Phillips Academy Andover Ranking For College Admissions

I’ve Read Dozens of Applications from Andover. Here's What Actually Matters.

As a former admissions officer, I’ve read dozens—maybe hundreds—of applications from Phillips Academy Andover. 

And here's the truth: while most families fixate on the school’s #2 national ranking on Niche, that’s not what actually matters in the committee room where decisions are made.

What matters most is context and standing out from the other Andover students who are applying to the same schools.

In highly selective admissions, it’s not enough to attend one of the most highly ranked boarding schools in the country. It’s about where you fall in your “school group”—how you compare to your peers at Andover, not applicants from across the country.

Phillips Academy Andover Rankings

Let’s start with the stats, according to Niche:

• #2 Best Private High School in America
  
  
• #1 Best STEM High School in Massachusetts
  
  

• #4 Best STEM High School in America
  
  

On paper, Andover has everything: strong faculty, world-class resources, global diversity, and a 200+ year tradition of academic excellence. Niche grades it A+ across the board.
But here’s the problem: schools like Andover have tons of high achievers. The sheer number of talented students applying to top colleges from this one institution can make standing out even harder.

Phillips Academy Andover School Profile

Your counselor sends a school profile along with your transcript to all the schools you’re applying to. Here are some highlights from the 2024-2025 profile:

• Total Enrollment: 1,154 students, 73% boarding
  
  
• Trimester System: Students typically take 5 rigorous courses per term
  
  
• Course Levels: 100–600, with 500-level = AP-equivalent, 600-level = post-AP
  
  
• No GPA or Class Rank: AOs therefore estimate standing through transcript trends and course selection
  
  
• Activities Requirement: Every student participates in athletics, arts, or community work
  
  

What does this all mean? When your student applies from Andover, admissions officers expect:

• Advanced coursework (500- or 600-level classes)
  
  
• Sustained academic performance across all three trimesters
  
  
• Deep engagement in both structured and self-driven extracurriculars
  
  
• A personal or academic narrative in their application that elevates them beyond their peers
  
  

How Admissions Officers Read Andover Students

When we read applicants from Andover, we read them in a school group. That means:

• We sorted all Andover applicants by academic strength—often GPA proxies and rigor.
  
  
• We compared them year-over-year. Admissions offices keep all the data from past years and use it to inform current decisions.
  
  
• We look closely at course load: Did the student opt for 500/600-level classes? Are they taking advantage of independent study, the Workshop, or advanced electives?
  
  
• We ask: What makes this Andover student different from all the other students also applying to this same college?

And here's the kicker: top colleges are only going to take so many Andover students. They may take more fromm Andover than they do from a less competitive high school, but if they’re reading 20+ Andover applicants? That’s intense.

This doesn’t mean Andover is a bad place to be. Quite the opposite. But it also means that your application strategy is really important.

Strategic Takeaways for Andover Families

If You're Considering Andover…

The structure, rigor, and culture demand independence and drive. Students who thrive here:

• Are intrinsically motivated
  
  
• Have good time management and handle course rigor well
  
  
• Want breadth and depth in academics and extracurriculars

If You’re Already at Andover…

Know that name recognition is not enough. You also must:

• Take on as much rigor as you can reasonably manage—aim for 500s and 600s where appropriate
  
  
• Leverage independent learning—use options like The Workshop or directed studies to show intellectual maturity
  
  
• Develop a cohesive narrative in your application—what's your "thing" beyond the resume?
  
  
• Take your school list seriously—with the landscape of admissions these days, you want to have a balanced school list with true safeties, targets, and reaches no matter what school you go to.

Don’t assume Andover guarantees a golden ticket to selective admissions. It’s important to understand how your application fits within the context of your school and plan your admissions strategy accordingly.

Ready to Understand How Your Application Will Be Read?

Whether your student is aiming for Ivy League admissions or simply trying to make the most of their time at Andover, strategy is everything.

Want to know how your child’s application might come across to admissions officers? Let’s talk. Book a free strategy consult here.