Phillips Exeter Academy admissions for 2027-28 close on January 15, and the file includes two 200 to 500 word student essays, a parent statement and an Upper Level SSAT or ISEE. Decisions are released on March 10. I've seen families book the test and leave both essays for the last week of December.
Phillips Exeter Academy Admissions at a Glance
- Application deadline: January 15. Decisions released: March 10.
- Grade 9 test: the Upper Level of the SSAT or the ISEE, taken no earlier than one year before January 15.
- Written work: two 200 to 500 word student essays and a parent statement, submitted in the Exeter Applicant Portal.
- Interview: required for all applicants, with a choice of format.
- Application fee: $60, with fee waivers for students who plan to apply for financial aid.
- Recommendations: principal or counselor, English teacher, math teacher and a personal recommendation.
Phillips Exeter Academy Admissions: The Three Parts of the Application
Exeter organizes the application into three parts, and each has its own owner.
- Part I: begin the application and pay the $60 fee.
- Part II: schedule and complete the standardized test, then submit the student essay and parent statement in the Exeter Applicant Portal.
- Part III: request recommendations and transcripts through Gateway to Prep Schools. This part opens in October.
Families then track the file in the portal until decision day on March 10. You can schedule a tour or interview as soon as the application is underway.
The Exeter Test Requirement: Upper Level SSAT or ISEE
Applicants to grade 9 submit one Upper Level test, the SSAT or the ISEE. Scores must arrive from the testing company, which Exeter identifies by school code. The SSAT code is 5764, and the SAT and ISEE code is 300185.
Exeter's page says both tests include a writing sample and that admissions readers look at that sample closely. It is the only writing in the file that happens under test conditions, so it carries weight.
In my experience, students prepare for the multiple-choice sections and treat the writing sample as an afterthought. The test's writing prompt reaches the school with the scores, so it deserves the same attention.
The Two Exeter Essays and the Parent Statement
You submit two essays of 200 to 500 words in the Exeter Applicant Portal. The prompts are in the portal, not on the public page, so you read them when you log in. A parent statement is also in the portal.
The weak essay at this length is an inventory. It lists activities, honors and interests, and the reader learns nothing the transcript did not say. The strong essay is built around one decision or one moment and what the student noticed.
Because the word range is wide, many students write the long version of everything. Choosing what to cut is the hard part, and it is the part you cannot see in your own draft.
A 500-word essay and a timed writing sample are both hard to judge on your own, because a familiar reader hides the gaps and an untimed draft hides the pace. Start the combo plan for timed STEM Critical Thinking test simulations and detailed Essay Writing feedback.
Interviews, Recommendations and Fees at Exeter
Exeter requires an interview for every applicant and asks about passions, strengths and what you want to share. You pick the format in the portal.
Recommendations come from a current principal or counselor, current English and math teachers and a personal recommender who can speak to your character. Your school and recommenders receive an email from Gateway on your behalf. Ask teachers early, because they write many letters in the same weeks.
The application fee is $60. Fee waivers are available through the payment screen in Gateway to students who intend to apply for financial aid.
Exeter Dates After You Submit
Decisions are released on March 10, 2027. The page does not list an enrollment response date, so check your portal after the decision.
I've worked with students who treated January 15 as the date to start the essays. Start in November, so December is for revision and the week of January 15 is for checking that the test scores arrived.
Phillips Exeter Academy Admissions FAQ
Q: Which test levels does Exeter accept for grade 9?
A: Applicants to grade 9 must submit the Upper Level of the SSAT or the ISEE. Results must come from a test taken no earlier than one year before the January 15 deadline, and they must be sent directly by the testing company.
Q: What are the Exeter school codes?
A: The SAT and ISEE code is 300185, the SSAT code is 5764 and the ACT code is 8174. Exeter will not accept test scores sent by an applicant, so use the codes when you register.
Q: Is the Character Skills Snapshot required?
A: No. Exeter accepts the Character Skills Snapshot that comes with the SSAT, but it is not required. You can upload it to the Exeter Applicant Portal or email it to admit@exeter.edu.
Q: Who writes the recommendations?
A: A current principal or guidance counselor, your current English and math teachers and one personal recommendation about your character and community. You request them through Gateway to Prep Schools, and that part of the application opens in October.
Q: Does Exeter require an interview?
A: Yes. The page says it requires an interview for all applicants and lets you choose the format. You schedule it in the Exeter Applicant Portal after your application is underway.
Q: Do families who need aid face a disadvantage?
A: No. The Dean of Enrollment says students applying for financial aid are not in a more competitive situation, and a family's financial circumstances have no bearing on admissions decisions.
Q: How much is the application fee?
A: The fee is $60 for all applicants, domestic and international. Fee waivers are available to all students who intend to apply for financial aid, and you request them through the payment screen in Gateway.
Scored Practice for the Exeter Test and Essays
Exeter reads an Upper Level test score and two essays. Use STEM Critical Thinking Practice Tests for timed test simulations with progress tracking and Essay Writing Practice Tests for practice essay prompts with detailed grading and feedback. The combo plan covers both, or compare all plans and pricing first.
