17 Athletic Academic Advisor Interview Questions and Answers

Athletic academic advisors play a critical role in the success of student-athletes. They work with student-athletes to ensure they are meeting the academic requirements to continue participating in their sport, and they also provide guidance on the college selection process and how to balance athletics and academics.

If you’re interviewing for an athletic academic advisor position, you can expect to be asked a range of questions about your experience working with students and your knowledge of NCAA rules. You’ll also want to be prepared to talk about your own experiences as a student-athlete.

To help you prepare for your interview, we’ve gathered some of the most common questions asked in interviews for athletic academic advisor positions. We’ve also included sample answers to give you a head start on formulating your own responses.

Are you familiar with NCAA regulations regarding athletic eligibility?

The NCAA has a number of regulations that athletic academic advisors must be familiar with. These include the Academic Progress Rate, which measures how well student-athletes are performing academically and the Initial Eligibility Requirements, which outline what students need to know in order to compete at the collegiate level. Your interviewer will likely want to make sure you understand these policies so you can help advise your athletes appropriately.

Example: “I am very familiar with all of the NCAA’s eligibility requirements. In fact, I have taken several courses on this subject matter through my university’s athletics department. This is because I believe it is important for athletic academic advisors to stay up-to-date on current rules and regulations.”

What are some of the most important qualities you think an athletic academic advisor should have?

This question can help interviewers understand what you value in an athletic academic advisor. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention qualities that are important to you and how they relate to the job.

Example: “I think one of the most important qualities for an athletic academic advisor is a passion for helping students succeed both on and off the field. I also think it’s important to have strong communication skills so you can effectively communicate with coaches, teachers and other staff members. Finally, I think it’s important to have experience working with athletes because it helps you understand their unique needs.”

How would you handle a situation where a student-athlete was struggling academically?

Athletic academic advisors often work with students who are also athletes. These students may have unique challenges that require special attention, and the interviewer wants to make sure you can handle these situations effectively. Use your answer to highlight your problem-solving skills and ability to help students succeed academically.

Example: “I would first try to understand what is causing their struggles. I would ask them about their schedule, how they manage their time and any other factors that could be contributing to their grades. Then, I would meet with the student’s coach to discuss strategies for helping the athlete balance their academics with athletics. Together, we would come up with a plan to ensure the student has everything they need to excel in both areas.”

What is your experience working with student-athletes?

This question can help the interviewer determine your experience working with student-athletes and how you might fit in at their school. Use your answer to highlight any skills or experiences that make you a good candidate for this role.

Example: “I have worked as an athletic academic advisor for five years, so I’ve had plenty of experience working with student-athletes. In my current position, I work with both varsity and junior varsity athletes, helping them develop study habits and learn time management skills. I also provide support when they need it, such as during midterms and finals. I find that having personal relationships with students helps me better understand their needs.”

Provide an example of a time when you helped a student-athlete find an internship or part-time job.

Interviewers may ask this question to learn more about your interpersonal skills and how you can help students with their career goals. Use examples from past experiences where you helped a student find an internship or part-time job, and explain what steps you took to make the process easier for them.

Example: “I had a student who was looking for an internship but didn’t have many connections in the business world. I asked him if he had any interests or hobbies that could lead to a potential internship opportunity. He told me he enjoyed playing video games and wanted to work at a gaming company. I researched local companies that offered internships and found one that fit his criteria. I contacted the company and set up an informational interview for him. He ended up getting the internship.”

If a student-athlete came to you with questions about transferring to your school, how would you respond?

This question can help interviewers understand how you would interact with students and their families. Use your answer to highlight your interpersonal skills, communication abilities and willingness to help others.

Example: “If a student-athlete came to me with questions about transferring to our school, I would first make sure they understood the transfer process. Then, I would explain that there are different ways to transfer depending on whether or not they have eligibility remaining. If they do, I would tell them about the NCAA’s rules regarding transferring and what steps they need to take to be eligible for competition at our school.”

What would you do if a student-athlete was struggling academically and didn’t want to seek additional support?

This question can help interviewers understand how you might handle a challenging situation. In your answer, try to show that you would use your interpersonal skills and problem-solving abilities to encourage the student-athlete to seek support.

Example: “I would first ask them why they don’t want to get additional support. I would then explain to them that it is in their best interest to do so because if they are struggling academically, it could affect their ability to play on the team. If they still refuse, I would refer them to someone else who could provide academic support.”

How well do you handle stress?

Athletic academic advisors often work with students who are under a lot of pressure. They may be trying to balance their athletic commitments while also doing well in school. Employers ask this question to make sure you can handle the stress that comes with the job. In your answer, explain how you manage stress and what strategies you use to stay calm.

Example: “I find that I am able to handle stress quite well. When I have a lot going on, I try to take deep breaths and remind myself that everything will be okay. If I’m feeling overwhelmed, I talk to my supervisor or other members of the team about it. Sometimes just getting things off my chest helps me feel better. I also like to exercise when I need to relieve some stress. It’s a great way for me to clear my mind.”

Do you have any suggestions for ways we could improve our athletic academic advising program?

