Born in Lake Forest, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and played at Conway Farms Golf Club, which notably hosted the PGA TOUR’s BMW Championship for three years (2013, 2015, 2017). The Van Paris family relocated to Pinehurst, North Carolina around the time Jackson was 12 years old.

Upon moving to Pinehurst, North Carolina, the Van Paris family became members at the Country Club of North Carolina, which hosted the 1980 U.S. Amateur Championship (won by Hal Sutton) and 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship (won by Nick Dunlap).

In August 2023, broke the course record at The Cradle, the 9-hole par-3 course at Pinehurst Resort, with a 9-under 18, highlighted by a hole-in-one on No. 6. The record-breaking score came six weeks after Van Paris carded a course-record 61 on Pinehurst No. 4 during the 2023 North and South Amateur Championship.

Finished No. 5 in the 2025 PGA TOUR University Ranking, earning exempt Korn Ferry Tour membership for the remainder of the 2025 season (top 10 from 2025 PGA TOUR University Eligibility Ranking). Also earned an exemption into Final Stage of 2025 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry (top five from 2025 PGA TOUR University Eligibility Ranking).

Played four seasons at Vanderbilt University (2021-25), capturing two individual titles. First of two victories came at the 2023 St. Andrews Links Collegiate, contested on the Jubilee Course at St. Andrews Links in Scotland.

Won the 2023 Sunnehana Amateur, an event whose past champions include Ben Crenshaw (1973), Brad Faxon (1982), Lucas Glover (2001), Webb Simpson (2006), Rickie Fowler (2007, 2008), and Collin Morikawa (2016).

Made his PGA TOUR debut while still an amateur at the 2024 Puerto Rico Open, finishing T10 as a sponsor exemption after making the cut on the number.

Recorded a runner-up finish (lost to Louis Dobbelaar 2021) and semifinals appearance (lost to Karl Vilips in 2023) at the North and South Amateur Championship, contested annually at Pinehurst Golf Resort.

Became the youngest player since Bobby Jones (1916) to win a U.S. Amateur Championship match. A week shy of his 15th birthday, Van Paris defeated Dylan Perry in the Round of 64 at the 2018 U.S. Amateur; he chipped in for birdie on Pebble Beach Golf Links’ par-5 18th hole and earned a 1-up victory.

Decorated junior career included three AJGA Rolex Junior All-America selections (First Team in 2019, 2020; Second Team in 2018), and a victory the 2020 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley.

Represented the United States at the 2019 Junior Presidents Cup and 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup.