Andover does not publish a current acceptance rate on the admission pages we reviewed for the 2026-27 cycle. The most recent admit rate on andover.edu is 13 percent, from a news story dated May 30, 2019. Treat it as history that shows how selective the school is, not as a prediction for any one applicant.
What Andover has published
The school has stated its admit rate in news stories on its own site. These are the figures, with the year of each story:
- 2019: the school reported "a record 3,191 applications from 50 states and 92 countries." It said the admission rate "held steady at 13 percent" and that 83 percent of admitted students chose to enroll.
- 2018: a story dated April 19, 2018 reported a record 3,140 applicants and an admission rate that "held steady at 13 percent." Yield, the share of admitted students who enroll, had stayed at 80 percent or above for seven consecutive years.
- 2017: the school's story reported about 3,000 applicants and "420 students, or 14 percent" accepted. Of those, 341 said yes, which the school gave as 81 percent.
The 2017 story also explains the method: "The Academy calculates its admission rate based on the number of completed applications." So the rate describes applications that were finished, not every profile that was started.
We did not find a newer rate on andover.edu. Many ranking and directory websites print a figure, and those figures disagree with each other. Because they are not from the school, we do not repeat them here.
What the rate does not tell you
A single school-wide number hides a lot. Andover accepts new students into several grades, and the school's general FAQ page lists how many join each year:
- More than 200 new ninth graders, also called juniors at Andover.
- About 85 new 10th graders, called lowers.
- 20 to 25 new 11th graders, called uppers.
- 30 to 35 new seniors and postgraduates combined.
These are counts of new students, not admit rates. The school does not publish an admit rate by entry grade, so you cannot work one out from what it has posted. Please do not divide the 2019 applicant count by a class size from a different year and call the result a rate. The numbers come from different years and different pages, and the result would be a guess.
How to read the number
- Selective, and by design. An admit rate in the low teens, the figure the school reported from 2017 through 2019, means most completed applications do not end in an offer.
- No cutoff. The school's FAQ says the admission committee has "no minimum grade or score requirements for acceptance." It also says the average Andover student maintained an "A" average at their previous school. Both statements describe the people who enrolled, not a line you must clear.
- Not a score game. Standardized testing is required, but it is one part of a file that also includes a graded writing sample, an essay, a parent statement, grades, and four recommendations. The Andover application guide walks through each part.
- Aid does not change the odds. Andover describes its process as need-blind. The school says applying for financial aid does not affect the admission decision. Details are in the Andover financial aid guide.
What to do with this information
Use the published figures for what they are good for: a sense of scale. About 3,000 to 3,200 applications arrived in the years the school reported, and most applicants did not receive an offer. That is enough to plan sensibly. It means building a complete file, applying to a range of schools, and keeping your child's expectations calm.
It also helps to separate two questions. The first is whether your child is a strong candidate, which the school's own materials, a graded writing sample, and teachers' recommendations will show. The second is what the odds are, which no public number can answer for one student. The school's FAQ says the committee has no minimum grade or score requirements, so there is no line to measure yourself against. Focus on what you control: a finished application, submitted before the February 1, 2027 deadline for fall 2027 entry, with every part complete.
Common mistakes
- Quoting a rate from a ranking site as if the school said it. If a source does not link to andover.edu, ask where the number came from.
- Treating 13 percent as your child's chance. It is an average across an applicant pool that varies by grade, background, and preparation.
- Building a plan around a statistic. The part you control is a complete, honest, on-time application. The admissions timeline lays out the dates.
- Ignoring fit. A school that admits a small share of applicants will still decline many strong students. Compare Andover with two or three other schools on the school fit page.
Frequently asked questions
What is Andover's acceptance rate?
The latest rate on andover.edu is 13 percent, reported in a May 2019 news story that cited 3,191 applications. The school has not published a newer rate on the admission pages we reviewed.
Does Andover publish how many students it admits each year?
Not as a current figure on the pages we reviewed. A 2017 news story reported 420 students accepted from about 3,000 applicants, and the school's FAQ says more than 200 new ninth graders join each year.
Is it harder to get into Andover for some grades than others?
The school does not publish an admit rate by grade. Its FAQ lists the number of new students who join each grade, which is not the same as an admit rate.
Does applying for financial aid lower my chances?
No. Andover states that its admission process is need-blind and that applying for aid does not affect the admission decision.
Getting help
If you want structured support with preparation, see the programs page.
Sources
- Looking back on admission success, Andover news, May 30, 2019
- Record applications fuel admission season, Andover news, April 19, 2018
- Admissions reports another high yield for 239th incoming class, Andover news, 2017
- Andover FAQs
- How to Apply, Andover admission
- Tuition and Financial Aid, Andover
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