Phillips Exeter Academy

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Phillips Exeter Academy Photo #1 - Exeter students live and learn all over the world by participating in 40 off-campus programs from Iceland (shown) to South Africa to Washington, DC.
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Phillips Exeter Academy Photo #1 - Exeter students live and learn all over the world by participating in 40 off-campus programs from Iceland (shown) to South Africa to Washington, DC.
Phillips Exeter Academy Photo #2 - Exeter's campus is surrounded by fields, forests and a quaint New England town with shops and cafes. We are a 50-minute train ride from Boston and the Atlantic coast is just 10 miles away.
Phillips Exeter Academy Photo #3 - This is a community designed to help you make friends. From day one, you're part of a dorm, whether you're a boarder or a day student. Students live in the same dorm all four years, alongside resident advisers and friends of all ages.
Phillips Exeter Academy Photo #4 - Down-time dilemma: It's hard to be bored at Exeter, when you can walk downtown, hang out on the quad or get involved with some of the 100 student-led clubs.
Phillips Exeter Academy Photo #5 - Everyone on campus gathers twice weekly for assembly, a shared cultural experience featuring notable speakers, performances or campus-wide celebrations.
Phillips Exeter Academy Photo #6 - There are no desks, no lectures here. Students learn by listening and collaborating with a diverse group of peers around the Harkness table.
Phillips Exeter Academy Photo #7 - Big Red spirit runs high at Exeter. It's especially on display during sporting events.
Phillips Exeter Academy Photo #8 - Exeter brings together curious students from all over the world and from all backgrounds to learn from each other. You will be at the center of it all, with a community of friends right by your side.
Phillips Exeter Academy Photo #9 - Arts in focus: Our expanded music building now includes a tech suite and concert hall, and a brand-new theater and dance center (shown) shines a spotlight on the performing arts at Exeter.
Phillips Exeter Academy Photo #10 - We have over 60 interscholastic teams in 20 sports, and additional athletic opportunities include club sports, yoga, dance and ultimate frisbee.
The founder of Phillips Exeter Academy defined its mission more than two centuries ago.
"Above all," John Phillips stated, "it is expected that the attention of instructors to the disposition of the minds and morals of the youth under their charge will exceed every other care; well considering that though goodness without knowledge is weak and feeble, yet knowledge without goodness is dangerous, and that both united form the noblest character, and lay the surest foundation of usefulness to mankind." It seeks students who combine proven academic ability, intellectual curiosity, and tenacity with decency and good character.
At the Academy, exacting inquiry and thoughtful discourse foster the life of the mind, instruction and activity promote fitness and health, and the daily interactions of a residential school nurture integrity, empathy, and kindness.
Because learning and growth at Exeter arise from each individual's engagement with others, the richness of education here requires diversity in all its dimensions; students and faculty value the differences they bring to the community they share.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Top Ranked NH School
  • Grades: 9-12
  • Enrollment: 1,078 students
  • Yearly Tuition: $64,789
  • Acceptance rate: 17%
  • Average class size: 12 students
  • Application Deadline: Jan. 15
  • Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

Phillips Exeter Academy ranks among the top 20% of private schools in New Hampshire for:

School Overview

Religious Affiliation
Grades Offered
Grades 9-12
Offers Post-Graduate Year
Yes
Year Founded
1781
Summer School Offered
Yes

Student Body

Total Students
1,078 students
Student Body Type
Co-ed
% Students of Color
56%
State avg.: 19%
Students by Grade
Phillips Exeter Academy Student By Grade

Academics and Faculty

Total Classroom Teachers
242 teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
4:1
National avg.: 13:1
% Faculty w/Advanced Degree
93%
Average Class Size
12 students
List of Courses Offered
Classroom Dress Code
Casual

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

Admission Deadline
Jan. 15
Yearly Tuition Cost
Tuition Notes
$50,604 for day students
% on Financial Aid
44%
Average Financial Aid Grant
$56,251
Acceptance Rate
17%
National avg.: 85%
Admissions Director
John Hutchins
Admissions Associate
Phillips Exeter Academy

Sports

School Notes

  • Phillips Exeter Academy is a co-educational residential school with students from the U.S. and over 30 foreign countries. Exeter has a centuries-old tradition of academic excellence and a commitment to empowering Exonians to find their place in the world.
  • We are a community that celebrates curiosity and cultivates potential. With a student-to-teacher ratio of 6:1, more than 450 courses in 18 subject areas, and the opportunity to study on five continents, Exeter provides unparalleled opportunities for discovery and exploration, of both self and subject matter.
  • We provide need-based financial aid that makes it possible for talented students to attend Exeter regardless of their family`s finances. Exeter works with families from all economic backgrounds to make tuition affordable. And, an Exeter education is free to any accepted student whose family income is $75,000 or less. We encourage all interested students to apply, regardless of their ability to pay.
  • Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
    • Mark Zuckerberg - Founder and CEO, Facebook
    • Dan Brown - Bestselling Author, The Da Vinci Code
    • Pauline Chiou - Award-winning Anchor and Correspondent, CNN Hong Kong
    • Win Butler - Lead Vocalist and Songwriter of Grammy Award-winning band Arcade Fire
    • John Knowles - Author, A Separate Peace
    • John Irving - Bestselling Author and Academy Award-winning Screenwriter, The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules
    • Suzy Welch - Bestselling Author, Television Commentator and Noted Business Journalist
    • Pierre S. Du Pont - President, Du Pont; Chair and President, General Motors Corporation
    • Robert Todd Lincoln - Son of President Abraham Lincoln, US Secretary of War
    • Daniel Webster - US Senator from Massachusetts
Source: Verified school update

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Phillips Exeter Academy cost?
Phillips Exeter Academy's tuition is approximately $64,789 for private students.
What is the acceptance rate of Phillips Exeter Academy?
The acceptance rate of Phillips Exeter Academy is 17%, which is lower than the national average of 74%. Phillips Exeter Academy's acceptance rate is ranked among the top private schools in New Hampshire with low acceptance rates.
Who are famous alumni from Phillips Exeter Academy?
Phillips Exeter Academy famous alumni include: Mark Zuckerberg, Dan Brown, Pauline Chiou, Win Butler, John Knowles, John Irving, Suzy Welch, Pierre S. Du Pont, Robert Todd Lincoln and Daniel Webster.
What sports does Phillips Exeter Academy offer?
Phillips Exeter Academy offers 22 interscholastic sports: Baseball, Basketball, Crew, Cross Country, Cycling, Dance, Diving, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball, Water Polo, Winter Track and Wrestling. Phillips Exeter Academy is ranked as one of the top 20% of private schools in New Hampshire for most sports offered.
What is Phillips Exeter Academy's ranking?
When is the application deadline for Phillips Exeter Academy?
The application deadline for Phillips Exeter Academy is Jan. 15.

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Top Ranked NH School
  • Grades: 9-12
  • Enrollment: 1,078 students
  • Yearly Tuition: $64,789
  • Acceptance rate: 17%
  • Average class size: 12 students
  • Application Deadline: Jan. 15
  • Source: Verified school update

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Did You Know?

The average private school tuition in Rockingham County, NH is $17,095 for elementary schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).
The average acceptance rate in Rockingham County, NH is 65% (read more about average acceptance rates across the country).

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