Alumni
Once an NCPAer, Always an NCPAer
Each year, the NCPA alumni grows around the world, adding to members in existing locations and reaching out to new ones. We invite all our alumni to contact the alumni office to make sure they're an active part of that network. Whether you want to reconnect with old friends, contribute back to the community by mentoring a younger alum or current student, or just stay in the loop, everyone can continue to benefit from the special shared experience that was, and is, NCPA.
Alumni Profiles
I'd like to take this opportunity to share with you two pieces of advice that I've found invaluable: Think hard and ask good questions. NCPA teachers encourage students to ask questions to satisfy our curiosity, but don't forget to ask yourself questions: don't rush to seek answers when you're confused, asking questions internally not only allows you to ask the right question, but also allows you to sort out your problems and find the root cause of the problem.
Remember the dream, plan it well and get it done realistically. Maybe right now, you haven't discovered your passion or what you're good at, but don't be anxious. It's not scary. What is scary is being the one who goes with the flow and tries to fit in. Thus, take the time to find your purpose in these four years, break down your big goals into small steps, and after you complete each task, every little mark you make will be a footprint to achieve that dream that originally sounded out of reach.
I hope you will have fun here, keep learning, and always stay young and love life.
Shirley He, Class of 2016, Harvard University, Human Development & Psychology
The people and activities I encountered at NCPA gave me a constant source of passion and courage to work hard. At NCPA, everyone's creativity, cooperation, communication abilities are qualitatively changed in the intense burst and collision of various activities, such as in the kite making math class, the microfilm festival, the science and technology festival, the debate table of Model United Nations conference and so on. Please embrace every day of your time at NCPA, discover your potential, discuss with your teachers to improve yourself, and meet your best friends who will work alongside you in the future. Every dream is like a door to a different world, and your story, now is the beginning." I hope you can dream big at NCPA and open many doors……
Jason Cheng, Class of 2016, Standford University, Material Science & Engineering
Jason Cheng, Class of 2016, Standford University, Material Science & Engineering
The student life at NCPA is wonderful, and you will have a certain degree of control in your course selection and after-school activities. On top of that, NCPA is a school that will help you explore and discover new hobbies and provide a platform and medium for your continued development. Compared to other schools, the so-called "important" and "unimportant" subjects or activities are redefined here: learning a new instrument from scratch, participating in a favorite elective or after-school activity, joining a competitive sport team etc., are no longer considered secondary to learning a major subject. This is a rare advantage, because compared to other schools, at NCPA, your hobbies are not restricted that much by subjects you are not good at Four years at NCPA is enough time for you to be exposed to and explore enough new things to broaden your horizons. If you're lucky, you'll find your niche and make like-minded friends. That said, it all starts with a willingness to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. At NCPA, we respect individual differences, just like we shouldn't compare apples and oranges. Believe in yourself and take the first step to explore, then often, the road ahead is easier than you think. NCPA is like a rich and nutritious soil, you can focus on the tree you like, or you can try to plant new seeds; maybe with a little fertilization, one of the trees can grow into a luxuriant branch?
Sharon Xu, Class of 2016, Cornell University
The greatest gift offered by NCPA to me is exactly the spirit that dwells within its name: Negotiator, Collaborator, Planner, and Achiever. After four years of college, I deeply realize how essential these four words are. Stepping onto the journey to the other side of the world, the first thing I faced was independence. If I were not following the planner principle, I might be lost the first day of the thousands of choices I needed to make. The second thing I faced was to let others understand my needs. I was not a person who would ask for things proactively, and when I didn’t, I rarely found anyone who would care and ask me. However, whenever I started tonegotiate proactively, I usually got the answer I was looking for. Finally, I learned that I cannot do everything by myself. Despite how good a person is or how high his/her GPA is, he/she will need to work with other people. Collaborating, understanding, and accepting other peoples ideas, negotiating instead of just accepting when there is conflict with ideas, setting up structure, and planning for teamwork, these are all lessons I derived from the NCPA spirit in these four years.