This question can help interviewers understand your critical thinking skills and how you approach problem-solving. When answering this question, it can be helpful to highlight a specific situation or challenge that you faced in your previous role and the steps you took to resolve it.

Example: “I think one way we could improve our athletic academic advising program is by making sure all of our student athletes have access to an advisor at least once per semester. I’ve seen situations where students don’t meet with their advisors for months at a time, which can lead to issues like poor attendance and grades. To address this issue, I started requiring my student athletes to schedule appointments with me every month so they would always have someone to talk to about any concerns.”

When working with a large group of student-athletes, how do you make sure everyone gets the attention they need?

The interviewer may ask you a question like this to see how you manage large groups of students. Your answer should show that you can work well with others and prioritize tasks effectively.

Example: “I find it helpful to have a system in place for organizing my time when I’m working with a large group of student-athletes. For example, at my previous school, we had over 100 student-athletes on our teams, so I used an online scheduling program to help me keep track of who needed to meet with me and when. This helped me make sure everyone got the attention they needed while also allowing me to stay organized.”

We want to improve our communication with the parents of student-athletes. How would you go about doing this?

Athletic academic advisors often work with parents of student-athletes to ensure that they understand the requirements for their child’s athletic scholarship. This question allows you to show your communication skills and how you can help others.

Example: “I would start by having a meeting with all of the parents of our current athletes. I would explain what we do as an academic advisor, including the services we provide and how we support student-athletes in their academics. I would also make sure to answer any questions they have about the program. After this initial meeting, I would follow up with each parent individually to see if they have any additional questions or concerns.”

Describe your process for reviewing a student-athlete’s transcript and making recommendations.

The interviewer will want to know how you use your experience and skills to make recommendations for a student-athlete’s academic future. Use examples from past transcripts to describe the process of reviewing grades, coursework and other factors that influence your decision making.

Example: “I begin by looking at the overall GPA and majoring in the best courses with the highest grades. I then look at the number of credits completed versus the number of hours played. If there is a large discrepancy between the two, I recommend they take more challenging classes or change their sport season to better align with their class schedule.”

What makes you qualified to work with student-athletes?

This question is a great way for the interviewer to learn more about your background and how it relates to working with student-athletes. When answering this question, you can highlight any experience or skills that make you qualified for the role.

Example: “I have been working as an athletic academic advisor for five years now, so I am very familiar with the challenges of helping student-athletes succeed in their academics while also excelling on the field. In my previous position, I helped create a new system where we would meet with each student-athlete at least once per semester to discuss their progress and goals. This allowed me to get to know each athlete better and help them develop strategies to stay on track.”

Which sports have you worked with in the past?

Interviewers may ask this question to learn more about your experience and qualifications for the role. They want to know if you have any experience working with their school’s athletic teams or clubs. Use your answer to highlight which sports you’ve worked with in the past, what your duties were and how much experience you have.

Example: “In my current position as an academic advisor at a local high school, I work with students who play on the basketball team. In previous roles, I also helped student-athletes who played football, baseball, soccer and volleyball. My primary responsibility is helping these students stay on track academically so they can perform well both in practice and in the classroom.”

What do you think is the most important thing student-athletes can learn from their athletic academic advisor?

This question can help interviewers understand your philosophy as an academic advisor. They may want to know that you are committed to helping student-athletes succeed in the classroom and beyond. You can answer this question by explaining what you think is most important for student-athletes to learn from their athletic academic advisors.

Example: “I believe the most important thing student-athletes can learn from their athletic academic advisors is how to balance schoolwork with athletics. I have seen many student-athletes struggle with managing their time, so I make sure to emphasize the importance of balancing academics with practice and games. I also encourage them to take advantage of resources on campus like tutoring services or study groups.”

How often should an athletic academic advisor meet with a student-athlete?

The interviewer wants to know how you plan your schedule and manage your time. Your answer should show that you can balance multiple tasks while also meeting the needs of students.

Example: “I meet with student-athletes at least once a month, but I prefer to meet with them more often if they have questions or concerns about their grades or performance on the field. If a student is struggling in one area, it’s important for me to check in with them regularly so we can work together to find solutions. For example, if a student has been performing well in class but suddenly starts receiving lower grades, I would want to talk to them right away to see what happened.”

There is a discrepancy between a student-athlete’s grade point average and their performance in your sport. How would you respond?

This question is designed to assess your ability to make fair and objective decisions. It also tests your knowledge of NCAA regulations regarding academic eligibility. In your answer, explain how you would determine whether the student-athlete’s performance or their GPA was more important in determining their eligibility.

Example: “If I encountered this situation as an athletic academic advisor, I would first look at the specific requirements for each sport. For example, a basketball player may be required to maintain a 2.0 GPA while a football player must have a minimum GPA of 1.8. If the student-athlete has met all the requirements for their sport, then they are eligible to play. However, if they have not met the GPA requirement for their sport, then I would need to evaluate their overall GPA.

I would compare their current GPA with their previous semester’s GPA. If there is a significant difference between these two GPAs, then I would ask them to retake the course that caused the lower grade. If they still fail to meet the minimum GPA requirement, then they will no longer be eligible to play until they can raise their GPA back up to the appropriate level.”