Will going in a exploratory track for my undergrad at UMass Amherst have any implications on my getting a US visa?
I don’t know the answer but I found this web page that looks useful http://www.internationalstudentguidetotheusa.com/articles/applying-for-a-us-student-visa.htm if it gets mangled, Google “international student guide to the usa applying visa” without quotes. You’ll want to be clear on the major you plan to get into and how it helps you get a job in your home country.