In early 2009, our founders Stanley Xu and Brian Ong made another trip to the U.S., visiting over 20 top high schools in the northeastern states to gain first-hand knowledge about these schools and discuss opportunities for future collaboration. During the trip, Stanley and Brian met with the heads of some of America's top private high schools, including Tom Hassan (Phillips Exeter Academy), William Matthews (St. Paul's School, NH), Willy MacMullen (The Taft School), Larry Weiss (St. Anne's School), Stephen Spahn (Dwight School), and Caroline Erisman (Dana Hall School). They were also able to visit other top schools including Groton School, Loomis Chaffee School, George School, Concord Academy, and Miss Porter's School.

In recent years, Taurus Education noticed that prestigious American high schools like the ones listed are attracting an increasing amount of attention in China. More Chinese high school students are looking to participate in semester or year-long exchange programs in U.S. high schools to gain exposure to the education system prior to college. However, at present there remains a great imbalance between interest in American high schools and available information about them for students in China.

With an aim to help bridge the gap between the education systems in China and the U.S., Taurus visited these schools to gather primary source information that we could then bring to students in China during our public information sessions. Furthermore, we had goals to establish different forms of collaboration with these schools to facilitate the U.S.-China cultural and educational exchange.

Taurus and these top private schools are now exploring the possibility of setting up joint academic or selective summer programs between the U.S. high schools and educational institutions in China that will provide the opportunity for foreign students to study and live with students from the local high school campus. Through these programs, top U.S. and Chinese high school students, and undoubtedly some of the world’s future leaders, can find common experience; meaningfully interact with each other; and gain knowledge and familiarity of each others' cultures.

With the possibility of these new and exceptional opportunities for these internationally minded students, Taurus is proud to be at the forefront of this exciting movement.


                
    Phillips Exeter Head of School                  Phillips Exeter Professor                      St. Paul's Head of School
                Tom Hassan                                       Richard Schubart                                  William Matthews
                
            Taft Head of School                       Dana Hall Head of School                     Millbrook Head of School
                Willy MacMullen                                   Caroline Erisman                                  Drew Casertano