Who Do Educational Consultants Refer College Students to for Executive Function Coaching?

If you're an independent educational consultant, you've had this family: the student got in, and now they're three weeks into freshman year and quietly falling apart. Here's who to send them to, what to look for, and how to know when it's coaching versus something else.

The short answer: Educational consultants refer college students who struggle with planning, deadlines and follow-through to an executive function (EF) coach. That's someone who meets with the student weekly, usually by video, to build a working system for their week. Look for a credentialed coach who works with the student directly, not only the parent.

Why do college students need an executive function coach at all?

Because the structure that carried them through high school is gone overnight. No bells, no daily homework checks, no parent asking "did you start that yet?"

Picture a student like Steve. Strong grades, pre-med, accepted to his first-choice school. All through high school, his mom was his executive function: she kept the calendar, the reminders, the "what's due Friday." By November of freshman year, he has two missed labs, an unopened syllabus portal and a midterm he didn't know was coming. He's not lazy and he's not unprepared academically. He just never had to run his own week.

Research backs up how real that gap is. A four-year study of college students with and without ADHD found students with ADHD earned lower GPAs, and fewer of those not on medication stayed enrolled through eight semesters (49% vs. 59%) (DuPaul et al., 2021, Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology). Many students without a diagnosis hit the same wall in their first semester.

Who do educational consultants usually refer these students to?

Most IECs keep a short list of three kinds of support, and the trick is matching the student to the right one:

• An executive function coach when the student can do the work but can't plan, start or keep up with it.

• A tutor when the gap is the content itself, like organic chemistry or calculus.

• A psychologist or therapist when anxiety, mood or an unanswered question about a diagnosis is driving the struggle. An evaluation may need to come first.

Many students need two of these at once. EF coaching works well alongside tutoring or therapy because it doesn't replace either one. It's the system that makes the other help stick.

What should I look for in a college EF coach?

Ask four questions before you add anyone to your referral list:

1. Do they coach the student directly? College students need to own the system. A good coach keeps parents informed without making them the manager again.

2. Do they build real, week-one tools? The student should leave the first sessions with a working calendar, a weekly planning routine and a plan for when things slip, not just a pep talk.

3. Do they work over video, across states? Your families are spread out. Weekly video sessions keep momentum without anyone driving across town.

4. Are they credentialed, and do they know their lane? A certified EF coach should be clear that coaching isn't therapy or tutoring, and should refer out when that's what a student needs.

How does weekly EF coaching for a college student work?

A typical rhythm is one video session a week. In the first few weeks, the student sets up the basics: every syllabus date in one calendar, a weekly planning block, a way to start work right after class, and a simple routine for checking the learning portal. After that, sessions shift to keeping the system running through midterms, finals and the weeks when it all falls apart. That's where most of the real growth happens.

When is the best time to refer a college student?

There are two windows. The first is the summer before move-in, when the student has time to set up a system before the semester starts. The second is right after the first bad grades, usually around midterms, when the family is finally ready to act. Either works. Waiting until spring usually means a full semester to recover from.

Where I fit on your referral list

I'm Natalie Micheel, a certified executive function coach based in Sioux Falls, SD, working with students online across the country. My College Independence System is built for students like Steve: weekly 1:1 video coaching, real tools set up in the first weeks, and a parent update rhythm that keeps families informed without putting them back in charge. If you're an educational consultant, my referral partner page explains how I work with IECs and how I keep you in the loop.

Have a student in mind?

On a free 30-minute call, tell me about the student (or just about your families), and I'll tell you honestly whether coaching is the right fit or what I'd recommend instead. Connect With Natalie. The door is open.

Frequently asked questions

Is executive function coaching the same as ADHD coaching?

They overlap. ADHD coaching focuses on students with an ADHD diagnosis; EF coaching works on the same skills (planning, starting, time, follow-through) for any student who struggles with them, diagnosis or not.

Can EF coaching happen entirely online?

Yes. Weekly video sessions work well for college students, who already live on their laptops and phones, and they let one coach serve families in many states.

Should a struggling college student get a tutor or an EF coach first?

If they understand the material but miss deadlines, start with an EF coach. If they keep up with the work but don't understand the content, start with a tutor. If it's both, a coach can help them use tutoring well.

How long does college EF coaching usually last?

Most students need at least a full semester to build habits that hold up under pressure. Many continue through the first year so the system carries into spring.

About Me

Natalie Micheel, MBA, is a certified executive function coach and founder of BestEFC, serving students in Sioux Falls, SD and online. After a career in operations and audit at global companies like Sprint, Medtronic, and ITT, she has spent more than 15 years teaching, tutoring, and coaching students from pre-K through college. She helps capable students build simple systems that work as hard as they do. Educational coaching, not therapy.