Hawai'i Preparatory Academy

my time at Hawaii preparatory Academy change the trajectory of my life. I’m deeply grateful for the experiences relationships and opportunities that grew from the foundation I built there attending each pay from grades nine through 12 prepared me not only for college but for my career in my relationships and how to balance life with intention as a student athlete I learned to manage rigorous and academic practices leadership roles and a full social life – skills that continue to guide me professionally today. The international boarding community brought in my worldview and gave me lifelong friendships across the globe. Rooted in aloha in Hawaiian culture, HPA offers a truly unique experience I feel incredibly blessed to have grown in such a supportive and inspiring environment, and I carry those lesson lessons with me every day.

I am a student here at HPA. And I am in the class of 2028, being here at HPA has helped me make more friendships and bonds than I would have ever thought. I was at a public
school my whole life and there were some things such as teachers that would just hand out assignments but here the teachers really do care and they help us with so many things even sports because some of them are our coaches or dorm parents so no matter what we always have someone there for us.

I am a recent alumni of HPA had the pleasure of attending since 6th grade. HPA is a school rich in opportunities. Whether doing an independent science research project in the Energy Lab, creating a small business for senior capstone, participating in theatrical productions, or going on a Sea Turtle Research field trip every student has available resources to pursue an individualized educational experience. Additionally, extracurricular requirements for at least 2/3 seasons builds both stronger communities amongst varsity teams/clubs and instills commitment and routine in the student body. The school's diverse population also allowed me to learn about so many different cultures. We even have an International Day where students host workshops, perform on stage, or cook national dishes to celebrate and share their home country's culture.

I was lucky enough that to attend Hpa starting in 8th grade. Met amazing friends and teachers that have touched my life forever. I still have a circle of my closest friends that I went to Hpa with friendships of more than 20+ years. I met my husband at Hpa and now have a family with and we hope to send our keiki to the school we once thrived in especially sports! Nothing but love for my Alma mater, I definitely hope my kids can experience going to Hpa one day.

My time at Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy changed the trajectory of my life. I am deeply grateful for the experiences, relationships, and opportunities that grew from the foundation I built there. Attending HPA from grades 9–12 prepared me not only for college, but for my career, my relationships, and how to balance life with intention.

As a student-athlete, I learned to manage rigorous academics, practices, leadership roles, and a full social life—skills that continue to guide me professionally today. The international boarding community broadened my worldview and gave me lifelong friendships across the globe.

Rooted in aloha and Hawaiian culture, HPA offers a truly unique experience. I feel incredibly blessed to have grown in such a supportive and inspiring environment, and I carry those lessons with me every day.

As an alumni, I can’t speak highly enough of my time at HPA. I made lifelong friends and was given the foundation for incredible academic success. The sense of community here has stayed with me, and I continue to cherish the connections I made. HPA truly prepared me for success in college—both academically and in learning to navigate life independently.

What stands out most is how deeply HPA sees and supports each student as an individual. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all path here. Whether your child is an athlete, an artist, a scientist, a performer, or still figuring it out, they are encouraged to explore, take risks, and discover what truly lights them up. We’ve watched our child try new things, build confidence, and find their voice in ways we couldn’t have imagined a few years ago.

The faculty are exceptional — not just talented educators, but caring mentors who genuinely invest in their students’ growth. They challenge them academically while also nurturing character, resilience, and curiosity.

Hello everyone! My name is Bùi Hải Hằng, I live in Hanoi, and I've been with HPA for 2 years. Currently, I'm in 10th grade. My family learned about HPA from a friend and an overseas study consulting company. My mom asked me if I wanted to study abroad. Honestly, I hadn't thought about studying abroad at that moment, but I decided to give it a try and submit my application. Since I went through an overseas study consulting company, there weren't too many worries. After all the procedures were completed and I was accepted into the school, in August 2016, my family and I traveled to the U.S. The first thing that really surprised me when I arrived was how big and green the school campus was. I walked a long way to get to the dormitory, and it felt like I had passed through many different places. The campus was so vast that even after going around once or twice, I couldn't fully remember or visualize it all. After arriving at the dorm, I had absolutely no worries about living there for the next few years because as soon as I got there, all the administrators and teachers were so good – they were very friendly, welcoming, and always willing to help us. At that moment, I felt that the people here were truly wonderful and would help us whenever we needed them.

University Admissions (2017-2023): Numerous students were admitted to prestigious universities such as Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Stanford University, Yale University, Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, and Dartmouth College. Destinations for Chinese graduates include California Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, New York University, University of California, Berkeley, Emory University, Georgetown University, Carnegie Mellon University, and University of California, San Diego, among others. (One student, who designed and built a telescope, was successfully admitted to California Institute of Technology.)
Student Feedback: The school offers a wealth of opportunities and activities. On weekends, students can go to shoals to observe marine life. Additionally, it provides nearly 20 AP courses, as well as various art courses such as pottery and photography. Students can photograph the starry sky from the mountaintop. The school has 3 college application counselors who help students achieve holistic development.
Featured Programs: The school's featured programs include scuba diving, green sea turtle research, and environmental and sustainability initiatives.
Top Resources: The school collaborates with NASA and boasts an Energy Lab.
Sports Programs: The school offers a variety of sports, including lacrosse, rugby, basketball, tennis, equestrianism, and hiking. Furthermore, the school has close ties with local schools; its swimming and soccer teams participate in local competitions, and students also organize local travel experiences during spring break. In terms of competitions, the school endeavors to provide support and resources for students, such as robot competitions and the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).

Hawaii Preparatory Academy, founded in 1949, is a college preparatory, co-educational boarding school offering programs from kindergarten to 12th grade. Our philosophy is to cultivate a sense of purpose in students and ensure they possess strong core values and real-world skills to explore and redefine this purpose throughout their lives.

School Advantages:

1. The high school Capstone course allows students to freely define passion projects; receive feedback from peers, teachers, and experts; and ultimately bring their work into the community to assess its effectiveness and impact.

2. Our computer, robotics, and drone programs are excellent.

3. The school's curriculum includes numerous place-based learning options, many of which take place in our award-winning energy lab. Our students benefit from local partnerships with organizations such as NASA, the W. M. Keck Observatory, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. HPA is also home to a renowned sea turtle research program.

4. Our students tend to start with biology, followed by chemistry or physics, to gain fundamental formal laboratory experience. From there, students can choose a wide variety of electives and have many avenues for independent study and building Capstone projects.