New Class of Students Accepted to Phillips Exeter Academy
On Saturday, Mar. 10, over 400 students opened their inboxes to receive exciting news: an acceptance letter from and a warm welcome to Phillips Exeter Academy. For many, this one-minute video—full of radiant faces and jovial tunes—-signifies the beginning of an unforgettable Exeter journey.
According to William Leahy, Dean of Enrollment and External Relations, the school received a record 2,668 applications this year, making this “the most selective year to gain admission to the Academy.” 16 percent of those applicants were accepted, totalling 440 admitted students this year. The majority of these students, 256, are preps. In addition, there are 88 admitted lowers, 57 uppers and 39 seniors and postgraduates. The ratio of male to female students is nearly equal, and stands at 51 to 49.
Leahy said the school accepted students “who demonstrated intellectual curiosity, kindness and humility, who represent and appreciate the very best qualities of Exeter and fulfill our mission of enrolling youth from every quarter,” after an extensive review process based on input from both faculty members and the Admissions Department.
Biology Instructor Elizabeth Stevens was one of the faculty members who reviewed applications this admissions cycle. “We write comments about each applicant and rate them according to the characteristics we are looking for,” she said. Stevens explained that the committee was “looking for high-achieving, bright, hard-working students who are intellectually curious. We’re also looking for students who will be active in the community in some way and have good character.”
Leahy found the increase in applications to be unsurprising, despite recent reports of sexual misconduct and racial tensions that have arguably undermined the Academy’s reputation. “Prospective families consider a variety of factors when deciding to apply to certain schools—academic offerings, extracurricular opportunities, teaching style and overall composition of the student body. In this regard, Exeter continues to provide a much sought-after education,” he said.
Prospective upper Lenny Chen confirmed Leahy’s sentiments, detailing the positive personal accounts of Academy life he had heard from current Exonians. “I read some negative things about Exeter in some news articles, but I pretty much just dismissed them,” he commented. “I have two friends who go to Exeter right now, and they both influenced my opinion in a positive way.”
Dorothy Baker, a prospective prep, stated her conviction in the Academy’s efforts to address and solve issues, particularly those pertaining to sexual misconduct. “I’m sure that these allegations were a one-time occurrence and that it will not happen again because students and faculty are more mindful. The allegations did not affect my decision to apply,” she said.
Since the start of his tenure, Leahy revealed how he had changed the application process as the new Dean of Enrollment and External Relations by merging the Exeter application process with the Gateway to Prep Schools online application consortium. Leahy said that the shared online platform comprised of over 50 independent school applications “streamlines the application process for both prospective students and the school.” The Gateway system allows students to complete a common candidate profile for multiple schools, organize their submissions and more easily track the status of their applications. Previously, Exeter required applicants to apply using its own online system.
Leahy emphasized that Gateway still allows schools to provide applicants with a unique set of requirements and written response questions. “Gateway is a common platform, not a common application,” he said. “That’s important because I don’t want students to choose a bunch of schools off a list without really thinking about it. We want them to feel a level of commitment to Exeter and the other independent schools they may be applying to.”
Mei Li, an incoming lower, agreed that Gateway made the application process simpler. “I think it made the process much easier because the Gateway site has a clear checklist of things to be done before the deadline so you could clearly see the things you accomplished as well as the things you still needed to complete,” she said.
Having gotten an early taste of the Exeter experience through the Academy’s summer school, Baker is excited to become a full-time Exonian. “Everyone at Exeter is determined to learn, and everyone works hard to make themselves the best they can be,” she said. “I felt that the community as a whole wanted everyone to succeed and students and faculty were always very willing to help…I fell in love with Exeter at summer school.”
Lucy Weil, an incoming prep from Washington, D.C., described the feeling of anticipation she has about beginning her Exeter journey. “I’m excited to meet new people and live in a dorm. I hope to learn new things about myself and learn how to work under a lot of pressure,” she said. “I know it will be hard, but I’m excited for the challenge.”