate Action Plan for 2019–2030, adopted by the trustees on November 10, 2018, targeting a 30% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions, 10% in water use and 90% waste diversion
- A case study reports the campus bought 100% of its energy from renewable sources in 2019/20
What’s missing
- No energy or clean-technology course, lab or competition record found
- The plan governs campus operations; it is not a student pathway
Curriculum
- Independent Laboratory Research in Biology and a senior 600-level research course
- Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Global Health
Evidence seen
- A Molecular Biology Research Laboratory with a mammalian tissue-culture area, on the Gelb Science Center page
- Biology 600 projects reported by The Phillipian: gene transfection of stem cells for cartilage regeneration, probiotics and sleep in flies, and the dystrophin complex in cardiomyopathy
What’s missing
- No biotechnology-named course, credential or competition record found
- The school reports collaboration with professional scientists but names no partner
Curriculum
- AP Computer Science, Data Structures and Algorithms in C, Web App Development and Machine Learning
- Digital Media Computing (CSC413), “an introduction to computational thinking through the creation and manipulation of digital sounds and images”
Evidence seen
- Course titles listed on the department page
- Yifan Kang, Regeneron STS Scholar 2024, for “CNOT-Optimal Circuit Synthesis”
What’s missing
- Only one computer-science course carries a published description on the department page
- No computing-competition record found
Creativity cannot be graded the way a course can. It can only be evidenced through what students made.
| Criterion | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art + technology | ||||
| Design | ||||
| Architecture | ||||
| Engineering design | ||||
| Media / digital production | ||||
| Maker learning | ||||
| Interdisciplinary projects |
No strand runs for three years or more; what was found sits in single years. 2024 is the densest, at 3 of 7 criteria.
The record — 2 artefacts
Alfonso Gonzales-Cano ’27 prototyped a phone case in the Nest for Launchpad, a business incubator on campus.
The Phillipian · “Makerspace: A Nest of Creativity”, September 2024
Arielsie Li ’24’s project, “FlexLizard: A Fast-Running Bipedal Lizard Robot With Optimized Lateral Bending”, was named a Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar entry.
Society for Science · Regeneron STS 2024 Scholars list
Nothing found for
No student work was found evidencing these. For a school this well documented, an unrecorded programme is unlikely to be a large one.
What a family should ask about directly
- No cybersecurity course or current club was identified — the student-run PACTF contest ended in 2019, and a student set on cybersecurity would be building outside the curriculum.
- Batteries & Energy Storage has no confirmed course, lab, club or output record at all — treat it as absent, not just thin.
- Clean energy is something the campus does, through its Climate Action Plan, more than something students are taught; Earth & Geospatial and Advanced Manufacturing sit at the same level, with Environmental Chemistry and the Nest makerspace the nearest provision.
- We could read the department pages but only part of the Course of Study, so ask the Dean of Studies Office which courses sit behind the lists — it is why confidence on the thinner fields is not higher.
| Domain | Evidence class | Key sources |
|---|---|---|
| AI & Data | Verified · Officially recorded | Math, Statistics and Computer Science department page; Society for Science STS Scholars lists, 2024 and 2025 |
| Computer Science | Verified · Officially recorded | Department page course titles; Society for Science STS Scholars list, 2024 |
| Robotics | School-reported · Officially recorded | Natural Sciences department page; student-activities page; The Phillipian, 2019; Society for Science, 2024 |
| Biotechnology | School-reported · Observed | Gelb Science Center page; The Phillipian report on Biology 600 |
| Clean Energy | School-reported · Corroborated | A Greener Blue page; independent Climate Action Plan case study |
| Aerospace | School-reported · Observed | Gelb Science Center page, Astronomy Research; The Phillipian, 2017 asteroid discovery |
| Earth & Geospatial | School-reported | Environmental Chemistry description, Gelb Science Center seismometer; no independent corroboration found |
| Advanced Manufacturing | School-reported · Observed | The Nest makerspace page; The Phillipian report on the Nest |
| Cybersecurity | Corroborated · Observed | PACTF report by CMU CyLab, 2016; archived contest site; no course or current club found |
| Batteries & Energy Storage | Unsubstantiated | No dedicated coursework, club or competition record found |
Academics
To prepare our students for life in the world, we offer a liberal education.
We offer 300 courses, including 8 world languages and 150 electives.
Academic curriculum
We pride ourselves on having a 5:1 student to faculty ratio, with 13 students in the average class.
- Machine Learning
- Data Structures and Algorithms in C
- Project-Based Statistics
- Independent Laboratory Research in Biology
- Astronomy Research
Advanced courses
Department leadership
Joel Jacob
Our computer science curriculum is robust and evolving to reflect current trends in the field.
Keith Robinson
Laboratory work is heavily integrated into the courses.
Brian Faulk
The science program is focused around four major goals.
Ask about academics
Calendar
Important dates, 2026–2027.
Key dates for our 2026–2027 school year and the events coming up on campus. Ask below if you need a date confirmed before you book travel.
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
Ask about the calendar
Our Story
Non sibi — leading lives “not for self.”
Founded in 1778, we are an independent, coeducational secondary school with an expansive worldview and a legacy of academic excellence.
Academic Excellence
Academic excellence is the hallmark of an Andover education.
Knowledge and Goodness
The union of intellect and integrity guides our daily efforts to prepare students for a lifetime of learning.
Private School with a Public Purpose
Building on this history, we prepare our graduates for active and ethical civic engagement.
Milestones
We were founded.
Abbot Academy was founded.
Abbot Academy merged with us.
We adopted full need-blind admission, among the few private secondary schools to do so.
Dr. Raynard S. Kington became head of school.
Our Board of Trustees elected James F. Ventre ’79 as our 17th head of school, to begin on July 1, 2027.
Leadership
Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD
Head of school since 2020.
James F. Ventre ’79
Will become our 17th head of school on July 1, 2027.
Ask about our story
Give
Alumni, families, and friends can support Andover in many ways.
Gifts can be made online, by check, through annual giving, or with gifts of stock, bequests and other legacy gifts.
Give online
Debit/Credit Card, PayPal, Venmo, Apple/Google Pay, CashApp, or Crypto: Visit andover.edu/givenow.
The Andover Fund
Through annual gifts of any size or leadership commitments that permanently endow PA priorities.
Stock and legacy gifts
Through gifts of stock or with bequests and other legacy gifts.
By check
Please make your check payable to Trustees of Phillips Academy. Send it to Phillips Academy, Office of Academy Resources, ATTN: Graham Hall, 180 Main St., Andover, MA 01810. Our tax ID (EIN) is 04-2103579.
Ask about giving
News
The latest news, press releases, and stories from Phillips Academy.
Recent stories from around our campus.
America in the making
This fall, the Addison Gallery of American Art will present America in the Making.
Principles into practice
One hundred percent. That’s how much we believe in our students and our mission.
Life, noted
For more than a century, Phillips Academy and Abbot Academy alumni have stayed connected through Class Notes.
Phillips Academy trustees elect new head of school
Our Board of Trustees announced today that James F. Ventre ’79 will become our 17th head of school.
Ask about the news
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