Undergraduate Success Program (USP) Advising
The Office of Academic Programs proudly supports Neighborhood Academic Initiative alumni admitted to USC through various programs.
New Student Advising
NAI alumni admitted to USC for fall of 2024 and beyond can opt to receive support from the Norman Topping Student Aid Fund (NTSAF), which offers support through advising, mentorship, summer bridge and other resources.
Continuing Student Advising
The Undergraduate Success Program (USP) is dedicated to supporting students who graduated from NAI program prior to 2024 by offering a network of support for the continued educational, emotional, and social needs, including meetings with Academic Exploration Advising (AEA) advisors to review goals, opportunities, and resources.
AEA advisors offer appointments (in-person and virtual) and drop-in advising (virtual only) throughout the year for students with an active affiliation with the AEA office.
Tools and Resources
USC and AEA offers numerous resources to support your academic, personal and overall wellbeing, including our AEA calendar of events, Major Discovery Activity, and Navigation Guides. Please access these and other guides on our Tools and Resources.
USP Student Common Questions
Do I have to change my major to Exploratory to meet with an AEA advisor for USP advising?
No. USP advising support is available throughout your USC undergraduate career regardless of your declared major. You will work with your AEA advisor to determine your best path forward.
Can my AEA advisor lift my departmental mandatory advising hold if I remain in my current major?
No. We are happy to meet with USP students to review goals and resources; however, students who maintain a declared major other than the Exploratory, B.A. must meet with their declared major advisor to have registration restrictions lifted before they can register, if applicable.
Can my AEA advisor create a course plan through graduation?
USP students’ primary resource for academic advisement and course planning is their major advisor. AEA advisors can share course recommendations for students with a declared Exploratory major or an active referral to Exploratory. However, students must contact the designated major advisor for their program of interest to request a multi-semester course plan through graduation; course plan creation is at the discretion of the major department.
I do not see an AEA advising appointment time that works with my availability. What should I do?
Please log-in to Advise USC, select the “Advisor Connect” tab on the menu bar and then select “Create a New Case” to request an advising appointment with their AEA advisor. We recommend providing availability to meet Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm (excluding holidays) in the message.
To check for advisor responses, please log back in to Advise USC and navigate to the “Advisor Connect” page to access the case and respond using “Chatter.”
For additional Advise USC tips, visit our AEA Tools & Resources.
I submitted a question to my AEA advisor via an Advise USC support case. When will I receive a response?
Please allow one to three (1-3) business days for a response, as your AEA advisor may need to conduct additional research or outreach to best address your question. For time-sensitive questions, we recommend attending AEA drop-in advising, if available. To view our drop-in advising and general advising schedule, visit our AEA Tools & Resources page and navigate to the Calendar of Events.