Simon Xu, Class of 2016, Duke University, Fuqua School of Business
Memories of NCPA are full of love, kindness, warmth and are some of the happiest and most memorable times I can remember. At NCPA, we encourage exploration and discovery of potential. Maybe you'll sweat it out for a new sport and go to Hong Kong, Macau and other areas to play tournaments with your teammates; maybe you'll play a new instrument you learned in class and perform with your friends at Xinghai Concert Hall; maybe you'll dress up as a witch for the first time and play mysteries at a Halloween party; maybe you'll form a band and perform at a Christmas party; maybe you'll participate in the Model United Nations with heated debates and perhaps you'll pack your backpack and go around the country to volunteer in the community.......NCPA will keep giving you lots of opportunities. Have fun trying! You will encounter many challenges, if you dare to think and persevere, you will find that the world is within your reach.
In the meantime, you will gradually know yourself and the world more clearly. I am grateful that NCPA not only cultivated the worldview, values and outlook on life that I have been striving for, but also allowed me to find close friends and confidants who share these values and make my life more valuable from now on. I believe that you must be the same. I hope you cherish the present moment and live each day to the fullest!
Yingsi Qin, Class of 2016, Columbia University, Computer Science & Physics
At NCPA, you will try many new things and ideas, review some of your conventional perceptions, and even reshape many of your ideas about life, the world and the future. All you have to do is to let go of your fear of the unknown, bravely step out of your comfort zone, embrace these new experiences, take the best and remove the worst, and find a world that suits you and belongs to you.
NCPA is a bridge between Chinese and western education, between your childhood and adulthood, between your past and your future. Many of your experiences at NCPA will help you adapt to your adult life in western universities faster and better, such as facing unfamiliar language and culture, new things and experiences, responsibility and freedom. I hope that you will benefit from your time here, and that you will learn, feel and reflect more in your life at NCPA, so that you can achieve something greater.
Lucy Xiao, Class of 2016, UCLA, Political Science & Entrepreneurship
NCPA is a way of life, and more importantly, it's an attitude. It's not just a school, it's the community in which you will live and grow for the next four years. You are not just students, instead, you are the builders, maintainers and supporters of that community. At NCPA, students are not there to listen to teachers, they are the counterpart of the teachers and have a significant voice. You can communicate with your teachers, create your own clubs, organize activities you love, influence decisions made by the student body, and even request changes to school policies - all of which are part of your contribution as a member of this community. NCPA offers not only academic classes, but opportunities and experiences that I think all other schools can't compare. Therefore, you should seize the opportunity to experience what this school has to offer, and moreover, play and study hard, because these four years will be the most memorable period in your entire life.
Marco Ma, Class of 2016, University of British Columbia
NCPA provided me with an empowering experience by building the 21st century competencies that benefit me in my ongoing learning. It helped me develop cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal skills in my academic and social life. Academically, NCPA ignited my professional interests and passions in education through its practices that respect student voices and emphasize students wellbeing and success in a supportive learning community. I developed my skills in research, critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving through NCPA’s open-ended teaching and evaluation framework. Socially, NCPA‘s promotion of diverse cultures and expressions in its staff and students cultivates my curiosity about the world and commitment to ongoing exploration. In addition, one of the highlights of the NCPA is the opportunity for students to develop a variety of interests. The various leadership opportunities in sports, clubs, and the student government shaped my leadership skills, which continue to support my leadership roles in student groups at the university. NCPA’s extra-curricular activities built my physical and social-emotional skills, including confidence, risk-taking, and resiliency, which were essential to create a successful and fulfilling experience at the university.
Betty Luo, Class of 2016, University of Toronto, OISE
NCPA gave me the chance to learn myself. The learning environment offered by NCPA differs drastically from traditional Chinese high schools. Although they are both trying to prepare us for successful careers, NCPA shows us that the path is not linear -- it is not a race to the finish line. Instead, we are allowed to detour and explore other things that might matter to us. The exploration of interests at NCPA enabled me to quickly find my future research direction with fewer detours. I spent my spare time exploring all aspects of computer science, and I even founded a club to share my experiences, then the idea of pursuing a PhD began to take shape. Moreover, if NCPA hadn't required me to take an art course, then I probably wouldn't have taken the time to study it. Looking back now, I'm glad I did it in the first place. I met some really great teachers here who taught me how to appreciate the beauty of art. This experience not only inspired me to study computer graphics--the backbone of digital art, but also gave me a meaning to live and a goal to fight for.
