Phillips Exeter Academy

20 MAIN ST

Exeter, NH 03833

14 Reviews

School District
Grade

9-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by other on October 08, 2022

The academy is a very good place to learn and to improve your personality. Undoubtedly, the prices to afford tuition are too high for me. And I am to high to learn or to even know what the teacher is saying. In conclusion you can tell it is a very good school for young people but unluckily I am a real gangzta from the hood and would never visit a place like this just because there are no homies of mine.
Submitted by parent on May 01, 2020

Better than expected and my hopes were really high. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit several times and meet the students. They’re remarkably nice, thoughtful and bright. When we were moving our son in several students wandered by to introduce themselves and help carry his stuff up to the fourth floor. Weve met his teachers who are engaged and caring. Overall it's fantastic but I'm positive that if you look hard enough you can find someone who can speak to past issues or shortcomings in how their child had an issue handled. my son is expected to begin the prosess of becoming an adult and this school expects him to take responsibility for himself including growing emotionally, physically, getting along with others, accepting people for who they are, Scheduling his time, being a good friend and all of the other things moving towards adulthood entails. I'm unaware of any institution that has a wand to waive to 100% ensure this happens for every child but Exeter comes as close to proving the environment where your child can learn this themselves.The new Principal is an Exonian himself and has a firm but gentle hand on the wheel. Your child should apply, you and your child will absolutely be better for it.
Submitted by other on April 26, 2018

Loved the school and wouldn't change my time there for anything, but would not send my kids there right now. It's going through a lot of chaotic changes and is very ineffective in handling sexual assault and other mental health issues. Very competitive environment that isn't for everyone.
Submitted by parent on October 07, 2016

PEA is a unique community. It is not for everyone. Research carefully what sounds "good" in marketing and reality. Do not assume due to the name that something exists. It is surprising that some fundamentals that exist in other institutions are lacking here. Absolutely this is an academically rigorous school. I would venture the MOST academically rigorous of high schools. This is a significant strength. What PEA lacks is all of the supports necessary that your child won't then crash and burn in college (or even I suppose within PEA) maintaining that mentality. It is not healthy in that way. This is very much a college environment with some antiquated educational philosophy in high school. Some rules are a bit draconian. Your 14 year old, who lacks executive functioning and basic frontal lobe skills is not going to have his hand held. He will be held accountable. You are expected to understand it is the PEA way or learn to fake it. Your child will be over prepared for college and Harkness warriors will dominate in lecture halls. Understand however, your child is essentially a widget who will have the Exonian name, don't underestimate this, those are superior connections. You should investigate at what cost? Only you know your child. Do not assume that the college your child gets into will be due to PEA. It is counter intuitive, but their chances are lower attending PEA versus their local school. The college counseling office is a numbers game. Your child will be competing against PEA students, NOT the country. They will not take the time to know your kid and send a glowing recommendation as the advisor did to get into PEA. It's a bell curve of placement. You will have to do your own work to ensure your child is properly represented. My experience and those I have know got into their schools using private consultants and research where many of the schools they applied to did not fall into the list given by PEA college counseling. Your child will in fact be counseled away from a school as a high reach, as they only want to send a certain amount of high recommendations and your child doesn't look as good as student A; however when he/she is accepted it will be touted on the website.
Submitted by parent on June 16, 2014

Great school. Love the teachers. My son is very happy. If you want to survive, you need work hard.
Submitted by parent on April 13, 2014

My child went to PEA a while back and did well. It really offered an extraordinary education (mostly attributable to the Harkness method and good teachers) but not without sacrifices, including being away from home. As a parent, I have some regrets about that, as did my child, even though we lived within driving distance so coming home on weekends was an option. My main disappointment--and it was a big one--was the same as others have mentioned: the college office was AWFUL. The problem is the director, and it is unbelievable to me that she is still there. I agree with most of Exeter's decisions, but keeping her on is lazy and destructive. Like one of the other parents mentioned, we basically had to cut them out. I truly felt my child was sabotaged by that office and we had a really distasteful experience (and this was despite my child being a very good student!) My child ended up at a top school, NOT because of them, but inspite of them, in fact. All in all, I would recommend Exeter, but be forewarned about the college office and plan to circumvent them and do the application work with your child.
Submitted by student on April 04, 2014

