A few years ago, a friend called me in a panic. Her child had been diagnosed with ADHD in the sixth grade, went to a small private school that had accommodated him, but the school did not create a formal accommodation plan.

Planning isn’t just buying a planner and putting most, or even all your assignments in it. Academic planning must consider the assignments (the what,) the place you work best (the where,) and the available time that you have to complete the work (the when.)

The launch to college is frightening for the student and their parents. The swirl of needing to be perfect permeates all logical awareness of the student’s abilities and talents. Even those of us who are trained and work with students who have emerging executive functions that will continue to strengthen during college can become overwhelmed with the uncertainty and media attention that seems to indicate that good enough is not necessarily good enough.