Nick Cai, Class of 2016, Ph.D., UC Irvine, Computer Science
NCPA provided me with a western cultural atmosphere and an English-speaking environment which benefited me a lot when I was first adapting to my college life at Pennsylvania State University. It not only broadened my horizons, but also empowered me to achieve both academic and social excellence. I am proud of becoming the first class of graduated NCPAers.
Magic Huang, Class of 2016 , The Pennsylvania State University,
Tsinghua University at SIGS, Environmental Engineering
At NCPA, I was exposed to so many great courses, such as Global Issues and AP Language & Composition that not only widened my horizon of looking at the world, but also prepared me for the academic and journalistic writings that I am doing right now. As a foreign affairs researcher and an international journalist, my starting point was NCPA, because it equipped me for my professional career. I also feel glad to have immersed myself in so many extracurricular activities, such as the Student Government, Model United Nations, Musical Production, and other social services. My leadership skills were largely developed and polished when I was in the administrative roles for all these opportunities. As an international high school, NCPA has the preeminent perspective of educating future-generation global talents. I am grateful for being one of the alumni, and I look forward to all the great things that NCPA and other fellows will be doing. Go Pulao!
Zero Lin, Class of 2017, Columbia University, Journalism
NCPA helped me a lot when it came to preparing me to adapt to college life in the US. NCPA helped me develop lots of skills that are essential for me to succeed in my college. My English skills improved dramatically after four years of studying at NCPA, and I have no problem understanding the lecture and having conversations with other international and domestic students. Also, numerous presentation opportunities in NCPA classes help me enhance my public speaking skills, which I am not afraid of when I need to present in front of my classmates and professors in college. Moreover, NCPA cultivated me to be an active and independent learner by giving me chances to do research independently and finish different projects for classes. Finally, participating in different events in NCPA (e.g., MUN and ASAs) is helpful to develop leadership and communication skills. All these skills are very useful and crucial in US colleges. I hope all the NCPA students can value the opportunities that the school provided for you and have memorable experiences in NCPA.
Bosco Xia, Class of 2017, Columbia University, International Educational Development
You will meet great teachers and friends and be exposed to a lot of interesting activities here. NCPA is a platform that will broaden your horizons and transform you into a better person. NCPA's expression-focused classroom environment has made me a better negotiator, which helps me to interact with foreign students and teachers without being nervous. In addition, NCPA's group work and competitive sports teams have made me a better collaborator, empowering me to contribute to my team. The combination of work and rest inside and outside of classes has made me a better planner. In addition, the different challenges of campus life have made me a better achiever, which makes me step out of my comfort zone. Four years may sound like a long time, but they are fleeting. I hope you will take advantage of the opportunities and cherish your time at NCPA.
Jeffrey Zhao, Class of 2017, Columbia University, Human Development & Family Science
The most important thing that NCPA brought me was that it helped me realize my passions. At NCPA, I was able to explore and eventually find my passion in different extracurricular activities due to the "open minds and doors" atmosphere and the school's supportive environment. During my time at NCPA, I joined Model United Nations (MUN) Conference and participated consecutively for four years of SCMUN, even becoming the Secretary General. My experience in MUN helped me to find out whether my passion was in the field of international relationships. I also participated in multiple business competitions and was involved in creating the NCPA Finance Club to determine my passion for business and finance. I was also deeply involved in the competitive video game community and eventually found my future direction: communication, management, and the e-Sports industry. These opportunities provided by NCPA helped me realize my interests and potential, and ultimately found the right academic goal for me in my undergraduate and graduate school, eventually leading me to who I am right now, an entrepreneur. Like many of my classmates and friends who graduated from NCPA, I appreciate what this experience brought to me, and I am excited to see many more alumni achievments.