Having now worked in the field of education for four years, I am incredibly appreciative of having had the opportunity to attend Phillips Exeter. I participated in a wide range of extra curricular activities, spent a year living in France, learned to play a musical instrument, and developed the skill set to lead others. I went on to attend UC Berkeley. As a minority student on an academic scholarship I faced unique challenges in the relatively homogenous Exeter environment, but these challenges paled in comparison to the benefits I reaped.
Submitted by parent on January 01, 2014

I love the school for all its history, glory and a track record of success. My child loves there. But I completely agree with another parent who talked about crowding out effect for college search in Exeter. It's completely true and I believe an outstanding student is probably better served in a regular or magnate public school in being admitted to a college of his / her choice and abilities than in Exeter. Any prospective parent should think long and hard before being swayed by the Exeter hallow and decide if it's worth giving up the most important and enjoyable part of your child's life for something that may not be a realizable dream.
Submitted by parent on May 31, 2013

Academically rigorous but an outstanding globally ranked high school with a holistic approach to education. I would say "best of the breed" with diversity (socio-economically, 45% are on financial aid), intellectual ambitious and goodness ("knowledge without goodness is dangerous") in addition to Global exploration being at the forefront of their mission. Teachers are top ranked, students are driven and the community is embracing.
Submitted by other on January 27, 2013

Exeter has carried its worldwide renown across the centuries because it pursues excellence, doesn't settle for second best, and produces graduates in demand by the world's finest colleges and universities. It is not going too far to say it is the finest secondary school in the world. Phillips Exeter is a tough school that challenges the top students in the country every day. If you are not clearly lapping the field at the school you're coming from, you're unlikely to be admitted. If you secure admission, you're in for one of the most enriching, demanding, interesting years of your life. Exeter's brand is recognizable across the nation. The Exeter alumni network crawls with worldwide leaders across all fields of human endeavor.
Submitted by parent on June 01, 2012

I totally agree with 2 reviews in year 2012. It's a great school with mostly great teachers and students. But college office isn't helpful at all, maybe hurtful. You dont know what's in play. My child enjoyed the school very much till college application, which ruined out impression about the school
Submitted by parent on March 06, 2012

Parents should think carefully before sending their child to PEA. The school has an excellent reputation but it is unclear to me as a parent that PEA does a better job of preparing kids for college or for helping them in the process of applying to college. Most of the kids in my child' graduating class were not happy with their college choices and would have had better choices coming from their local schools. PEA does not help with the college process and may hinder your child's options. The academic environment is very rigorous and that appeals to parents (including me) but may be excessive for most 14-18 year olds. Though my child has done well since PEA, he did so despite PEA and I regret sending my child there. I can only hope that potential parents will pause longer than i did before committing their child to the school. You will loose these years with your child and it is not clear that they or you will benefit.
Submitted by student on April 16, 2011

Exeter was the best school experience I could have ever asked for. It was extremely challenging yet equally rewarding.
Submitted by parent on January 24, 2011

Exeter is the finest secondary school in the United States by almost every measure. I would not recommend it for every student however. It is not a "touchy feely" academic environment. Be prepared to work very hard as it is widely considered to have the most rigorous core curriculum of any secondary school. As previous reviewers have mentioned, college work will be quite easy by comparison. I attended the University of Chicago after graduating from PEA and was grossly over prepared for undergrad. My eldest children graduated from the academy in recent years and are both very proud Exonians. It is worth noting that if you are not VERY socially liberal you will find few likeminded individuals at the Academy. Cultural relativity is preached with fanaticism and any deviation from that is strictly verboten. The advisor for the Republican club (a libertarian) was recently banned from Exeter's campus for extremely fallacious reasons so be prepared to battle an extremely liberal faculty and administration. If your family/children have moderate views or deviate in any way from leftist ideology be prepared to be a "Harkness Warrior" if fortunate enough to be accepted.