Phillips Exeter Academy

Phillips Exeter Academy
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Name	Phillips Exeter Academy
Established	1781
Type	Private boarding school
Head of school	William K. Rawson
Location	Exeter, New Hampshire, United States
Campus	671 acres
Colors	Maroon
Motto	Non Sibi

Phillips Exeter Academy Phillips Exeter Academy is an independent coeducational college-preparatory boarding school in Exeter, New Hampshire, founded in 1781. Known for its Harkness table pedagogical method and extensive endowment, the school enrolls students from across the United States and around the world. Exeter's influence on secondary schooling in the United States is reflected in its alumni network, curricular innovations, and architectural legacy.

History

Exeter was founded in 1781 by John Phillips, a Boston merchant and uncle of Samuel Phillips Jr., who founded Phillips Academy Andover; early benefactors included members of the Lowell family, William D. Shipman, and other New England merchants. The academy's 19th-century period saw faculty such as Samuel F. Smith and trustees connected to Dartmouth College, while 20th-century figures like Warren F. Draper and Harrison E. Salisbury intersected with broader American cultural and civic institutions. Exeter weathered crises including the American Civil War and the Great Depression, adapting curricula in response to national debates involving figures like Horace Mann and movements including the Progressive Era. The academy integrated and expanded during the post-World War II era, influenced by returning veterans and associations with Harvard College, Yale University, and other Ivy League institutions. In recent decades, leadership changes have featured heads of school engaged with organizations such as the National Association of Independent Schools and philanthropic partners like the Gates Foundation.

Campus and Facilities

The campus sits along the Squamscott River in Rockingham County, featuring Georgian, Federal, and modernist architecture influenced by architects linked to projects at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prominent buildings include libraries modeled on collections referencing Boston Public Library holdings, science centers equipped with laboratories comparable to those at MIT Media Lab affiliates, and athletic facilities used for matches against rivals such as Phillips Academy Andover, Choate Rosemary Hall, and St. Paul's School (New Hampshire). Exeter's museum and archives house manuscripts, letters, and works associated with figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, John Adams, and documents tied to the American Revolution. Residential houses and dormitories reflect historic donors including the Peabody family and architects who also worked for Yale University and the Smithsonian Institution.

Academics

Exeter's curriculum emphasizes small-group discussions at the Harkness table and offers courses across humanities, sciences, and arts, often intersecting with syllabi influenced by Harvard University, Oxford University, and Cambridge University traditions. Departments host faculty who have published with presses such as Harvard University Press and Oxford University Press and who previously taught at institutions including Princeton University, Columbia University, and Stanford University. Advanced courses prepare students for matriculation to colleges including Harvard College, Yale University, Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Brown University, Columbia University, Dartmouth College, University of Chicago, Duke University, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, Northwestern University, Pomona College, Wesleyan University, Williams College, Amherst College, Swarthmore College, Boston College, and Tufts University. Research opportunities have connected students with programs at the American Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, and regional laboratories associated with Cornell University and University of New Hampshire partnerships.

Student Life and Traditions

Student life includes residential communities, extracurriculars, and traditions such as examinations and convocations that echo customs at establishments like Eton College, Phillips Academy Andover, and Groton School. Athletic programs compete in leagues featuring Andover, Choate Rosemary Hall, Lawrenceville School, and Milton Academy; teams have faced opponents from St. George's School (Rhode Island), Deerfield Academy, and Hotchkiss School. Artistic endeavors collaborate with visiting artists from institutions like the Juilliard School, New York Philharmonic, and regional theaters that have premiered works by playwrights linked to Actors Studio alumni. Community service and student governance have ties to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Amnesty International, and the United Nations youth programs.

Admissions and Financial Aid

Admissions processes attract applicants from U.S. states and countries represented by international students with profiles resembling those applying to Andover, Choate Rosemary Hall, St. Paul's School (New Hampshire), and Hotchkiss School; applicants often compare Exeter with Lawrenceville School and Deerfield Academy. Financial aid initiatives include need-based scholarships funded by donors and foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, and alumni giving programs modeled after campaigns at Harvard University and Yale University. The school maintains outreach and summer programs connected to regional public schools, non-profits such as Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and college-preparatory partnerships with institutions including University of New Hampshire and community organizations.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Alumni and faculty have included political leaders, writers, scientists, and jurists connected to institutions and events such as the United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, the Supreme Court of the United States, and international bodies like the United Nations General Assembly. Graduates have gone on to prominence at Harvard College, Yale University, Princeton University, Columbia University, Stanford University, and careers intersecting with figures like Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Noam Chomsky, E. O. Wilson, and artists linked to The Metropolitan Museum of Art and MoMA. Faculty and visiting lecturers have included scholars associated with Harvard University Press, journalists from The New York Times, and scientists affiliated with NASA and the National Institutes of Health.

Category:Boarding schools in New Hampshire