Exeter is a highly competitive school that offers a complete multi-faceted education. The admissions process begins long before your desired start date and includes multiple requirements. Our Phillips Exeter Academy admissions guide ensures you have the information necessary to highlight what matters to Exeter admissions staff.
Your Guide to Phillips Exeter Academy Admissions
Your first step to admissions at Exeter is to request information from the school. From there, you can schedule a tour of the campus and an interview. Ideally, you will begin this process during the summer, at least one full year before your desired start date. The tour is a chance for you and your student to explore the campus, meet other students and faculty, and get a close-up look at daily life at Exeter.
Important Steps in the Application Process
The Exeter application process includes several steps, each having a hard deadline:
- Complete your candidate profile and pay the application fee
- Apply for financial aid
- Schedule and complete your interview
- Take and submit standardized tests
- Submit personal essay and parent statement
- Submit required recommendations and transcripts
Day, post-graduate, and homeschooled students may have additional requirements or slightly different steps in the admissions process. Our counselors can serve as a complete Phillips Exeter Academy admissions guide to ensure you submit any required materials on time.
Standardized Tests for Admission
Standardized test scores are part of the Phillips Exeter Academy admissions process. You must submit scores from the following exams before January 15 to be considered for admission:
- Grades 9 and 10: Upper Level of the SSAT or ISEE
- Grade 11: Upper Level of the SSAT or ISEE, or ACT, PreACT, PSAT or SAT
- Grade 12 and post-graduate: ACT, PreACT, PSAT or SAT
You may also choose to take and submit the SSATB’s Character Skills Assessment, which gives Phillips Exeter Academy admissions further insight into your values and how they will contribute to the school community.
Students attend Exeter from around the world, and many come from countries where English is not the primary language. Exeter strongly recommends that students with a native language other than English submit results from the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test.
Financial Aid at Exeter
Financial aid is available at Exeter, and approximately 45% of students attending the school receive some form of financial assistance. Families earning under $125,000 per year will pay no tuition for an Exeter education.
The Phillips Exeter Academy uses a need-blind application process and meets the financial need of 100% of accepted students. Families are encouraged to apply for assistance if they need it to pay for tuition, boarding, or supplies.
Boarding and Day Student Options
Exeter offers both boarding and day-school programs. Students who board at Exeter immerse themselves in the full campus experience. They live, study, and play alongside their peers. Most students remain in the same dorm room throughout their time at Exeter. More than 800 students live in 26 dorms across the campus, two of which are mixed-gender for inclusivity.
Day students typically eat meals on campus and may spend weekends in dorms. Students from specific nearby towns in New Hampshire and Massachusetts must apply as day students; however, it is optional for those from a slightly wider geographic area.
Exeter assigns day students to a dorm to help foster connections with other students. They attend the same classes and participate in dorm-based and other extracurricular activities alongside residential students.
Academics and Extracurricular Activities
There are more than 450 courses spread across Exeter’s 18 departments. Classes in English, foreign language, math, science, and social studies are supplemented with courses such as:
- A Study of Sport in Society
- Building the Dynamic Web
- Robotics
- Thriving in Community
- World Seen Through a Daily Newspaper
Exeter offers 200+ clubs and social programs spanning athletics, music and performing arts, and community service to engage students and foster their interests. Students can choose from fitness activities including rock climbing, squash, and yoga, and can also engage with the community through Exeter’s Political Union, Service Council, or multiple service organizations on campus.
Global Opportunities for Students
Students attending Phillips Exeter Academy may participate in a variety of global programs.
These include week-long tours or even year-long courses of study abroad.
Phillips Exeter Academy Admissions Counseling
Exeter provides an exemplary education for admitted students. Our admissions counselors provide individualized advice beyond the helpful information in this Phillips Exeter Academy admissions guide to help your child’s application stand out. Contact us for a more in-depth look at the application process.