Job Responsibilities and Backgrounds of NCAA Division I Athletic Advisors and Counselors
A national survey of the job responsibilities and educational backgrounds of athletic advisors and counselors representing NCAA Division I institutions was conducted. Of the 274 counselors contacted, 134 returned completed questionnaires, representing a 49% return rate. Results of the survey indicated that the majority of advisors and counselors were male, held a master’s degree, and were former athletes in revenue-producing sports. They were employed primarily by athletic departments and provided counseling services, for the most part, to male college athletes involved in revenue-producing sports. Counseling services for college athletes focused primarily on academic matters, with considerably less attention devoted to personal-social or vocational counseling. The implications of these findings toward the provision of future counseling services for college athletes are discussed.