Virginia Tech® home

Become a Peer Academic Coach

Job Description

Peer academic coaches (PACs) help students develop their academic skills or performance through coaching appointments and seminar presentations. Common topics include time management, effective study strategies, motivation and procrastination, and more.

Compensation

Peer academic coaches receive wage pay of $13.50/hour for coaching appointments and $14.50/hour for seminar presentations. All training (i.e., pre-semester assignments and biweekly meetings throughout fall and spring) is also paid at $13.50/hour. PACs can request their own schedule each semester; hours are highly flexible.

Students in the Honors College can also earn honors credit for working as a PAC.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Have authorization to work in the United States
  • Be a currently-enrolled undergraduate student at Virginia Tech
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better
  • Maintain a history of good conduct standing and academic integrity
  • Commit to working in both the fall and spring semesters following your application
  • Dedicate time for coaching (~3 hours per week) and seminars (5+ hours per semester)
  • Attend biweekly staff meetings
  • Participate in biannual fall and spring training days on the first Sunday of each semester
  • Complete online training before beginning to work

Application Process

  • February: Complete the Handshake application
  • March: Application review
  • Late March to mid April: Selected applicants will be invited for interviews
  • Mid April to mid May: Preliminary decisions will be made; additional applicants may be invited to interview
  • Late May to early June: Eligibility screenings (including GPA, faculty references, and conduct and academic integrity records); decisions will be announced, including conditional acceptances and waitlist notifications
  • Mid June through mid August: Offers will go out to waitlisted students as others drop out or fail to meet requirements

What We Look For in PAC Candidates

  • Strong academic skills and habits that you can model for students
  • Ability to clearly explain information in multiple ways
  • Ability to quickly establish rapport with others
  • Outstanding public speaking skills
  • Being empathetic, patient, compassionate, and wanting to help
  • Believing that anyone can improve regardless of where they start

Benefits of Being a PAC

  • Earn money with flexible hours
  • Deepen your understanding of academic success concepts
  • Build skills in communication, leadership, and problem-solving
  • Make a difference for your peers
  • Join the community of peer educators at Virginia Tech