ON THE RIGHT TRACK: Success Coaches Help Students Find their Passion.

When Ross Pavlovich headed south from his New England hometown of Marblehead, Massachusetts, to High Point University in 2014, he wasn't really sure what he wanted to do with his life. He was nervous but excited to begin his college career. Pavlovich hadn't yet selected his major, and he hoped he'd find his passion once he began.

"I liked science a lot in high school because it was hands on, so I thought I'd lean toward going into the pharmacy program,"says Pavlovich, now a senior majoring in marketing with a minor in sales. "Half a semester of chemistry made me realize a science major wasn't for me, and I was back to square one."

It's common nationwide for freshmen to not immediately know what they want to study. Fortunately, for every freshman at HPU, there is a mentor ready to help. This team of coaches helps students not only transition into college life, but also helps them find their way. And their passion.

For Pavlovich, that guidance came in the form of success coach Emily Long. While many success coaches help freshmen in specific majors, Long assists undeclared students.

"When Ross struggled in his science course his first semester, we discussed his options," Long says. "Ross worked very hard in his science class and utilized tutoring, but was still struggling. He then made a pivotal statement: He wasn't even passionate about biology--a major he had been considering. He was actually interested in business."

Cue the light bulb. "Emily helped me discover my passion for business--specifically marketing and sales," Pavlovich says. "She suggested I register for a business communications class, as well as a few general education classes so that I could determine what I liked studying."

It's a story Long knows all too well. "As a formerly undeclared student myself, I understand how overwhelming it can seem to have to figure out what your life is going to hold after college," she says. "What I came to realize is that when choosing a major, you don't necessarily have to know what your first job after college is going to be--or even what your career is going to be."

When she declared psychology as her major her sophomore year in college, Long knew she didn't want to be a psychologist. But she did know she wanted to understand people and she wanted to help people. She loved psychology, but as fora specific career, "I had no clue," she adds. "There were two primary factors that led me to confidently declare my major. First, I grasped the...