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How Does University Exploration Work?

Every student in EXP is assigned an academic counselor, a trained professional advisor who has experience working with college students to help them decide on a major. We help students who want guidance in selecting a major and also assist students who have decided on a major and need to finish up prerequisites before they can declare. EXP is Ohio State’s advising unit with responsibility for knowing all of the majors, minors and degree programs available at the university.

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Academic Advising

​Your academic counselor will assist you through:​

• Individual Appointments: We want to get to know you, and the best way to do that is through individual appointments. There is no limit to individual advising appointments—you can meet with your advisor every week, every term, or every semester. We strongly recommend meeting with your advisor at least once per semester.  ​The more you meet with your advisor and share your interests, goals and dreams, the better s/he will be able to help you connect to new ideas and explore academic possibilities at Ohio State.

• Strategic Scheduling: Ohio State has a liberal arts core, called the Gen Ed, that gives students a broad foundation across many disciplines. This core can constitute about half of your degree hours, and we are skilled at helping you use the Gen Ed to:

• ​​meet degree requirements 

• explore major interests, and 

• take care of prerequisites needed for majors you may be considering. 

​University survey provides students with a foundation to be successful at Ohio State. You will be required to take survey during your first term of enrollment and the class is typically taught by your assigned advisor, so you will be in close contact every week. Every college offers a university survey course to cover policies, procedures and degree planning. In Exploration, we cover degree planning by helping you complete self-assessment activities and matching your results to available majors. We also review degree requirements and help you learn more about the General Education core as well as prerequisite courses that may be needed based on your areas of interest. You will create a schedule plan for the following term, and will develop an action plan for the next several semesters to help you continue to explore your options.    

​​Personal Assessment

Part of the process of selecting a major starts with assessing yourself. Your hobbies, interests, and goals, your strengths and weaknesses, and your past academic experiences will help you and your advisor to understand you better. All of this information can be used to help you explore majors and find options that are best suited to your goals and style. The personal assessment inventories you’ll take through the University Survey course are matched to Ohio State majors during college led class presentations. Your advisor can help you interpret your results and also refer you to more in-depth assessment if you want additional information and assistance. You can start the process of self-assessment at any time, simply by thinking about the things you are passionate about—write everything down and bring your list to an advising appointment.    ​

Support from the Start

One of the best ways to stay on track academically is to get help when you first have questions or feel stuck. Exploration offers students the opportunity to sign up for early intervention outreach which includes tips and strategies, and helps students navigate the plethora of resources available on campus. You don’t have to figure everything out alone, and we really want to help connect you to the right people and opportunities so that you can be successful. And remember, you can always make an appointment with your advisor if you need help!     ​​​

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