![MORE THAN A GAME. With two diving catches in the outfield, the Lions showed up defensively, aiding in their victory over the Pacers. One catch was made by Atwood, and the other by McGraw. Throughout the game, the Lions knew that it wasn’t just about their victory today. “I think [playing for cancer] makes it bigger than just a game,” McGraw said. “Knowing that you have a bigger impact in this world than just who you are as one person.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/I70A1454-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Students in the National Art Honor Society work on the Mount Hood mural on the window of SouthLake Church. The students brought a variety of paints and mixed their own custom colors. “Instead of brushstrokes, we’re doing more dabbing, because it gives [a] better impression of tree foliage, rather than looking like actual brush strokes, because if we’re painting trees, we need it to look like trees,” Crawford said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_2397-1200x900.jpg)
There are different parts and steps of the college search process. At West Linn High School, there are resources available to help students navigate. One resource includes weekly college visits with admission officers from numerous colleges around the country.
These college visits can help students in any grade communicate with different universities, without the economic and time commitment of traveling to the schools themselves. Kim Jordan, College and Career Counselor, is another resource for questions relating to applying to colleges or exploring career opportunities.
“The best time to start [looking at colleges] is the beginning of your junior year because I think it’s important to take advantage of them coming here, rather than spending thousands of dollars trying to go to them,” Jordan said.
Elise Row, senior, attended a college visit in the library for the University of San Diego to get to know more about the school and admissions process.
“It was really great to be able to meet and talk to the admissions counselor in person, and ask if there’s anything else I could do, like doing an interview,” Row said.
According to a study released this year by American Student Assistance (ASA), only 45% of teens in 2024 surveyed said that they plan to attend a two or four-year college, down from 73% in 2018. The variety of schools are here to find the perfect fit for the most amount of students, and answer questions so that high school students aren’t deterred from college from getting lost in the admissions process.
“I always tell students that they should ask [for] something specific, one trick they might not know about the school’s application process, one thing they’ve learned about college applications from doing this role, instead of just some throwaway questions, [ask] something you actually want to know,” Jordan said. “Also, if they are interested in a specific area, like you want to know more about their physical therapy program, ask a very direct question and see if that person happens to know anything about it.”
The University of Richmond states that college representative visits are a chance for students to meet people that can answer their questions, so they can gather valuable insight and be better prepared to submit their applications.
“I just wanted to be able to make a good first impression,” Row said. “Shake the hand of the person, tell them my name, and leave a good impression.”
Throughout November, multiple colleges will be in the library to answer questions and meet with prospective students or anyone interested in beginning their college touring process. So far, the schools that have visited include Seattle University, Montana State, Central Oregon, Gonzaga, and more. Participating in these activities is free and open without sign-ups, and information for dates can be found at the College and Career Center or in the library.
