Why would someone choose Exeter over Andover, or vice-versa

[Anonymous]

What's the difference?

[Anonymous]

Had this decision a while back. Chose based on location.

[Anonymous]

Can’t really go wrong either way. One is an idyllic scholarly community tucked away in the NH countryside, with world class facilities, acres of pristine nature, and the most elite HS minds from all over the world. The other is among the best of the suburban Boston high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can’t really go wrong either way. One is an idyllic scholarly community tucked away in the NH countryside, with world class facilities, acres of pristine nature, and the most elite HS minds from all over the world. The other is among the best of the suburban Boston high schools.

This, and they go back and forth, almost annually, as to which is top high school in US.

[Anonymous]

I got into both — granted this was awhile ago. I chose based on location. Really they’re almost identical schools, though, and are fierce rivals (the only rivalry older than Andover/Exeter is Harvard/Yale). They were founded by members of the same family, have the same motto, very similar seals, etc.

Traditionally, Andover is a Yale feeder school (notice that both schools have blue as the school color), and Exeter was a Harvard feeder school (notice that both schools have red as the school color). That’s not really a thing anymore, though; each school has a stellar college matriculation record across top schools.

[Anonymous]

Don't know if this is the case anymore, but my impression when I attended Andover over 20 years ago was that Exeter was a little more traditional. Not in the religious sense, but like more frequent Saturday classes and more specific dress code.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't know if this is the case anymore, but my impression when I attended Andover over 20 years ago was that Exeter was a little more traditional. Not in the religious sense, but like more frequent Saturday classes and more specific dress code.

When I was was at Andover about 15-20 years ago, we still had Saturday classes. I don’t know if those are gone now?

I do remember that we didn’t have that much of a dress code.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't know if this is the case anymore, but my impression when I attended Andover over 20 years ago was that Exeter was a little more traditional. Not in the religious sense, but like more frequent Saturday classes and more specific dress code.

When I was was at Andover about 15-20 years ago, we still had Saturday classes. I don’t know if those are gone now?

I do remember that we didn’t have that much of a dress code.

We had them when I went there, but it was almost vestigial. Maybe 2 times in fall, 2 times in spring, none in winter, and only two class periods per Saturday IIRC. It was like they kept just the tiniest bit to be able to say they had them. Exeter I heard had them much more often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't know if this is the case anymore, but my impression when I attended Andover over 20 years ago was that Exeter was a little more traditional. Not in the religious sense, but like more frequent Saturday classes and more specific dress code.

When I was was at Andover about 15-20 years ago, we still had Saturday classes. I don’t know if those are gone now?

I do remember that we didn’t have that much of a dress code.

We had them when I went there, but it was almost vestigial. Maybe 2 times in fall, 2 times in spring, none in winter, and only two class periods per Saturday IIRC. It was like they kept just the tiniest bit to be able to say they had them. Exeter I heard had them much more often.

Oh yeah that was true when I was there, too.

[Anonymous]

Exeter is Harkness, which my son hated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exeter is Harkness, which my son hated.

Andover does the Harkness method too. It’s just discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't know if this is the case anymore, but my impression when I attended Andover over 20 years ago was that Exeter was a little more traditional. Not in the religious sense, but like more frequent Saturday classes and more specific dress code.

When I was was at Andover about 15-20 years ago, we still had Saturday classes. I don’t know if those are gone now?

I do remember that we didn’t have that much of a dress code.

We had them when I went there, but it was almost vestigial. Maybe 2 times in fall, 2 times in spring, none in winter, and only two class periods per Saturday IIRC. It was like they kept just the tiniest bit to be able to say they had them. Exeter I heard had them much more often.

Oh yeah that was true when I was there, too.

I just checked, they are gone now. No more Saturdays. https://www.andover.edu/faq

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't know if this is the case anymore, but my impression when I attended Andover over 20 years ago was that Exeter was a little more traditional. Not in the religious sense, but like more frequent Saturday classes and more specific dress code.

When I was was at Andover about 15-20 years ago, we still had Saturday classes. I don’t know if those are gone now?

I do remember that we didn’t have that much of a dress code.

We had them when I went there, but it was almost vestigial. Maybe 2 times in fall, 2 times in spring, none in winter, and only two class periods per Saturday IIRC. It was like they kept just the tiniest bit to be able to say they had them. Exeter I heard had them much more often.

Oh yeah that was true when I was there, too.

I just checked, they are gone now. No more Saturdays. https://www.andover.edu/faq

They’ve gone soft!

[Anonymous]

Family ties/legacy at one or the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exeter is Harkness, which my son hated.

Andover does the Harkness method too. It’s just discussion.

Yeah. In addition to this not being a significant distinguishing factor (it is more central to the Exeter experience and more broadly deployed in classes), saying you “hate” Harkness means you hate listening to others and responding, processing information in real time, learning to be articulate and concise, and making persuasive arguments to support your views. Hate it all you want but unless you’re planning to win Powerball or think you’re the next Zuckerberg (coincidentally, an Exeter guy), those are the skills required to succeed at just about anything.