On August 25, 2003, I began a new chapter in my life. I started a new position with the Undergraduate Studies Advising office at the University of Louisville. The Undergraduate Studies Advising unit was developed to help students who have yet to declare their major. In the first few months on the job, I realized that I had no idea what it meant to be an undecided student. Initially, I thought that these students were being lazy in not making the most important decision of their lives, but I now realize that I was completely wrong in this assumption.

Virginia Gordon (1984) best defined the undecided student as “one who is unready, unwilling, or unable to commit themselves to occupational or educational decisions after graduating high school” (p. 433). Most students, whether they are first-generation or fifth-generation, feel lost and confused when they first enroll in college. They are uncertain about so many different aspects of their lives, including what they should major in and what careers they should pursue. No matter what the cause of their uncertainty is, undecided students must receive assistance to overcome these obstacles (Stark, 2002).

As I begin my career path as an adviser, I want to bring fresh and innovative ideas to my unit to help assist these students in fulfilling their academic, personal, and career goals. Not wanting to reinvent the wheel, I have looked carefully at the programmatic initiatives that other colleges and universities are undertaking in order to help their undecided student populations. In this paper, I will discuss programs for undecided students at the University of Louisville and two other institutions, as well as share some of my own ideas on how we can best meet the needs of undecided students.

First I will discuss some of the programmatic initiatives that the Undergraduate Studies Advising unit at the University of Louisville has developed to assist undecided students. Instead of the normal thirty-minute advising appointments for students who have declared a major, our unit has begun to allot one hour for advisers to meet with undecided students, especially during the spring registration block. A one-hour appointment gives advisers plenty of time to go over the students' results on the College Student Inventory (self-reported information that helps the adviser focus on the needs of the student), talk about how they are doing in their fall classes, discuss different majors, and help them select classes for the following semester. Making the time to really listen to students' accomplishments, hopes, and fears sends a powerful signal to the students that the advisers in our unit really care about them.

In addition, our unit hosts a Majors Day event each spring. All of the academic units on campus are invited to participate in order to share information about their particular degree programs. Some units send advisers to talk to prospective students, while others provide posters or fliers about their programs. We try to schedule this event during a time that we know students will be able to attend and get the attention that they need and deserve.

Augusta State University has established the START UP Center, which has a variety of functions including a program for advising students who have less than forty credit hours and have not decided on a major. On a regular basis, students receive a newsletter containing important dates and deadlines, as well as articles about specific majors and career issues. START UP also offers a guidebook that leads students through a step-by-step process for choosing their majors. The guidebook is available on the Web and is designed to help students identify their interests and talents, as well as to develop their own personal educational plan. It also lets students know about other programs and resources that are available to help them learn more about themselves and the skills they need to be successful in their careers. The website includes a Gallery of Majors feature, which provides detailed information about majors offered throughout the campus. Video clips highlighting different majors offered at Augusta State are available in the START UP Center.

After students use the guidebook and videos, they meet with an adviser to ask questions about particular majors. The students may still be apprehensive at this point about choosing a major. They may even need to go back and do more exploring before they commit to an actual major. The START UP program encourages students to explore so they are ready for a commitment once they decide on a major. Students are also advised to visit the academic units in which they have an interest. In taking this step, the student is able to talk directly with someone involved in the unit and get the information that he or she may need in order to make an informed decision. At any point during the major selection process, students are welcome to talk with trained advisers. The START UP program encourages undecided students to take active roles in the decision-making process while always having advisers available for assistance.

Ball State University is another good example of an institution that is working hard to help students find the right career paths. Ball State students can set up appointments for individual assessment and feedback with their advisers. They also have access to career-related software (e.g. Career Finder) that helps them analyze which academic major or career may best suit them. Through a program called Senior VIP Connection, undecided students have the opportunity to talk to upper-division students who have gone through the process. Working with students who have already been through the process allows undecided students to ask questions that they may not feel comfortable asking an adviser or faculty member. The upper-division students may be able to explain the ins and outs of the program in terms that the student can understand.

I would like our unit to implement a few other ideas as we work with undecided students. During our first-year orientation, we may want to include a student panel that is composed of both current and former undecided students. The first-year students can learn from current students about the services available to them instead of having an administrator tell them about those services. I would also like to create a listserv for undecided students to spotlight different majors each week. We could also feature weekly profiles of different advisers on campus so that students feel more comfortable approaching advisers throughout campus. I would also like to see our campus offer a course that is designed specifically to help students to develop a life plan and understand different career theories and methods. The Educational Psychology Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers such a class.

These are just some of the ideas and initiatives that are being undertaken at various universities to meet the needs of undecided students. I look forward to continuing to comb the literature and the Internet to make sure that our unit is on the cutting edge of programmatic initiatives for undecided students. I enjoy serving this vulnerable population and helping them to decide on appropriate majors and careers.