Andover's written application has four pieces: a graded writing sample, an essay response, a parent or guardian statement, and a short video response. The school does not publish the essay prompt, word limit, or video length on its public pages, so read them in your Gateway and portal accounts before you draft. Most families have time to do this well if they start in the fall.
The written and recorded pieces
The Apply page lists these items under Step 4, "Submit the remaining application documents":
- Graded writing sample. Submitted through Gateway to Prep Schools. It is a piece of schoolwork that a teacher has already graded.
- Essay response. Submitted through Gateway. The pages we reviewed give no prompt or length.
- Parent or guardian statement. Submitted through Gateway. Gateway notes that in most cases a parent or guardian must create the application account.
- Short video response. Submitted through the Andover application portal. The pages do not state the prompt or length.
Gateway lists the writing sample, parent statement, and essay response as Part 2 of the application and also allows up to two optional additional documents. Andover's Apply page says multimedia links can go on the Candidate Profile or in part two of the Gateway application.
Test writing counts too
Two tests that Andover accepts include an unscored writing task. The Upper Level SSAT has a 25-minute writing sample, and the testing organization says it "is not scored, but schools use it to assess writing skills." The Upper Level ISEE has a 30-minute essay. ERB says the essay is not scored and that the schools a family selects as score recipients receive a copy of it. If your child takes either test, the writing task travels to Andover with the scores.
How to prepare
The graded writing sample
- Choose a piece that shows real thinking: an argument, an analysis, a reflection.
- Keep the teacher's grade and comments on it, because the school asks for a graded sample.
- Pick work from this school year or last if you can, so it reflects the student's current level.
- Do not rewrite it. A polished rewrite defeats the purpose of a sample.
The essay response
- Read the prompt in your account first. Do not draft from a prompt found on a forum.
- Let the student write the first draft alone. Parents can ask questions and point out unclear sentences.
- Use specific details: a scene, a person, a decision. General claims about passion do not help a reader remember a student.
- Read it aloud. If a sentence does not sound like the student, rewrite it.
The parent or guardian statement
- Write about the child you know: how they handle frustration, what they do without being asked, how they treat others.
- Give examples a teacher might not see.
- Be honest about challenges, and say what the child did about them.
- Keep it in your own voice. This is not a second application essay.
The short video response
- Read the prompt and any time limit in the portal before recording.
- Use a quiet room, steady audio, and even lighting.
- Speak naturally from a few notes rather than reading a script.
- Record more than once, then keep the take that sounds most like the student.
The video is a recorded response, and the interview recording option is a separate choice in Step 2. See the Andover interview guide for that decision.
A sensible order of work
The pieces depend on each other, so the order matters more than the speed.
- Start with the Candidate Profile. It opens the Andover portal, where the video response lives, and links you to Gateway, where the Part 2 forms are submitted.
- Pick the graded writing sample early. It needs a teacher's grade already on it, so you are choosing from existing schoolwork, not creating something new.
- Draft the essay response next. Give the student time to write, set it aside, and revise.
- Write the parent statement after the essay. Reading the student's draft first helps a parent avoid repeating it and add what only a parent can say.
- Record the video last. It is the piece most affected by nerves, and a student who has already thought through the essay has the material fresh.
How the pieces work together
Each piece shows a different angle. The graded writing sample shows ordinary classroom work with a teacher's response. The essay response shows the student writing for this school on a prompt it chose. The parent statement shows the child through an adult who knows them well. The video response shows how the student sounds. If the same story appears in all four, the file feels narrow. Spread different examples across the pieces, and let the recommendations and grades cover the rest.
Common mistakes
- Starting late. The Candidate Profile triggers account access, and the February 1, 2027 deadline arrives quickly. The Andover admissions timeline shows a workable schedule.
- Submitting an ungraded writing sample. The school asks for a graded sample.
- Letting an adult write the student's essay. The point is to hear the applicant.
- Repeating the activity list. The essay is a chance to show something the rest of the file cannot.
- Skipping proofreading. Typos in a Part 2 document are easy to prevent.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Andover essay prompts?
Andover does not publish the prompts on its public admission pages. The essay response is submitted through Gateway to Prep Schools, so read the prompt in your account.
Does Andover require a writing sample?
Yes. The Apply page lists a graded writing sample among the remaining application documents, submitted through Gateway. It is a piece of schoolwork that has been graded by a teacher.
Is the Andover video response required?
The Apply page lists a short video response in Step 4 and says it is submitted through the Andover application portal. The page does not state its length or prompt.
Who writes the parent statement?
A parent or guardian writes it. It is submitted through Gateway, and the school's public pages do not publish its prompts.
Getting help
If you want structured support with preparation, see the programs page.
Sources
- How to Apply, Andover admission
- Gateway to Prep Schools
- What's on the Upper Level SSAT? Admission.org
- ISEE Quick Facts Guide 2026-2027
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