Shinzo Chen, Class of 2017, Duke University, Master of Management Studies
NCPA never solely evaluates us on test scores. They also assess on our overall merits, which is exactly what colleges do. Honesty, collaboration, and critical thinking were the three main approaches I picked up throughout my time in NCPA, and they will continue to be the fundamental qualities I carry to vigorously and dauntlessly pursue knowledge in any field. I naturally enjoyed every joyous moment of various events that I participated in or hosted at NCPA. Yes, college social life to me was merely a more diverse version of what I experienced at NCPA. So, I encourage you all to go out there, speak with classmates you barely talk to, enjoy the thrills and spills of competitive sports, and savor a variety of cultural events. I guarantee you will find what you truly love.
Gary Su, Class of 2017, Brandeis University, Master of Science in Finance
NCPA prepared me to be a critical thinker in not only academia but also in the hospital. Saving lives requires the mind and body to work together, and my experience at NCPA has helped me to make the best decision for my patients in order to achieve the most optimal outcome.
Roy Ma, Class of 2017, Hiram College, Registered nurse at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation
NCPA cultivated their students many soft skills, such as cooperation skills, presentation skills, and leadership skills. These skills are necessary for students to succeed in their academic and professional careers when they come to the US. I believed that I spent much less time than other Chinese students to fit into US culture.
Michael He, Class of 2017, Brandeis University, International Business School, Master of Finance
The style of learning in NCPA is similar to what it’s like in my college life. Additionally, it is very important to have experience with foreign languages and culture, because it gives me a construction of what studying in the US would be like.
Jessie Tang, Class of 2017, University at Buffalo, Psychology, Bridges from Borders Inc research assistant
I hope you can keep a thirst for knowledge and a positive attitude. Spend more time participating in various ASAs, academic and sport competitions and art performances. These rare and valuable experiences will sharpen your heart and hone your abilities. Learn a new skill, step out of your comfort zone, and discover a different you that you never knew existed. Take care of your body, keep a warm and kind heart, and respond to academic and life setbacks with a positive mindset. I believe that these experiences at NCPA will be like the stars in the night sky shining on your future path. I hope you all enjoy the rich and colorful NCPA life and become a better you!
Timmy Wang, Class of 2017, The George Washington University
NCPA has helped me adapt to college life. I participated in many school organizations when I was at NCPA and accumulated many experiences. The most important idea I learned was not to be afraid of trying new things. This idea benefited me a lot when I entered college. I appreciated NCPA for providing such an encouraging and innovative environment for us to try without burden. I feel like NCPA is a small community, which has fully prepared us to enter college and society. In terms of studying, all classes at NCPA, except Chinese class, are taught in English. Offering more than 15 AP courses, including AP Capstone, NCPA built me a solid foundation for college courses. Also, the relationship between teachers and students is equal. All the teachers respect our thoughts and questions. For them, there are never wrong questions from students. I used to go to office hours to ask questions a lot. This environment helped me form a good habit of thinking actively and asking bravely. At the university, some classes have more than 50 students; it is crucial to ask the professor when you feel stuck. In every aspect, NCPA helped to adjust my college life smoothly.
Victoria Zhang, Class of 2019, New York University
NCPA really prepared me for college life well, especially from the academic perspective. I really appreciate how the NCPA curriculum taught me how to write college-level essays with correct citations and structure. Many of my college classmates from China do not know how to do research and write formal essays, which I felt NCPA prepared me well for college academics.
Helen Wang, Class of 2019, Columbia University, Barnard College, Sociology
NCPA provided me with a wonderful opportunity to pre-enjoy college life with different competitive sports teams. And that is one of my main ways to socialize with local students in the United States. Because of the experience as an NCPA athlete , I finally became a campus basketball athlete. That made me know more local students and helped me adapt to college life quickly. Right now, I feel proud to say that I am a NCPAer.
