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Academic Advising

Prospective Students and Incoming Freshmen

Choosing a major before you even step foot on campus can be daunting. It may make sense to intentionally explore different majors and gain experience in different disciplines before declaring a major. If you are a prospective incoming freshman, you can apply as an "Undeclared" student to work with a dedicated Undeclared Advisor to guide you through course and major selection.

Read the important information below about being Undeclared in your first year at USC.  

Undeclared During Your First Year

Students who are admitted to USC as Undeclared will be assigned an Undeclared Academic Advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences is a great place for undeclared students to explore academics at USC because it is home to over 100 majors that span the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.

As an undeclared first year student, you will work with your Academic Advisor to determine the classes that will be the most informative for selecting your future program of study and ensuring timely progress towards graduation. As you approach the end of your freshman year, your Academic Advisor will help determine which major at USC is the best fit for you and guide you through the declaration process. 

 

Things to Know About Being an Undeclared Student

While you can apply to USC as 'Undeclared', there are special considerations to know about becoming an “Undeclared” student. These considerations may affect your time to graduation, tuition and fees, financial aid, and eligibility for special programs.

  • While there are some choices that may impact time to graduation, being Undeclared is not among them. Speak with an Undeclared Academic Advisor to learn more about your academic path. 
  • Certain scholarships and financial aid packages do not allow students to be in an “Undeclared” academic program—contact the Office of Financial Aid to learn how your financial aid may be affected by becoming Undeclared.
  • Student-athletes on NCAA scholarship can only become Undeclared in specific situations and retain their scholarships. Please contact the Athletics Department Academic Services at 803-777-8521 to speak to an Athletics Academic Advisor.

To learn more about being Undeclared in the College of Arts & Sciences, contact one of the Undeclared Academic Advisors. 

 

Finding Your Course at USC

As a Gamecock you have countless resources to help you find out what you want to do, where your strengths lie, and how to find your course at USC!

Take advantage of the Advising Center’s self-assessments to get a head start on matching your unique skill set to the majors offered at USC. Your Undeclared Advisor will help you evaluate and understand the results of your self-assessment(s)!

Learn about career paths—those you think you know about and those you didn’t know existed! Career exploration will help you plan for life after graduation and learn the different academic paths that can lead to the career of your dreams!

  • Career Coaching: Get one on one support from a Career Coach as you learn about yourself, your academic path, and the professional world
  • Career Assessment Tools: Unsure of what you want to do after graduation? Start with a career self-assessment!
  • Career Courses: Make career planning a part of your course schedule with the UNIV 201: The World of Work
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