On every episode of the CW’s hit show Gossip Girl, plots are twisted, partners are changed, and some killer outfits are donned as Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen compete for the place of queen bee. Among the actors portraying these classy, well-dressed high school students is Ithaca College alumna Amanda Setton ’07.

Setton has gone from student...

A: Exploratory students can take courses in the liberal arts as well as in all of the professional schools.

Working with a faculty adviser, students choose classes that fulfill general education requirements, selecting from a broad group of courses designed to pique interest and provide a foundation for their eventual major.

Exploratory students are also among the first to...

A "Real Deal Parents Style" question

A: With Ithaca’s Exploratory Program, students don’t have to make that decision until they’ve had an opportunity to discover what they’re really passionate about. A very popular option, the Exploratory Program gives students up to four semesters to sample courses across the College before declaring a major....

I already felt I was a step behind when I first began looking at colleges. Most everyone I knew had a focus and goals to achieve. In short, they knew what they wanted to major in. I felt blank without a clear aspiration. Even after high school graduation, I still couldn't answer the question we're all asked throughout childhood: what do you want to be when...

How the Exploratory Program led me to my major

I remember it clearly. I was standing on the edge of the stage, waiting for my name to be called. My white cap and gown reflected the sunny sky above as I watched my high school principal reach into the box of neatly rolled diplomas. My name echoed across the field and into the...