Leo Liu, Class of 2019, Leigh University, Finance & Management
ASAs (after school activities) and courses at NCPA helped me a lot. Participating inactivities and organizing events with students were great opportunities for me to develop skills in many aspects of my life. Academically, NCPA's courses stimulated my interest in exploring knowledge, and also laid the foundation for my future development, enabling me to continue to work hard to explore the world.
(Internship: Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China)
Louis Liu, Class of 2019, The George Washington University, International Affairs & Environmental Studies
I was in the first class of middle school students at NCPA. The six years of learning experience at NCPA have empowered me to achieve both academic and social excellence. NCPA provided us with an English immersion environment, which enabled me to quickly adapt to overseas university study. In the university, I have no difficulty in understanding course content and communicating with English speakers. Besides that, as advocated in the learner profile, NCPA also helped me develop many practical soft skills, such as negotiation, collaboration, planning and achievement. When I started to live alone in a new country and started my internships in Australia and China, these skills were particularly crucial to my success in academic and social life. I am very grateful for having the opportunity to study at NCPA. Once an NCPAer, always an NCPAer.
Fiona He, Class of 2019, The University of Melbourne, Media and Communication & Diploma in Music
One thing that I have developed in NCPA is my independence. The teaching and learning model of NCPA is like that of American universities, which makes me an organized and planned person. In the meantime, the diversified development encouraged by NCPA also allows me to challenge myself and achieve my self-worth.
(Work experience: a research lab at the University of Minnesota that focuses on the effectiveness of parental training program on
students with autism spectrum disorders)
Sunny Xin, Class of 2019, University of Minnesota, Special Education
Everything in NCPA, both academic and social life prepared me for this experience. I am extremely grateful for the multifaceted education I received from NCPA. I created many wonderful memories at NCPA. These memories have not only taught me how to deal with others, but also supported me to move forward!
Jacky Qiu, Class of 2020, Emory University, Creative Writing & Philosophy
The world becomes a negotiable, collaborative, plannable, and achievable structure. NCPA has inspired me to think outside of the existing structures, empowered me to deconstruct them, and enlightened me to reconstruct them. It also taught me to be fearless of this massive network that meant to cooperate with it, and to learn from it.
Albert Zhao, Class of 2020, Middlebury College, Sociology & Anthropology
The education I received at NCPA fostered a strong set of critical and forward-thinking skills that I felt especially valuable in an ever-changing postmodern society. Thinking critically empowers me to embrace who I am and distinguish between credible facts and misinformation. Being able to think progressively helps me build my philosophy around making decisions and investing in my own future. NCPA also prepared me to become a leader in academic and social life. I served as the president of NCPA Student Government and led the Model United Nations community during my time here. Through my experience of leading the Student Government, I found my motivation to serve others, work with people as a team and help build a finer community for every member. Model United Nations was the activity that fueled my passion in studying international relations and strengthened my determination to build a better world. Finally, lifelong learning was yet another priceless ideology that the NCPA education inspired me with. Through lifetime learning I can stay curious but not judgmental about new concepts and things in life, which are vital for keeping my competitiveness and an open mind in an era containing multitudes.
(Internship: Tencent Music Entertainment Group as the intern manager of KOL Ecology Operations )
Wilson Yao, Class of 2020, The Chinese University of Hongkong
NCPA gave me a very memorable middle school and high school experience in the past six years. The AP programs, English immersion study environment and the student activities prepared me well for college. I was enrolled in multiple AP courses including the AP Capstone program, and those classes had helped me to not only earn credits in college but also acquired prior knowledge to my courses now. As most courses are taught in English, I have no trouble in understanding English contexts and communicate with the Native English speakers in US now. Moreover, the after-school activities such as student organizations, competitive sports teams and drama production were key events to my social life. Through interactions with my peers and teachers, I improved leadership skills and collaboration, as well as developed long lasting friendships.
