After three years of COVID-19 restrictions, Taipei American School (TAS) has been able to host the Counseling Association of Taiwan (CAT) University Fair again. The fair welcomes admission officers from over 110 universities worldwide who come to share and meet with potential applicants.

The CAT University Fair was established in 2017 and became a well-known event in the college counseling community. Mr. John Gursky (he/him), a TAS college counselor, has been a leading figure in its organization, working closely with the rest of the college counseling team. “Everyone on the team is involved,” Mr. Gursky said, “There are so many pieces to setting up the fair, so everyone has a role in planning.”

This year, the event was open to other Taiwanese schools, such as Taipei European School (TES) and Hsinchu International Academy (HIA). The college counseling team was excited to bring this opportunity back to Taiwan and share it with 21 other high schools in attendance. “We want to use our resources to give high schools across Taiwan access to things that come like second nature to us at TAS,” Mr. Gursky said.

To continue attracting college admissions officers from around the world, it is imperative that TAS upholds its hospitable reputation. In this effort, the college counseling team recruited the Art Honors Society (AHS) to design a mural, incorporating Taiwanese cultural elements, welcoming admissions officers to Taiwan. Besides this, college admissions officers were provided with lunch and bubble tea. 

“The conversations that I have been having with students are amazing,” Megan Buckley (she/her), the assistant director of international admission at the University of Denver, said. “I think the students are really thinking about the right things and choosing the best university for their future.” 

The CAT University Fair was a great opportunity for students to explore new universities and build relationships with college admission officers. “I think the CAT Fair really gave me the opportunity to explore what universities around the world have to offer,” Lorraine W. (‘25), a junior at TAS, said. “It gave me a lot to think about when I begin the college application process next year.”