Hott off the Press
A blog about college insights and more.
Lewis & Clark: Hidden gem in Portland forest
By Karen Hott, May 2026
They almost named their mascot the Moss. The rainy, cool climate of Portland provides the prime conditions for moss to grow everywhere at Lewis & Clark College. It’s on the cobblestone walks, the rock walls, the branches and trunks of trees about to bloom. But the L&C colors are orange and black, so the bright green of the moss wouldn’t
Reed College turns students into scholars
By Karen Hott, May 2026
As we turned into the broad green lawn of Reed College in Portland, red brick buildings with limestone accents around doors and windows in Tudor Gothic style greeted the busload of 40 counselors touring five Pacific Northwest liberal arts colleges. A city with character Portland, Oregon, is known for its progressive ethos and its abundance of food trucks. It sits

How hiring a college adviser can save you money
By Karen Hott, April 2026
Also called an IEC (independent educational consultant) or college consultant Besides running my business of college consulting, I used to work as a writing tutor at my local community college. The Writing Center helps students with application and transfer essays as well as their written assignments for the community college. Let me tell you about two students who came to