Kelly Wu, Class of 2021, UCLA
The greatest help NCPA provided to my college application was the variety of opportunites to explore. Because I studied at NCPA beginning in middle school, I engagedin many clubs, ASAs and academic fields. These attempts helped me find and develop my interests. The important activities to my application were derived from the platform and opportunities given by NCPA. For example, the reason I went to the precollege of the Rhode Island College of Art for ceramics is because the various art classes and art ASAs (such as ceramics) in NPCA helped me develop a strong interest in ceramics. Additionally, I participated in the economics/business competition because I joined the VIBE club, and because I took the AP macro & microeconomics subject at the time. Besides that, I engaged in Pioneer Academy Research Program was only because I was exposed to research reports on AP Seminar and so on.
Cynthia Yang, Class of 2021, Hamilton College
I was at NCPA for six years, which is not too long, but it truly holds the best parts of my memories so far. I am especially thankful for how the curriculum and teachers at NCPA prepared me to be a better learner so that I can succeed here at University of Toronto. Without the academic foundation that NCPA built for me, I would be overwhelmed by the extremely fast pace of university courses; I would also not be able to follow up with my expedition in the universe of math, which has been my genuine interest for long. So, thank you NCPA, particularly to teachers who have taught me before.
Johnny Meng, Class of 2021, University of Toronto, Math & Statistics
During my four years at NCPA, I participated in many student-led ASAs. These experiences allowed me to exercise a lot of personal abilities, such as communication skills, the ability to quickly adapt to problems and so on. I hope that NCPA will get better and better.
Bryan Chen, Class of 2021, UCSB, Economics
Homecoming
Alumni Internship Profiles
Hi, my name is Janice Chen, a current student in Babson College majoring in Business Administration. I am interning in NCPA’s marketing department. My chief responsibilities for my post include updating the official NCPA website, writing articles for the official WeChat account and organizing school activities. My four years stay in NCPA was a wonderful experience that has taught me a lot, and I count myself to be very fortunate to be back here. It’s great to experience new role on campus!
This is Xin Huang, the first graduate class student at NCPA. After my graduation here, I went to Syracuse University studying Education major, and Psychology minor. And now, I got my bachelor's degree from SU as well. I plan to pursue my master degree at University College London to get more professional knowledge in Education Psychology. I now intern as a social studies teaching assistant. My major job is to help teachers to prepare classes so that students can learn more effectively. I notice that the teaching at NCPA has been systemized and become more professional. Also, the construction is so much better than when I was a student here. I believe under these many changes, the current students will gain better achievements in their academic life and better mental health.
I am Zhuoyi (Louis) Liu, NCPA's class of 2019, now studying at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. My major are International Affairs and Environmental Studies, minor in Russian Language and Literature, and Emergency Health Service. My intern position here at NCPA is Principle Assistant, mainly creating multimedia promotion materials and assisting some internal affairs. In the days I spent at NCPA, I made some of my best friends and broadened my world view. After more than a year of my graduation, I am very excited to be back.
Hello, my name is Bohao (Bosco) Xia, I am studying at the College of Wooster and majoring in Communication study with Education minor. I graduated from NCPA in 2017. My position here is information technology. My job focuses on updating information for the school website and solving technical issues on the MacBook. Coming back to NCPA after four years, I am happy to see the school improving a lot and so proud of the changes that happen in NCPA.
Hi, I'm Peiwen (Kayla) Zou. Graduated in 2019, now I'm a journalism student at Northwestern University in Qatar. My internship position is in marketing. I'm helping our school update the official website, write articles for social media, and interview alumni. By joining the drama club and many other student-lead organizations when I was in here, I have expanded my interest and made a lot of friends. I'm grateful that I could come back to NCPA again as an intern.
Hi, I am Meiyi (Fiona) He. As the first class of middle school and high school graduate at NCPA, I graduated in 2019. Afterward, I am double majoring in Media and Communication and Diploma in Music at the University of Melbourne. I am grateful for having the chance of contribute what I’ve learned to the NCPA community with a new identity. Working as a marketing intern at NCPA, I’m responsible for updating NCPA official website, writing articles for NCPA official WeChat account and taking photos. I have benefited a lot from my six years of school life at NCPA, and I’m excited to exploring and learning more diversified aspects of NCPA from a new perspective.
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