Exploration Point offers curated paths for BYU students

Exploration Point is a free BYU service designed to help students build their future at BYU and beyond. The office runs through the University Advisement Center, with the goal to help any student feeling lost or uncertain about their career path.

Exploration Point was created to be a peer-to-peer drop-in center where students can go through activities to explore who they are and how that ties to potential majors and career paths, Amy Soto, the director of Exploration Point, said.

Students who participate in Exploration Point gain an array of options for finding themselves and their path, and all those options start with Sotos student employees.

I hire and train students to know how to guide other students through the exploration process. They are prepared to meet with students with a lot of curiosity and to help them create their next steps, Soto said.

Exploration compass is one of the many activities students may participate in during a visit with an exploration coach. This activity looks at a students interests, skills, passions and values. As they work through the activity, these different aspects come together to curate suggestions for majors, minors and career paths.

Talking to a peer who has been through the process can help you feel understood. They can speak from real experience and normalize that exploring is important, Soto said.

Students interested in meeting with an exploration coach can choose the coach they think fits them best based on each coach's biography on the Exploration Point website. They can then schedule an appointment with that coach and schedule unlimited appointments.

It is a place for students to feel like they are not alone in the exploratory process and we care about them and their progress, Jared Rodriguez, one of the student exploration coaches, said.

Hayley Jensen, an academic and career advisor for open major students at BYU, expanded on why the office is useful for any BYU student.

Exploration Point is fun! The exercises are not just information dumps; they are fun and engaging, and they can help you get to know yourself and your strengths and your interests in a way that is interesting. It's an experience, and I think that is what makes it special, Jensen said.

If you are struggling to choose a major and career path, stop by the office before the BYU Major Fair on Oct. 14 to help narrow your options and start your personal journey.

Its easy to come to BYU and think youre average, but actually everyones unique. Everyone has gifts, and to know how to tap into that part of ourselves is really important," Soto said.

Students who want to learn more about Exploration Point and what it offers can check out its website and schedule an appointment today.