(Not to be confused with Phillips Academy.) Phillips Exeter Academy is a highly-selective, coeducational independent school for boarding and day students between the 9th and 12th grade. It is located in Exeter, New Hampshire, capital of the state during the American Revolution, and is one of the oldest secondary schools in the United States. It is particularly noted for its innovation and application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking questions and creating discussions.