Hott off the Press

A blog about college insights and more.


Bell Tower on Swan Lake at Furman U.

At Furman U., immersion creates connection

By Karen Hott, July 2025
How does immersion create connection at Furman University? It starts with the residency requirement and continues with wraparound advising for all four years. These features lead to deep connections with professors, advisers, and peers. A residential campus experience Furman is 100% residential, meaning that everyone is expected to live on campus all four years. The school believes that to be
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How to Support Without Nagging: A Guide for Parents

By Karen Hott, July 2025
Families hire me not only to help the student with the transition from high school to college, but to bring a little peace into the family dynamic. I’m an independent educational consultant (an IEC) dealing specifically with colleges, so you might call me a college adviser or college counselor. Parents thank me for making junior and senior year more enjoyable.
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How to Find Colleges That Fit YOU

By Karen Hott, June 2025
Have you noticed that every college brochure looks the same? A group of diverse students sit beneath an oak tree, laughing and looking like they are the best of friends just taking a break from their serious studies. A professor and a student in white coats and goggles focus on a beaker of green liquid in a modern lab. “World-class
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Benefits of Karen’s “high-touch” advising

By Karen Hott, June 2025
I limit my practice to a dozen students per graduating class. This allows me to really get to know my students individually, and, in the process, they get to know themselves better. As Alexis M. said, “Ms. Hott is not just there to help her students submit strong applications; she is also there to guide students to discover more about
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College of Charleston: “Big ideas. Small classes.”

By Karen Hott, June 2025
June 11, 2025 Overview The College of Charleston, though it has the feel of a private school, is part of South Carolina’s university system and the 13th oldest college in the nation. With fewer than 11,000 undergraduates, Charleston has an average class size of 24. It offers big, state school advantages with small school attention. All classes are taught by
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How to ask for a letter of recommendation

By Karen Hott, June 2025
Karen A. Hott is an independent college adviser and the founder of Two Bridges College Consulting. Before going into college consulting, she taught AP English Language & Composition, standard and honors English, journalism, and newspaper production in a Maryland public high school. Today Ms. Hott loves working with students on their college searches, applications, and essays, facilitating the transition from
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Michigan State delivers accessible excellence

By Karen Hott, June 2025
Campus creates park-like atmosphere Maybe it’s because the bright blue sky formed such a breathtaking contrast with the new green of trees leafing out in early May, but Michigan State looked to me like a vast and well-tended park. Sidewalks snake through gentle rises in the landscape, and a river runs through the campus. I guess I’d expected something Spartan
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U. of Michigan offers abundant resources

By Karen Hott, May 2025
Michigan provides comprehensive support systems The University of Michigan is large, with 34,000 undergraduate students, and its resources are plentiful. To help new students acclimate to a school the size of a small city, Michigan provides first-years with a freshman adviser before they even arrive on campus. In addition, they have advisers for each major, pre-professional advisers, study abroad advisers,
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De-stress after exams

By Karen Hott, May 2025
Please explore my other blog entries and my website. Want to learn more about the transition from high school to college? Fill out a contact form!
Cathedral of Learning at Pitt

Pitt offers a buffet of experiences

By Karen Hott, April 2025
A “just right” distance from home The University of Pittsburgh is in the “Goldilocks zone,” far enough but not too far away from the DMV (D.C./Maryland/Virginia area), said D.C. and Maryland enrollment services manager Kiara Alexander. I’ve driven it recently myself, and the four-and-a-half hour trip is “just right” for students who want to get away from home yet able