Andover's application has a Candidate Profile, an interview, one standardized test, and a set of documents: a graded writing sample, an essay response, a short video response, a parent or guardian statement, grades, and four recommendations. The deadline for fall 2027 entry is February 1, 2027. The school is need-blind, so applying for financial aid does not affect the admission decision.
This guide walks through each part as the school describes it on andover.edu, what it asks, and how to prepare. Where the school does not publish a detail, such as essay prompts, it says so.
The five steps
The school organizes the application in steps:
- Step 1: the Candidate Profile.
- Step 2: the interview.
- Step 3: standardized testing.
- Step 4: the remaining documents.
- Step 5: financial aid, if applicable.
Step 1: the Candidate Profile
You complete the Candidate Profile (Part One) on the Gateway to Prep Schools website and submit it to Andover. About 24 hours later you get an email with login credentials for the Andover application portal.
Applicants choose to apply as a day student or a boarding student. The school states that this choice is not restricted by geography and that it is a one-time-only option made when the application is submitted. Talk through the decision as a family before you submit.
Preparation: gather school names, teacher contacts, and any multimedia links first. The school says portfolios or videos can be linked on the Candidate Profile or in part two of the Gateway application.
Step 2: the interview
Using your portal login, you choose one of three options: an on-campus interview, a virtual interview, or an interview recording. Interviews are conducted through January, with appointments added on a rolling basis. To cancel or reschedule, log back into the portal.
The school encourages an on-campus or virtual tour if you are able. Tours are separate from the interview.
How to prepare: practice talking about specific things the student has done, read, built, or struggled with, in the student's own words. Parents should stay out of the answers. A recording option means the student should rehearse once, listen back, and avoid memorized scripts.
Step 3: standardized testing
Andover states that standardized testing is required. Applicants submit one of: the Upper Level SSAT, the Upper Level ISEE, the PSAT, the SAT, or the ACT. Scores must be sent to the school. The school's codes are SSAT 5758, ISEE 220030, SAT 0156, and TOEFL 8127.
What the Upper Level SSAT contains, per the testing organization: scored Quantitative, Verbal, and Reading sections, plus an unscored writing sample and an unscored experimental section. The Upper Level ISEE, for applicants to grades 9 through 12, has Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, and Mathematics Achievement sections plus an essay that is not scored. The ISEE may be taken once per testing season.
Students who attend a non-English-medium school outside the United States are asked to take the TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test. As a guideline, the school says most admitted international students score at or above 100 on the TOEFL iBT, 7.5 on the IELTS, or 135 on the Duolingo English Test.
The school's pages give one list of accepted tests and do not say which test suits which entry grade. Pick the one the student can prepare for best and take it once, early enough that scores arrive before February 1.
Step 4: the remaining documents
The school lists these items. Most go through Gateway, and the short video goes through the Andover portal.
Graded writing sample
A piece of the student's schoolwork that has been graded. Choose one that reflects the student's real thinking, with the teacher's comments intact.
Essay response
Submitted through Gateway. The school does not publish the prompt or length on its public pages, so read it in your Gateway account before drafting.
Short video response
Submitted through the Andover application portal. The public pages do not state the prompt or length. Plan for a quiet room, steady audio, and a response the student can say naturally rather than read.
Parent or guardian statement
Submitted through Gateway. The public pages do not publish its prompts. Write about the child you know: what they do when no one is watching, how they handle frustration, and why this school fits them.
Grades
Andover requires grade reports from the first term of the current school year and from the prior two school years. Applicants to 12th grade and the postgraduate program must submit a complete high school transcript.
Recommendations
Four are required:
- Principal or counselor recommendation
- Current English teacher recommendation
- Current math teacher recommendation
- Personal recommendation
The school states that the math and English recommendations must be submitted by the applicant's current teachers, not former teachers. A former teacher in any subject who knows the student well may write the personal recommendation. Recommenders who do not write in English may write in their native language, and a translation is helpful but not required.
Optional items
A special interest recommendation and an arts or athletics supplement are both optional. Add them only if they show something the rest of the file cannot.
Step 5: fees and financial aid
The school's application page does not list an application fee or an interview fee, and we found no application fee waiver policy. Check the school's admissions site for any fee on your account.
Families applying for financial aid can request a standardized testing fee waiver through the application portal.
Andover describes its admission process as need-blind: "your application for financial aid does not impact your admission decision." On its financial aid page, the school says it meets 100 percent of each admitted student's demonstrated financial need, with grants rather than loans.
Financial aid details:
- The aid application deadline is February 1, the same day as the admission deadline.
- All families, domestic and international, use the Clarity Tuition application. The submission fee is $65.
- Families who may want aid now or later must apply in the student's initial application year.
- Financial information is required from all living parents, and divorced or separated parents each complete a separate application.
- Aid decisions are communicated on March 10.
- International students are welcome to apply for aid.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the Candidate Profile until late. The interview scheduler and portal depend on it.
- Choosing a former teacher for English or math. Use current teachers.
- Submitting two tests and hoping the better one counts. The school asks for one of the listed tests.
- Not applying for aid in the first year. The school requires families to apply in the initial application year.
- Writing the parent statement as a resume. It should sound like a parent.
FAQ
Does Andover require testing?
Yes. The school states that standardized testing is required.
Which test should my child take?
Any one of the Upper Level SSAT, Upper Level ISEE, PSAT, SAT, or ACT. The school does not rank them.
Does asking for aid hurt admission chances?
The school says its process is need-blind and that applying for aid does not affect the decision.
Is there an application fee?
The application page does not list one. Confirm on the school's admissions site.
Getting help with the work
Families who want structured support with essays, interview practice, or test preparation can look at the AndoverPrep programs page.
Sources
- How to Apply, Andover admission
- Admission FAQs, Andover
- Visiting Andover
- Financial Aid Requirements, Andover
- Tuition and Financial Aid, Andover
- Andover's Waiting List FAQ
- Upper Level SSAT overview
- ISEE Quick Facts Guide 2026-2027
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