Academic calendar
Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 17, 2026 – Dec 19, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall Semester 2026Relevant now
- School Year 2026-2027
- Spring Semester 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 27 of 27 terms
A
- Abbot
- Abbot Hall, a residential dormitory.
- Amen
- Amen Hall, a residential dormitory.
C
- Cilley
- Cilley Hall, a residential dormitory.
D
- DEx
- The Exonian, the school's weekly student-run newspaper (often referred to by its staff as 'The Exonian').
- DRA
- Dormitory Religious Assistant, a student leader providing spiritual support in dorms.
- DRAMAT
- The Exeter Dramatists, the student-run theater organization.
- Dunbar
- Dunbar Hall, a residential dormitory for students.
E
- E/A
- Exeter/Andover, referring to the historic rivalry and the annual athletic weekend.
- Elm
- Elm Street Dining Center, one of the two main dining halls.
- EP
- Evening Prayer; historically a religious service, now a designated quiet study period.
- ESSO
- Exeter Student Service Organization, the primary community service umbrella group.
H
- Harkness
- The discussion-based teaching method involving students sitting around an oval table.
L
- Langdell
- Langdell Hall, a residential dormitory.
- Lower
- A tenth-grade student (sophomore).
M
- Main Street
- Main Street Hall, a residential dormitory on the edge of campus.
P
- PEA
- Phillips Exeter Academy, the common abbreviation for the school itself.
- PEAN
- The Phillips Exeter Annual, the school's yearbook.
- PG
- A post-graduate student completing a single year of study after high school graduation.
- Prep
- A ninth-grade student (freshman).
S
- Senior
- A twelfth-grade student.
- StuCo
- Student Council, the student government body.
T
- The Bubble
- The feeling of being isolated from the outside world due to the intense academic and social environment on campus.
- The Exonian
- The school's weekly student-run newspaper, often referred to as the oldest preparatory school paper in the US.
- The Grill
- A casual eatery located in the Elizabeth Phillips Academy Center.
U
- Upper
- An eleventh-grade student (junior).
W
- Wetherell
- Wetherell Dining Hall, one of the two main dining halls.
- Wheelwright
- Wheelwright Hall, a residential dormitory.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Academy Building
- The main academic building housing classrooms and administrative offices.
- Assembly
- Mandatory bi-weekly meetings for the entire school community in the Academy Building.
- Boarder
- A student who resides in one of the campus dormitories.
- Check-in
- The nightly curfew requirement where students must be present in their dorms.
- D-Day
- A specific day in the school's rotating seven-day (A through G) academic schedule.
- Day Student
- A student who lives locally and does not reside in a campus dormitory.
- EPAC
- The Elizabeth Phillips Academy Center, which serves as the student union and social hub.
- Exeter Card
- The official student ID used for building access, library services, and meals.
- Goel
- The Goel Center for Theater and Dance.
- lchs_cafeteria
- LCHS Cafeteria
- Lion Card
- The official student identification card used for building access, dining, and library services.
- Love
- Love Gymnasium, the primary athletic facility.
- Love Gym
- The Love Gymnasium, the primary facility for indoor athletics and physical education.
- Phelps
- Phelps Science Center, the main facility for science classes.
- The Academy
- The Academy Building, the central academic hub housing many classrooms.
- The Cage
- The Thompson Cage, a large indoor athletic facility used for track and various sports practices.
- The Exonian
- The oldest continuously running preparatory school newspaper in the US.
- The Lib
- The Class of 1945 Library, the iconic Louis Kahn-designed library.
- The Library
- The Class of 1945 Library, the iconic Louis Kahn-designed research and study space.
- V-Time
- Visitation time, the specific hours during which students are permitted to visit dorms of the opposite gender.
- willow_point_mobile_home_park_summer_meal_site
- Willow Point Mobile Home Park (Summer Meal Site)
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 17, 2026 – Dec 19, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 27 approved campus terms and 21 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.