Executive dysfunction, sometimes called executive functioning disorder, is not typically a standalone diagnosis, but rather a set of symptoms that go along with many different mental and physical illnesses. Executive dysfunction is often thought of as a byproduct of ADHD, but it is also seen in kids with depression, anxiety, autism, epilepsy, MS, and kids with repeated concussions and head injuries. What exactly causes executive dysfunction varies, but the impact on students is the same.
Students with executive dysfunction often struggle with things like organization, time management, forgetfulness, and emotional dysregulation. Their symptoms can lead to teachers, their peers, and even their parents misunderstanding their behaviors as laziness or lack of care, which leads students with executive functioning issues to feel a great deal of shame and anxiety. As these students start thinking about college, they may begin to feel overwhelmed and want to put off the process altogether. That’s where we come in.
Why Hire Independent Counselors?
For students without executive functioning issues, having a private counselor in your corner can help all students achieve more out of the college prep process.
Even at private schools with dedicated college counseling departments, counselors are stretched thin. A college counselor at a top-tier private school might juggle dozens of students, and their hands-on involvement doesn’t start in earnest until mid-junior year. Usually they are most engaged senior year, and it’s largely focused on essays and application logistics. While in-school counselors are great resources for providing school-specific data and essay editing, they don’t get involved at the beginning. A private counselor, starting in your freshman, sophomore, or junior year, is the best way to shape your resume and application so it’s the strongest it can be.
And here’s the most important part: a lot of the students who get effortless As hire private counselors. The students who have the coolest and deepest extracurricular interests hire private counselors. And generally, the students who get into the best schools hire private counselors. In short, a private counselor can really help set a student up for success.
That’s where we come in. Hi! Elite colleges aren’t just looking for good grades and a long list of activities—they want students who are truly engaged, driven, and actively pursuing their interests in meaningful ways. That kind of standout application doesn’t happen overnight.
By working with students one-on-one as early as freshman year, we help them make intentional choices that strengthen their academic record, elevate their extracurricular profile, and build a compelling narrative that sets them apart. College admissions isn’t about last-minute scrambling; it’s about strategic planning. And students with executive dysfunction thrive when they’re given the structure and planning we provide.
What’s the Process?
When working with students with executive dysfunction, it’s important to give them the structure and support they need to navigate an already complicated and daunting endeavor like college prep. Their symptoms can make them burn out and get frustrated easily, but by having one-on-one support, they’re able to flourish and go through the process with confidence.
Discover interests
Through their weekly meetings with their counselor, students will start to figure out what they want to study and why. Our counselors get to know their students, asking questions that reveal potential academic interests – hidden or otherwise. Once larger topics have been identified, we find other ways for students to pursue their interests. In the beginning, this might look like online courses, books, documentaries, TED Talks, you name it. We encourage students to pursue what makes them excited, which in turn keeps them more engaged.
Develop a niche
One of the main ways our students stand out in the ever-growing pools of applicants is by narrowing down their academic interests. We help them go deeper than just “history” or “STEM,” instead, we help them find more niche topics that make them excited to learn and help them be more appealing as an applicant. Some students may come to us with something more narrow that they’re already interested in, like astrophysics, and from there we might help them discover a passion for exoplanets or asteroid monitoring. Each niche is personalized to each student.
Build out extracurriculars
Once our students start defining their interests and building a niche, we help brainstorm the right kinds of extracurricular activities for them. Whether it’s starting a club, landing a research position with a professor or PhD student, securing a standout internship, or developing an independent project, we customize our approach for each student. There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy because no two students are the same. We take the time to understand what excites and motivates them, then guide them in turning those passions into tangible experiences that make a real impact.
Long-term strategy
Building a niche and developing extracurriculars is just one piece of the puzzle. We also help students choose the right classes for them at their school, advise on things like standardized testing, and help plan activities and programs during their school breaks. Helping students plan their summer is one of the most influential parts of our process – students with executive dysfunction may be overwhelmed by completing a big project on top of all the regular school stuff they have to do, so using their summers to work on those passion projects is an absolute must.
Why TKG?
In short, we’ve worked with hundreds of kids who struggle with everything from autism, eating disorders, ADHD, executive dysfunction, and more. We know how these students’ brains work, and we’ve been able to positively impact their lives through our work. We have helped place many students with executive dysfunction at top 20 schools, we’ve helped give them the structure they need to accomplish their goals, and we make sure we’re always working from a place of empathy and patience.
We know students with executive functioning issues are trying their best – and we want to help them get there. With the right support, students can focus on their strengths and build an impressive application profile.
If your child is feeling overwhelmed by the college process and struggling to juggle all the moving pieces, we’re here to help. Reach out today.