Graduated from The University of North Carolina School of the Arts '11.Alex's last name is from her dutch heritage. Her father's parents immigrated to the US in 1950 and became American citizens. Her father is first generation American and is a Dentist in North Carolina.She was a 3 year varsity cheerleader at "Cary Academy" a private prep school in Cary, North Carolina. Alex left Cary Academy after her junior year when she was accepted into the High School Drama program at The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Alex graduated from high school from The University of North Carolina in 2011.Alex has a younger sister, Sydney ter Avest who is also an actress.Alex attends The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she is studying Political Science and Economics.